HP CM Sukhu pays tribute to Madan Mohan Malaviya
Synopsis
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid his respects to Madan Mohan Malaviya on his death anniversary, honouring the freedom fighter, educationist and BHU founder's enduring inspiration for India's youth.
Key Takeaways
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu posted a formal tribute on 12 November 2026 marking Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary.
Malaviya founded Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916 , one of India's largest residential universities.
He served multiple terms as president of the Indian National Congress and was a prominent freedom fighter.
The tribute was issued by the official Chief Minister's Office of Himachal Pradesh on X.
Sukhu's statement emphasised Malaviya's dedication to education and the bright future of youth as an enduring inspiration.
A freedom fighter who built a university to arm a nation — Madan Mohan Malaviya left India a living institution long after independence arrived. On his death anniversary, Thursday, 12 November 2026, the Chief Minister's Office of Himachal Pradesh posted a formal tribute signed by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, saluting Malaviya's lifelong commitment to education and the future of India's youth.
Posting in Hindi, CM Sukhu wrote: 'महान स्वतंत्रता सेनानी, शिक्षाविद् एवं कांग्रेस के पूर्व अध्यक्ष महामना मदन मोहन मालवीय जी की पुण्यतिथि पर उन्हें सादर नमन।' — 'On the death anniversary of the great freedom fighter, educationist and former Congress president Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya, I offer my respectful tribute. His life, dedicated to the spread of education and the bright future of youth, will remain a source of inspiration for all.'
The man who founded Banaras Hindu University
Madan Mohan Malaviya, widely revered by the honorific Mahamana (the great-souled), was one of the towering figures of colonial India. He founded Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916 in Varanasi, conceiving it as a seat of learning that would synthesise ancient Indian knowledge with modern science — a civilisational wager that the colonised mind could reclaim its confidence through rigorous education. BHU remains one of India's largest residential universities more than a century later. Malaviya also served multiple terms as president of the Indian National Congress and was a central figure in the broader national movement.Sukhu's tribute in a standard but steady tradition
CM Sukhu's tribute follows a well-established practice across Indian state governments: official acknowledgement of national icons on their birth and death anniversaries, linking historical memory to present governance values. For a Congress-led administration in Himachal Pradesh, invoking Malaviya — a former Congress president — carries both historical continuity and political resonance. The tribute's emphasis on education aligns with the Sukhu government's stated priorities around youth development in the state. Malaviya's legacy is not merely commemorative. It is an active argument — that investing in young minds is the most durable form of nation-building. That argument, made in 1916, still holds.Point of View
Invoking Malaviya — a former Congress president and the architect of BHU — subtly ties the party's historical role in education to present-day governance. Such commemorations rarely generate policy outcomes on their own, but they signal the symbolic vocabulary a government chooses to inhabit. What gives this tribute modest weight is the specificity of Malaviya's legacy: BHU is not an abstraction but a living institution, making the homage slightly more grounded than routine ceremonial boilerplate.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Madan Mohan Malaviya was a prominent Indian freedom fighter, educationist and former president of the Indian National Congress, best known for founding Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916 in Varanasi.
When is Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary?
Madan Mohan Malaviya's death anniversary falls on 12 November, observed annually across India with official tributes from governments and institutions.
What did CM Sukhu say about Madan Mohan Malaviya?
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu described Malaviya as a great freedom fighter, educationist and former Congress president, saying his life dedicated to spreading education and securing youth's bright future will remain an inspiration for all.
What is Banaras Hindu University and who founded it?
Banaras Hindu University (BHU), located in Varanasi, was founded by Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916. It is one of India's largest residential universities and a landmark institution in Indian higher education.
Why is Madan Mohan Malaviya called Mahamana?
Madan Mohan Malaviya is called 'Mahamana,' meaning 'the great-souled,' an honorific bestowed in recognition of his immense contributions to education, national awakening and the freedom struggle.
