Murli Manohar Joshi

Murli Manohar Joshi (born 5 January 1934) is an Indian politician and physicist who has been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since its formation. A senior figure in the party, he served as BJP president from 1991 to 1993 and subsequently held several important positions in national politics. He served as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from constituencies including Almora, Allahabad, Varanasi and Kanpur.

Before entering full-time politics, Joshi was a professor of physics at the University of Allahabad. He holds a doctorate in physics, with his research focused on spectroscopy. During the National Democratic Alliance government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he served as Union Minister of Human Resource Development.

Joshi was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour, in 2017 by the Government of India.

Early life and family

Murli Manohar Joshi was born on 5 January 1934 in Delhi. His family originated from Almora in the Kumaon region, now part of Uttarakhand. His father was Manmohan Joshi.

In 1966, Joshi married Tarla Joshi in an arranged marriage. The couple have two daughters, Nivedita and Priyamvada.

Education and academic career

Joshi received his early education in Chandpur in Bijnor district and later in Almora. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree from Meerut College and subsequently obtained a Master of Science degree from the University of Allahabad.

During his time at Allahabad University, one of his teachers was Rajendra Singh, who later became the Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Joshi pursued doctoral research in physics at Allahabad University, specialising in spectroscopy. His academic work included a research paper in physics written in Hindi, described as one of the earliest works of its kind. After completing his PhD, he joined Allahabad University as a professor of physics.

Early political activities

Joshi became associated with the RSS at a young age. During the 1950s, he participated in several social and political movements, including the Cow Protection Movement of 1953–54 and the Kumbh Kisan Andolan in Uttar Pradesh in 1955.

His political activities expanded during the Emergency imposed in India between 1975 and 1977. Joshi was imprisoned from 26 June 1975 until the 1977 Lok Sabha elections.

Following the end of the Emergency, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Almora constituency. When the Janata Party formed India's first non-Congress government at the Centre, Joshi became General Secretary of the Janata Parliamentary Party.

Role in the BJP

Following the collapse of the Janata Party government, the political organisation associated with Joshi separated from the Janata Party in 1980 and participated in the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Joshi initially worked as a General Secretary of the newly formed BJP and later served as its treasurer. As General Secretary, he was given organisational responsibility for several states, including Bihar, West Bengal and the northeastern states.

He became president of the BJP in 1991, holding the position until 1993. His tenure coincided with a period of significant political expansion for the party.

Ekta Yatra

In December 1991, Joshi began the Ekta Yatra, a nationwide political journey intended to emphasise national unity and oppose separatist movements.

The yatra commenced in Kanyakumari on 11 December 1991 and passed through 14 states. Its concluding programme was held in Jammu and Kashmir on 26 January 1992, where Joshi intended to hoist the Indian national flag. The event attracted limited local participation.

Parliamentary and ministerial career

Joshi represented Allahabad in the Lok Sabha for three terms before losing the constituency in the 2004 general election.

He later returned to Parliament after winning the Varanasi constituency in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. In 1996, he briefly served as Home Minister during the BJP-led government that remained in office for 13 days.

During the National Democratic Alliance government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Joshi became Union Minister of Human Resource Development. His ministerial tenure covered areas including education and human resource policy.

In 2009, he was appointed chairman of the BJP's Manifesto Preparation Board.

Later political career

Joshi represented Varanasi in the Lok Sabha before vacating the constituency ahead of the 2014 general election, when Narendra Modi contested the seat for the BJP.

He subsequently contested the Kanpur Lok Sabha constituency and won the election with a margin of approximately 2.23 lakh votes.

Joshi has also been associated with the intellectual and ideological development of the BJP. His political thought has been influenced by figures including B. R. Ambedkar, Jyotirao Phule and Deendayal Upadhyaya.

Views and influences

Throughout his political career, Joshi has been associated with the RSS and the ideological tradition of the BJP. His background as a physicist and academic has also been reflected in his public engagement with education, science and national policy.

He has frequently acknowledged the influence of social reformers and political thinkers such as B. R. Ambedkar, Jyotirao Phule and Deendayal Upadhyaya.

Recognition and honours

In 2017, the Government of India conferred the Padma Vibhushan on Joshi in recognition of his contribution to public life.

He was also recognised by the Allahabad University Alumni Association as a "Proud Past Alumni" of the institution.

Personal life

Joshi is married to Tarla Joshi. They have two daughters, Nivedita and Priyamvada.

He has maintained an association with academic and scientific interests alongside his political career, reflecting his background as a physicist and former university professor.