Chaudhary Charan Singh was a leader ahead of his time

Chowdhury Sahab has famously said, ‘The nation will be prosperous only when the level of rural areas is improved and the purchasing power is high. Often described as the “champion of India’s farmers”, he advocated an economic model that could be described as bottom-up agrarian capitalism – a system in which rural prosperity drives the nation’s economy, rather than relying solely on top-down policies that support big industry. or urban concentrated growth. For him, India’s development began not with its factories but with its small enterprises and farms.

For Chaudhary, empowerment also meant decentralization. He envisioned a “rural democracy” where economic and social autonomy would allow each peasant family to flourish independently. This idea resonates strongly with another theory, which asserts that effective governance and economic decisions are best made at local levels. Unlike the centralized, large-scale industrial schemes that characterized early Indian development models, his schemes focused on decentralized means of production and grassroots empowerment.

Today, policies like Minimum Support Price (MSP) and land tenure rights are accepted, but these were revolutionary concepts when he championed them. The Consolidation of Holdings Act of 1953 and the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari and Land Reforms Act, 1952 established his credentials as a conscientious advocate for the landless and the disabled. During the drought of the late 1960s, Chaudhary Sahib’s emphasis on fair purchase prices set the precedent for MSP. In 1938, he introduced the Agricultural Produce Marketing Bill in the United Provincial Assembly – it was passed in 1964, creating an agricultural-market infrastructure.

Chaudhary Sahab understood that without a strong support system, the agricultural sector could neither sustain itself nor support the wider economy. To this end, he led the creation of institutions that would anchor rural development for decades to come. He made the Department of Rural Development a ministry. The establishment of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) provided a vital financial lifeline to rural India.

Despite his immense contribution to India’s socio-political and economic discourse, Chaudhary Sahib’s legacy is mostly confined to simple stories. There is a belief that he was the leader of the Jats. However, during his lifetime, he strongly rejected such labels. Deeply influenced by Arya Samaj and Gandhian ideals, he rejected caste as a determinant of identity or worth. Like Babasaheb Ambedkar, he saw caste as an obstacle to national progress.

In 1954, he proposed to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru a radical policy of encouraging inter-caste marriages for legislators and civil servants. Although this idea met with resistance, it reflected his progressive outlook and commitment to righting historical injustices. His pitch for a quota in government jobs for farmers and arable dependents showed his desire to uplift social status. This idea eventually turned into the Mandal Commission established during the Janata Party government. For him, political power was only a means to fulfill the promise of equality mentioned in the constitution. Ambedkar said in Annihilation of Caste, “Can economic reform be done without reforming the social order?”

Chaudhary Sahab was known for his fiscal discipline and uncompromising stance on corruption. He believed that corruption erodes public trust and was determined to enforce accountability in government sectors. Today’s initiatives towards transparency, direct benefit transfer, and grassroots governance owe much to his vision for ethical and accountable public administration.

On a personal note, my grandfather was a person of remarkable simplicity and integrity. I remember stories of him getting up in the morning to read and write, stopping only for his simple meal, and later meeting and taking calls from people all over India. He used to dress plainly and lead an austere life. Still, his ideas were pioneering. He emphasized sustainable development long before it became a global concern and placed value on artisans, small firms and agro-industry – today, the MSME and start-up ecosystem and schemes like MUDRA and PM Vishwakarma seek to build on that legacy.

As economic models change and new environmental and social challenges emerge, as the world becomes more interconnected, Chaudhary’s vision seems timeless. We owe it to leaders like him to ensure that India’s development is inclusive and compassionate. His philosophy reminds us that only with social, political and economic equality and justice can a truly developed India emerge.

The author is Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education. Views are personal