Shivraj Singh Chouhan pays tribute to Malaviya on death anniversary
Synopsis
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan honoured Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary on 12 November, calling the Bharat Ratna awardee and BHU founder's educational legacy an eternal guide for humanity.
Key Takeaways
Shivraj Singh Chouhan paid tribute to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary, 12 November 2026 .
Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916 in Varanasi , now one of India's largest residential universities.
Malaviya was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2015 , India's highest civilian honour.
Chouhan described Malaviya's educational mission as a flame that 'shall always illuminate the path of humanity's well-being.' Senior BJP leaders regularly mark anniversaries of pre-independence reformers linked to Hindu education and social reform.
A flame lit by a scholar, a freedom fighter, and a builder of institutions — Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan paused on Thursday, 12 November 2026 to honour the memory of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the towering educationist and independence activist, on his death anniversary.
Posting on X in Hindi, Chouhan offered his vinamra shraddhanjali (humble homage) to Malaviya, describing him as a 'great freedom struggle warrior, eminent educationist and social reformer, founder of Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya, and Bharat Ratna.' He wrote that the flame Malaviya lit through education for the upliftment of the nation and the welfare of society 'shall always illuminate the path of humanity's well-being.'
The man who built a university to build a nation
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916 in Varanasi, conceiving it not merely as an academic institution but as a crucible for national consciousness during the colonial era. Today it stands as one of India's largest residential universities, a monument to his conviction that education was the surest road to self-rule and social renewal.
His stature was formally recognised when the Government of India conferred upon him the Bharat Ratna — the country's highest civilian honour — posthumously in 2015. The honour cemented his place in the national memory alongside the giants of the independence movement.
A legacy that BJP regularly invokes
Senior BJP leaders have made a consistent practice of marking the death anniversaries of pre-independence figures associated with Hindu reform and education, and Malaviya's name sits near the top of that canon. His vision of education as a vehicle for cultural revival and national uplift maps closely onto the party's official messaging on heritage and higher education policy.
Every 12 November, BHU marks the occasion with commemorative events on its sprawling Varanasi campus — a tradition that keeps Malaviya's ideas in active circulation among India's academic community, more than eight decades after his passing.
Chouhan, himself a former four-term Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and now one of the most prominent faces of the Modi cabinet, lends considerable political weight to the tribute. The message is as much about the enduring salience of Malaviya's educational ideal as it is about remembrance.
Point of View
' the minister subtly connects historical reform energy to present policy ambitions without making an overtly political statement. The tribute is ceremonial in form but ideologically purposeful in its framing.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was an Indian independence activist, educationist, and social reformer best known for founding Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi in 1916. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, posthumously in 2015.
When did Madan Mohan Malaviya die and when is his death anniversary?
Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary falls on 12 November, observed annually with commemorative events, particularly at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi.
Why did Shivraj Singh Chouhan pay tribute to Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Shivraj Singh Chouhan paid tribute on Malaviya's death anniversary, honouring him as a great freedom fighter, educationist, social reformer, and founder of Banaras Hindu University whose legacy continues to inspire national education and social welfare.
What is Banaras Hindu University and who founded it?
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is a central university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. It was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916 and is one of the largest residential universities in India.
What Bharat Ratna did Madan Mohan Malaviya receive?
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya received the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, posthumously in 2015 in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to education, social reform, and the freedom movement.
