Karpoori Thakur Age, Wiki and Bio

Karpoori Thakur

Quick Info

ProfessionPolitician, Freedom Fighter
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth24/01/1924
Age64 years (died on 17, Feb, 1988)
BirthplacePitaunjhia village (now Karpoorigram), Samastipur, Bihar, India
Date of Death17/02/1988

Bio/Wiki

Other nameKarpuri Thakur
NicknameJan Nayak
Famous forServing as Chief Minister of Bihar twice

Physical Stats & More

Height5' 8" (172 cm)
Eye ColorBlack

Educational Qualification(s)

SchoolLocal village school
College/UniversityC.M. College, Darbhanga
Educational QualificationBachelor of Arts (BA) Dropout

Personal Life

Date of Birth24/01/1924
BirthplacePitaunjhia village (now Karpoorigram), Samastipur, Bihar, India
Date of Death17/02/1988
Place of DeathPatna, Bihar, India
Death CauseCardiac Arrest
Zodiac signAquarius
NationalityIndian
HometownSamastipur
ReligionHinduism
CasteNai (Hajjam) (mainly worked as a barber)

Relationships & More

Marital Status (at the time of death)Married

Family

FatherGokul Thakur (Barber & Farmer)
MotherRamdulari Devi (Homemaker)
Siblings
Brother
  • Ramsugat Thakur (Younger)
Sister
  • Galho
  • Siya
  • Rajo
  • Sita
  • Parvati
  • Shail
SpousePhooleshwari Devi (Homemaker)
Children
Son
  • Ram Nath Thakur (Elder, politician and Rajya Sabha - upper house of the Indian parliament, MP from Janata Dal (United) (also known as JDU)
  • Birendra (also spelt as Virendra) Kumar Thakur (Younger, Doctor)
Daughter
  • (Name not known)
Other Relatives
GrandfatherPyare Thakur
Daughter-in-law
  • Kumari Asha Rani (Ram Nath's wife, died in 2020)
  • Kanaklata Thakur (Birendra's wife)
Paternal NephewNityanand Thakur (Ramsugat's son, a head clerk in Gokhul Karpoori Phuleshwari Degree College, Karpoorigram, Samastipur)
Paternal Nephew's WifeNisha Thakur (Anganwadi worker, Wife of Nityanand Thakur)
Granddaughters
Ram Nath Thakur's Daughters
  • Namita
  • Sneha
  • Amrita (works in the Bihar government)
Birendra Thakur's DaughterJagriti Thakur (Doctor, married to Mritunjay Madhav, a Divisional Forest Officer at Himachal Pradesh Forest Department)
GrandsonAbhinav Vikas Thakur (Cardiologist, from his younger son Birendra Thakur)
Great GrandsonAditya Anmol (Namita's son, lives in California and holds a master's degree in public policy)

Career

Political Party
  • Socialist Party
  • Bharatiya Kranti Dal
  • Janata Party
  • Lok Dal
Political Journey
  • 1952- Became MLA for the first time from Tajpur constituency as a Socialist Party candidate
  • 5 March 1967 to 31 January 1968- Served as the Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister of Bihar
  • 22 December 1970 to 2 June 1971- First term as the Chief Minister of Bihar
  • 1977- Became an MP for the first time from Samastipur constituency
  • 24 June 1977 to 21 April 1979- Second tenure as the Chief Minister of Bihar
  • 1980- Became MLA from Samastipur (Legislative Assembly constituency) as a Janata Party (Secular) candidate
  • 1984- Lost 1984 general elections amid Indira Gandhi's wave
  • 1985- Became MLA from Sonbarsa constituency
Awards, Honours
  • Karpoori Thakur's birthplace, Pitaunjhia, was renamed Karpuri Gram after he died in 1988
  • The Department of Posts released a commemorative stamp in his memory in 1991 and 2024
  • Bharat Ratna by the Government of India in 2024
  • Commemorative coin of denomination Rupees 100 launched in 2024
  • Several colleges, schools, and stadiums are named after him in Bihar
  • Jan Nayak Express Train running between Darbhanga and Amritsar

Some Lesser Known Facts

Karpoori Thakur, a mass leader of the poor and backward castes in Bihar, won several elections and held key positions, including Chief Minister of Bihar twice and Deputy Chief Minister. In 2024, he was honored with the Bharat Ratna posthumously by the Government of India.
Thakur actively participated in the Indian independence movement after attending rallies of prominent leaders like Acharya Narendra Dev and was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and Satyanarayan Sinha.
He began his political career after dropping out of college and serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and Member of Parliament (MP) from Samastipur.
As the Chief Minister of Bihar, he introduced significant policy changes, such as making education free till 8th standard and implementing land reforms for peasants.
Thakur was known for his simplicity and integrity, as he lived modestly even when he held powerful positions.
Despite being a Chief Minister multiple times, he did not engage in dynasty politics and refused privileges, such as using official cars for personal matters.
Thakur faced challenges and criticism for his decisions, like implementing reservations and procuring guns for marginalized communities for self-protection.
Throughout his life, Karpoori Thakur prioritized the welfare of the poor and worked towards social justice without involving himself in corruption or amassing personal wealth.
His commitment to the upliftment of the underprivileged was evident in his actions, such as using donated bricks to build schools instead of his home.
Thakur's legacy continues to inspire many prominent leaders who consider him their ideological mentor for his dedication to public service and social justice.
During his birth anniversary celebrations, leaders like Narendra Modi praised Thakur's vision and simplicity, highlighting his contributions to empowering backward castes.
His son accepted the prestigious Bharat Ratna award on his behalf in 2024, acknowledging Thakur's significant impact on Indian politics and society.