CM Bhajan Lal Sharma pays tribute to Malaviya on death anniversary
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma honoured Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary, saluting the Bharat Ratna-winning founder of Banaras Hindu University for his unparalleled contributions to education, nation-building, and Indian cultural preservation.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma posted a tribute to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary on 12 November 2026 .
Sharma described Malaviya's contributions to education, nation-building, and Indian culture as 'unparalleled' and a lasting source of inspiration.
Madan Mohan Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi in 1916 , one of India's largest central universities.
Malaviya was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna , India's highest civilian honour, for his contributions to public life and education.
He was also a prominent freedom fighter and national leader during the independence movement.
A century after Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya set the foundations of modern Indian higher education, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma paused on Thursday, 12 November 2026 to honour the man who built Banaras Hindu University — reminding a new generation that the idea of a university rooted in Indian civilisation was itself an act of nation-building.
Sharma posted his tribute on X, writing: 'Koti-koti naman' (a million salutations) to Malaviya on his death anniversary, calling his contributions to national reconstruction, the spread of education, and the preservation of Indian culture 'unparalleled' and a 'perpetual source of inspiration for generations to come.'
The man who turned a dream into a university
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916 in Varanasi, conceiving it as an institution where rigorous modern scholarship and deep Indian cultural roots could coexist. The university grew into one of India's largest residential central universities — a living monument to his conviction that education and cultural identity are inseparable.
Malaviya was also a prominent freedom fighter and a leading voice in the Indian National Congress during the independence movement. The government of India posthumously awarded him the Bharat Ratna — the nation's highest civilian honour — recognising the full arc of his contributions to public life, education, and national awakening.
Why annual tributes to Malaviya carry institutional weight
Indian political leaders across party lines mark Malaviya's death anniversary, a pattern that reflects how thoroughly he is embedded in the national imagination around education and institution-building. For BJP leaders in particular, Malaviya's emphasis on Indian cultural heritage aligns with a broader ideological thread the party consistently invokes.
Sharma's tribute, though ceremonial, gestures at something durable: in a political moment when universities and their autonomy are frequently contested terrain, invoking the founder of BHU is a quiet reminder of what it once took — decades of fundraising, persuasion, and moral authority — to build a major seat of learning from scratch.
The students and faculty of Banaras Hindu University observe the anniversary with academic events each year, keeping the institutional memory of Malaviya alive well beyond political statements.
Malaviya's legacy does not need rediscovery — it needs to be matched.
Point of View
Malaviya's towering stature as an educationist transcends any single party's claim, which is precisely why these tributes draw broad resonance.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was a renowned Indian educationist, freedom fighter, and national leader who founded Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi in 1916. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
When was Banaras Hindu University founded and by whom?
Banaras Hindu University was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in Varanasi. It grew into one of India's largest residential central universities.
Why did Bhajan Lal Sharma pay tribute to Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma paid tribute on 12 November 2026, the death anniversary of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, honouring his contributions to education, nation-building, and Indian cultural preservation.
What is the Bharat Ratna awarded to Madan Mohan Malaviya for?
Madan Mohan Malaviya received the Bharat Ratna posthumously in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Indian education, the founding of Banaras Hindu University, his role in the freedom movement, and his work in preserving Indian culture.
How is Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary observed?
Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary is marked each year by political tributes across party lines and academic commemorations at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, keeping his institutional legacy alive.
