Shivraj Singh Chouhan pays tribute to V.V. Giri on birth anniversary
Synopsis
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan honoured former President and Bharat Ratna awardee V.V. Giri on his birth anniversary on 10 August 2026, praising his contributions to national upliftment and workers' welfare.
Key Takeaways
Shivraj Singh Chouhan posted a tribute to V.V.
Giri on his birth anniversary, 10 August 2026 .
Giri served as the fourth President of India from 1969 to 1974 .
He was a freedom fighter, trade union leader, and recipient of the Bharat Ratna .
Chouhan highlighted Giri's 'unparalleled efforts for national upliftment and the welfare of workers.' Giri was born on 10 August 1894 in Berhampur, Odisha .
On the birth anniversary of freedom fighter and former President V.V. Giri, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan offered his tribute on Monday, 10 August 2026, honouring a leader whose legacy spans the independence movement and the long struggle for workers' rights.
Chouhan wrote — 'कोटि-कोटि नमन' ('a billion salutations') — to Giri, describing him as a great freedom fighter and noting that he would always be remembered for his 'unparalleled efforts for national upliftment and the welfare of workers.'
From the picket line to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Varahagiri Venkata Giri — popularly known as V.V. Giri — led one of independent India's most remarkable political journeys. Born on 10 August 1894 in Berhampur, Odisha, he joined the freedom movement under Mahatma Gandhi and simultaneously built a formidable career as a trade union organiser, championing the cause of railway and plantation workers at a time when organised labour had few protectors. He served as the fourth President of India from 1969 to 1974, a tenure that followed stints as Governor of three states and a term as Vice President. His election to the presidency was itself historic — he ran as an independent candidate after resigning as Vice President, and his victory was seen as a significant moment in Indian democratic politics. The government of India later conferred on him the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian honour, recognising a life devoted to both national liberation and social justice.Why the labour legacy still resonates
Giri's contribution to the labour movement is inseparable from his political identity. Long before he entered the Rashtrapati Bhavan, he founded and led trade unions, wrote extensively on workers' rights, and pushed for legislation that protected the most vulnerable sections of the industrial workforce. That dimension of his legacy gives Chouhan's tribute a particular edge: the Agriculture Minister's portfolio centres on rural and farm labour welfare, making the invocation of Giri's name more than ceremonial. Indian political leaders routinely mark the birth and death anniversaries of independence-era figures on social media, but tributes to Giri tend to carry a dual register — statesman and labour champion — that cuts across party lines.Point of View
Including leaders associated with labour and social justice causes. That Chouhan — as Agriculture Minister overseeing rural and farm-worker welfare — invokes Giri's labour legacy is a soft but deliberate alignment of portfolio with political symbolism. Such anniversary tributes rarely carry policy weight on their own, but they function as part of a sustained outreach to working-class constituencies. The homage also reflects how Giri, a non-partisan figure in his later career, remains a figure both major parties are comfortable honouring.
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 . He was born on 10 August 1894 in Berhampur, Odisha .
Why did Shivraj Singh Chouhan pay tribute to V.V. Giri?
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan paid tribute to mark V.V. Giri's birth anniversary, honouring his legacy as a freedom fighter and champion of workers' rights and national upliftment.
What is V.V. Giri known for besides being President?
Beyond his presidency, V.V. Giri is remembered as a leading figure in India's trade union movement, having organised and advocated for railway and plantation workers, and as a participant in the independence struggle under Mahatma Gandhi .
What honour did V.V. Giri receive from the Indian government?
The Indian government conferred the Bharat Ratna — the nation's highest civilian award — on V.V. Giri in recognition of his lifelong contributions to national liberation and social justice.
