HP CM Sukhu pays tribute to V.V. Giri on birth anniversary
Synopsis
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of Himachal Pradesh paid tribute to V.V. Giri — freedom fighter, trade union leader and India's fourth President — on his birth anniversary on 10 August 2026, honouring his legacy of national service and labour welfare.
Key Takeaways
Giri's birth anniversary falls on 10 August each year; tributes were posted by the HP CMO on 10 August 2026 .
Varahagiri Venkata Giri served as India's fourth President from 1969 to 1974 .
He was a prominent independence activist and trade union leader before entering high office.
CM Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu authored the tribute, citing Giri's dedication to national service and workers' welfare.
The tribute highlighted his contributions to labour rights and national development as enduring sources of inspiration.
A freedom fighter who walked picket lines before he walked the halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan — Varahagiri Venkata Giri is remembered on his birth anniversary, 10 August, as a man whose life bridged the labour movement and the nation's highest office.
The Chief Minister's Office of Himachal Pradesh posted a tribute on Monday, 10 August 2026, with Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu offering his respects. 'राष्ट्रसेवा और श्रमिक हितों के प्रति उनका समर्पण' — 'his dedication to national service and the welfare of workers' — was cited as a legacy that 'will always remain an inspiration.'
V.V. Giri's journey was anything but conventional. An active participant in India's independence movement, he went on to become one of the country's most prominent trade union leaders before entering elected politics. He served as India's fourth President from 1969 to 1974 — a tenure notable for the circumstances of his election, which required a second round of counting and became a landmark moment in India's constitutional history.
His lifelong commitment to workers' rights set him apart from many of his contemporaries. Long before assuming the presidency, Giri championed labour causes at a time when organised workers had few institutional advocates, leaving a mark on India's trade union movement that endured well beyond his years in office.
Such anniversary tributes are a consistent feature of Indian political life — state governments and leaders across the spectrum use birth and death anniversaries of national figures to reaffirm shared values. For CM Sukhu, invoking Giri's dual legacy of freedom struggle and labour welfare aligns with a broader political emphasis on workers and the marginalised.
The man who once fought for the rights of ordinary workers now has his memory invoked by the very institutions he helped shape — a full-circle reckoning with a life spent in service.
Point of View
CM Sukhu subtly reinforces a pro-worker identity that has been central to his government's positioning in Himachal Pradesh. Giri remains one of the few Indian Presidents whose pre-political career was defined by grassroots trade unionism — invoking him is a deliberate ideological choice. Such tributes, while ceremonial in form, are a consistent tool for state governments to anchor their values to the national freedom movement's broader arc.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is V.V. Giri's birth anniversary?
V.V. Giri's birth anniversary is observed on 10 August every year.
Why did HP CM Sukhu pay tribute to V.V. Giri?
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tribute on Giri's birth anniversary , honouring his legacy as a freedom fighter, labour rights champion, and former President of India.
What is V.V. Giri known for?
V.V. Giri is known for his role in India's independence movement, his decades of work as a trade union leader advocating for workers, and his term as India's fourth President from 1969 to 1974 .
Who is Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu?
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh . The tribute to V.V. Giri was posted from the official CMO Himachal Pradesh account in his name.
