Jagjivan Ram has been the Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister of India. He is one of the prominent leaders of the Dalit society, who raised his voice for the backward classes, Dalits, and the underprivileged. Involved them in the freedom movement, and also demanded voting for Dalits. Jagjivan Ram is called Babuji. Jagjivan Ram, born in a small village in Bihar, became a big face of Delhi politics. Twice participated in the race to become Prime Minister. The birth anniversary of former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram is celebrated on 5 April. On the occasion of his birth anniversary, read about some interesting stories related to the life of Babu Jagjivan Ram, which many people may not know.

When I turned down the opportunity to study abroad
Meira Kumar, the first woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha, is the daughter of Jagjivan Ram. He narrated an anecdote related to his father's life. Jagjivan Ram passed the 10th class with first division. He did not have money for further studies, so Jagjivan Ram's mother sought help from a local nun. The nun was promised free education in a Christian school in Lucknow as well as an opportunity to send her to America for higher education. Jagjivan Ram's mother refused this. He said you will educate my child but you will convert his religion.

Malviya invited to study at BHU
Babu Jagjivan Ram received his early education from a school in Arrah. During this period, Madan Mohan Malviya had come to Arrah to attend a school function. When he met Jagjivan Ram, he was very impressed by his great command over Sanskrit and he invited Babu Jagjivan Ram to study at Banaras Hindu University.

Jagjivan Ram was admitted to BHU but had to face discrimination from the hostel and mess to class. On this he left BHU and graduated from Calcutta University.

Did not visit Jagannath Puri temple
During that period, Dalits were prohibited from entering religious places. Once he along with his wife reached Jagannath Puri temple for darshan. Being a public leader, he was allowed to enter the temple but people belonging to other Dalit communities including his wife were stopped from entering the temple. On this Jagjivan Ram also refused to visit the temple. Wife Indrani mentioned this incident in her diary.

Jagjivan Ram missed becoming PM four times
Babu Jagjivan Ram was one of the leaders close to Indira Gandhi. Once during the Emergency, Indira Gandhi had even talked about making Jagjivan Ram the PM after he resigned from his post, but later Jagjivan Ram became distant from the Congress and he kept on becoming the PM.
Later, after the victory in the elections of 1977, when the Janata Party formed the government, Jagjivan Ram was to be made the Prime Minister, but due to his closeness to Jai Prakash Narayan, Morarji Desai was made the PM.
Morarji Desai's government fell in 1979. Then the political fight for the post of Prime Minister started between Jagjivan Ram and Chaudhary Charan Singh, but Indira Gandhi supported Chaudhary Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram continued to become the Prime Minister again.
After the fall of Chaudhary Charan Singh's government, in the 1980 elections, the Janata Party made Jagjivan Ram a contender for the post of Prime Minister, however, Indira Gandhi returned in that election and Jagjivan Ram's dream of becoming Prime Minister for the fourth time remained unfulfilled.

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