Giriraj Singh pays tribute to Malaviya on death anniversary
Synopsis
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on 12 November paid solemn tribute to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary, honouring the Bharat Ratna awardee's founding of Banaras Hindu University in 1916 and his legacy as an educationist and freedom fighter.
Key Takeaways
Giriraj Singh , Union Textiles Minister and senior BJP leader, paid tribute to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary on 12 November 2026 .
Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi in 1916 , combining modern education with Indian cultural studies.
The government conferred the Bharat Ratna — India's highest civilian honour — upon Malaviya posthumously.
Malaviya was also a freedom fighter, lawyer, journalist, and four-time president of the Indian National Congress.
BJP leaders regularly mark Malaviya's anniversary, invoking his legacy of nationalist education and institution-building.
A century after Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya reshaped Indian higher education, his memory endures — marked on 12 November 2026 by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, who offered a solemn tribute on the educationist's death anniversary, calling his contributions 'unparalleled.'
Singh posted in Hindi: 'Mahan shikshavid, prakhar rashtrbhakt evam Bharat Ratna Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya ji ki punyatithi par unhein vinamra shraddhanjali' — 'Humble homage to the great educationist, ardent patriot and Bharat Ratna Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary.' The minister highlighted Malaviya's founding of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and his lifelong dedication to the nation as an inspiration that 'will continue to guide us all.'
The man who built BHU in 1916
Madan Mohan Malaviya established Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi in 1916, envisioning an institution that would fuse modern academic learning with India's classical cultural and philosophical traditions. The university grew into one of the country's largest residential central universities, a living monument to his belief that education and national identity are inseparable.
Malaviya was also a prominent figure in the Indian freedom movement — a lawyer, journalist, and four-time president of the Indian National Congress. The government posthumously conferred upon him the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in recognition of his exceptional service to the nation.
BJP's tradition of invoking institution-builders
Singh's tribute follows a consistent pattern among BJP leaders of marking the anniversaries of independence-era figures associated with cultural revival and institution-building. Malaviya, whose vision of education was deeply rooted in Hindu cultural thought, holds a particular resonance within that political tradition. Such commemorations serve as a thread connecting contemporary governance to a longer civilisational narrative — one the party has long sought to foreground in public discourse.
As a senior Lok Sabha MP from Begusarai, Bihar and a Union Minister, Singh's post is part of a broader chorus of tributes expected from across the political spectrum today.
Point of View
A minister from Bihar whose political brand is rooted in assertive cultural nationalism, such tributes reinforce constituency-level messaging around civilisational pride. The pattern suggests these anniversaries function as soft political signalling as much as genuine historical commemoration.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was a prominent Indian educationist, freedom fighter, lawyer and journalist who founded Banaras Hindu University in 1916. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, and served four times as president of the Indian National Congress.
When was Banaras Hindu University founded and by whom?
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was founded in 1916 in Varanasi by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. It was established to combine modern academic education with Indian cultural and classical traditions.
Why did Giriraj Singh pay tribute to Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh paid tribute on 12 November 2026 , which marks the death anniversary of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. Singh praised Malaviya's unparalleled contribution to education, particularly the founding of BHU, and his dedication to the nation.
What Bharat Ratna was given to Madan Mohan Malaviya?
The Indian government conferred the Bharat Ratna — the country's highest civilian award — upon Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya posthumously in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to education and the nation.
What is the significance of Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary?
Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary is observed annually as an occasion to remember his foundational role in Indian higher education through BHU and his contributions to the freedom movement. Political leaders and academics across India mark the day with tributes.
