CM Samrat Choudhary pays tribute to Bharat Ratna Madan Mohan Malaviya
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary marked the death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Madan Mohan Malaviya on 12 November 2026, honouring the BHU founder's legacy in education, social reform and nation-building in a post on X.
Key Takeaways
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary paid tribute to Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary on 12 November 2026 .
Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University in 1916 , blending modern education with Indian cultural values.
He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2015 , India's highest civilian honour.
Malaviya was also a freedom fighter, lawyer, journalist and social reformer who campaigned against caste discrimination.
Choudhary's tribute is part of a recurring BJP pattern of commemorating pre-independence figures linked to cultural revival and institution-building.
A builder of institutions and a voice for a free India — Madan Mohan Malaviya left behind a legacy that educators and statesmen still invoke over a century later. On his death anniversary, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary offered his homage on Thursday, 12 November 2026, saluting a life devoted to learning and national renewal.
Posting in Hindi, Chief Minister Choudhary wrote: 'महान शिक्षाविद्, प्रखर राष्ट्रभक्त एवं भारत रत्न महामना पंडित मदन मोहन मालवीय जी की पुण्यतिथि पर उन्हें विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि एवं कोटि-कोटि नमन।' — 'On the death anniversary of the great educationist, ardent patriot and Bharat Ratna Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, I offer him humble tribute and crores of salutations. His unparalleled contribution to education, social reform and nation-building will continue to inspire us all.'
The man who built a university for a nation in chains
Madan Mohan Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916 — an act of institutional audacity at a time when India remained under colonial rule. His vision was precise: marry modern scientific education with the roots of Indian culture, producing graduates who were both technically capable and grounded in their civilisational identity. BHU grew into one of India's premier universities and stands today as perhaps the most enduring monument to his life's work. Beyond the lecture hall, Malaviya was a freedom fighter, a lawyer, a journalist and a social reformer who campaigned against caste discrimination and advocated for the rights of workers and farmers. He was elected President of the Indian National Congress multiple times and served as a bridge between the cultural nationalism of his era and the broader movement for independence.Bharat Ratna conferred in 2015
The Government of India awarded Malaviya the Bharat Ratna — the country's highest civilian honour — posthumously in 2015, formally recognising contributions that generations of educators had long considered self-evident. The honour placed him alongside a small constellation of figures whose work reshaped the republic before and after independence. For BJP leaders, Malaviya occupies a particular place in the ideological constellation — an educationist who fused nationalism with cultural revival and institution-building, values the party consistently foregrounds in its public commemorations. Chief Minister Choudhary's tribute follows this established pattern, using the anniversary to reaffirm those principles before a Bihar audience that includes millions of students and educators. Malaviya's life poses a standing question to every generation of policymakers: are we building institutions that will outlast us?Point of View
Connecting contemporary governance to a tradition of education-led nationalism. For Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary, invoking Malaviya signals an alignment with cultural nationalism that resonates strongly in a state with deep ties to BHU and its student population. The tribute also arrives at a moment when education policy — from NEP implementation to university autonomy debates — is actively contested terrain. Malaviya's legacy, in that context, is less a museum piece and more a living argument about what Indian education should look like.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Madan Mohan Malaviya was an Indian educationist, freedom fighter and social reformer best known for founding Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916 . He was also a lawyer, journalist and several-time president of the Indian National Congress.
When was Madan Mohan Malaviya awarded the Bharat Ratna?
Madan Mohan Malaviya was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna , India's highest civilian honour, in 2015 in recognition of his contributions to education, social reform and nation-building.
Who founded Banaras Hindu University?
Madan Mohan Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University in 1916 with the aim of providing modern education rooted in Indian cultural values.
Why did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary pay tribute to Malaviya?
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary paid tribute on Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary on 12 November 2026 , honouring his legacy in education, social reform and nation-building — a commemoration that BJP leaders mark annually.
What is Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary date?
Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary falls on 12 November , the date on which leaders across India offer annual tributes to the BHU founder and Bharat Ratna laureate.
