Morarji Desai

Morarji Desai – Life, Career, and Selected Wisdom

Discover the life of Morarji Desai — his journey from freedom fighter to India’s first non-Congress Prime Minister, his principles, contributions, controversies, and reflections.

Introduction

Morarji Ranchhodji Desai (29 February 1896 – 10 April 1995) was a towering figure in Indian politics and a veteran of the freedom struggle, known for his austere lifestyle, moralism, and decades of public service. He became the fourth Prime Minister of India (1977–1979) and was the first leader not from the Indian National Congress to head the India government after independence.

Beyond politics, Desai’s life is a study in contradictions — a man of Gandhian ideals who wielded power, a moralist who courted controversy, and a disciplined ascetic who was deeply engaged with the practical challenges of governing a newly independent nation.

Early Life and Family

Morarji Desai was born on 29 February 1896 in Bhadeli village, in what was then the Bombay Presidency (present-day Valsad district, Gujarat). He came from a Gujarati Anavil Brahmin family. His father, Ranchhodji Nagarji Desai, was a school teacher, known for strict discipline. Morarji was the eldest among his siblings; his father passed away when Morarji was about 15 years old.

His schooling included studies at local institutions; he later matriculated and pursued higher education in Bombay (University of Bombay).

In 1918, Desai joined the provincial civil service in Bombay and served as a deputy collector (among other roles) before resigning in 1930 to join the freedom movement.

He was married to Gajraben Desai (married around 1911, when he was very young). The couple had five children, though not all survived infancy.

Youth, Education & Entry into Politics

Desai’s entry into public life was marked by his resignation from the civil service in 1930, aligning himself with Mahatma Gandhi’s Civil Disobedience Movement. Over the years, he was imprisoned multiple times for his participation in the independence struggle.

He held provincial political offices in the Bombay Presidency, notably as Minister of Revenue, Agriculture, Forests, and Cooperatives (1937–1939). He also resigned in 1939 (along with other Congress ministers) in protest of British decisions about India’s involvement in World War II.

After independence, Desai’s rise within Indian politics continued. He served in various ministries and states, including becoming Chief Minister of Bombay State (1952–1956).

Political Career & Key Offices

In Congress & Cabinet Roles

Desai held numerous senior portfolios under the Indian National Congress. He was Minister of Commerce and Industry in the 1950s, later Finance Minister (1958–1963) under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

In 1967, he became Deputy Prime Minister and again served as Finance Minister under Indira Gandhi’s government. However, his relationship with Indira Gandhi declined; in 1969, he resigned after being removed from the finance portfolio and opposed her policies.

When the Congress party split in 1969, Desai joined the Congress (O) or Congress (Organisation) faction, distancing himself from Indira Gandhi’s faction.

Emergency, Opposition & Rise with Janata

During the Emergency (1975–1977) declared by Indira Gandhi, Desai was among opposition leaders jailed.

After the Emergency was lifted, opposition parties united under the Janata Party umbrella and won the 1977 general elections. Desai became their parliamentary leader and was sworn in as Prime Minister on 24 March 1977.

Prime Minister of India (1977–1979)

As Prime Minister, Desai sought to reverse many policies instituted during the Emergency. He also attempted to restore constitutional norms, reduce central overreach, and roll back certain emergency-era amendments.

On foreign policy, Desai was committed to peace. He restored diplomatic relations with China, initiated dialogue with Pakistan, and declined American demands to allow on-site inspection of India’s nuclear materials in exchange for uranium — asserting that India would not manufacture weapons.

He also significantly cut back the power of India’s external intelligence agency R&AW, closing or scaling down many of its operations.

However, his coalition government was unstable and riven by factionalism. Internal splits and policy disagreements led to the collapse of the Janata coalition and Desai’s resignation in July 1979.

After resigning, Desai largely withdrew from frontline politics, though he remained involved as a senior figure and campaigner.

Personality, Beliefs & Distinctives

• Ascetic and moralist: Desai was noted for his disciplined lifestyle, personal austerity, and emphasis on moral conduct in public life.

• Strict vegetarian: He was vegetarian by birth and conviction.

• Unusual health practices: Desai controversially practiced urine therapy, attributing his longevity and vigor to it — a practice that drew criticism and satire.

• Gandhian outlook: He held deep commitment to Gandhian ideals—self-reliance, simplicity, moral rectitude.

• Peace orientation: Desai’s foreign policy leaned toward dialogue, nonproliferation, and regional cooperation rather than confrontation.

Legacy & Influence

• First non-Congress Prime Minister: His ascendancy marked a major shift in Indian politics — that the Indian National Congress’s monopoly could be challenged.

• Institutional rollback of emergency excesses: His government attempted to undo several constitutional changes made during the Emergency.

• Champion of ethics in politics: He is often remembered for emphasizing integrity over political expediency.

• Symbol of longevity and persistence: Desai lived to 99 and remained a moral presence even after stepping back from active politics.

• Cultural institutions: The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, established after his death, bears his name and furthers his association with health, discipline, and well-being.

Select Statements & Reflections

While Morarji Desai was not primarily known for pithy public quotes, several remarks and attitudes reflect his convictions:

• He frequently emphasized truth, discipline, and moral duty as the foundation of public service.

• On foreign policy, he asserted India should avoid nuclear weapons, saying that reactors should “never be used for atomic bombs” in his view.

• Desai, in his later life, often spoke of the virtue of simplicity and the dangers of corruption and power without restraint.

Lessons from Morarji Desai’s Life

1. Principle over expedience
   Desai continuously chose moral consistency (often at political cost) rather than opportunism.

2. Balance ideals and realism
   He combined Gandhian beliefs with the practical demands of running a modern state.

3. Power is fragile in coalition politics
   His government’s collapse underscores how ideological unity alone doesn’t guarantee political stability.

4. Legacy is more than office
   His life suggests that reputation, integrity, and moral example can outlast one’s term.

Conclusion

Morarji Desai’s life was one of extremes: from colonial civil servant to freedom fighter; from cabinet minister to Prime Minister; from political power to principled retirement. He embodied ideals of simplicity, restraint, and public duty in a landscape often defined by ambition and conflict.

His tenure as Prime Minister, though brief, broke a long political monopoly. His moral stances, sometimes eccentric, sometimes deeply admired, make him a complex and provocative figure in Indian history. His example invites reflection on how leadership can be grounded in integrity even amid challenges of governance.