While history is filled with many influential figures, they eventually fade from public memory. However, there are a few whose legacies continue to shape the nation. One such figure is Dr. Kalu Lal Shrimali, India’s second education minister. Surprisingly, his legacy has been overlooked, a recent inaccurate claim by a prominent Rajya Sabha MP and former Deputy CM claim on social media that India’s first five Education Ministers were from the Muslim community. This Teachers’ Day, we revisit the life and work of Dr. Shrimali—a Hindu Brahmin born in 1909 in Udaipur, Rajasthan. He served under the Prime Ministership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He passed away on 5th January 2000.
It is both surprising and disheartening to witness how quickly a figure like Dr. Shrimali, who was hailed by President Dr. Pranab Mukherjee as the forefather of Indian education, has been so quickly forgotten. This Teachers’ Day, we remember the man who introduced ‘Teachers’ Day’ in schools to honour his predecessor, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.
Dr. Shrimali, a distinguished educationist and parliamentarian, made significant contributions as the Union Minister of Education for the Government of India from 1955 to 1963. He completed his education at Banaras Hindu University, Calcutta University, and Columbia University in New York, establishing a strong academic foundation that fuelled his passion for education reforms in India.
His tenure as the Education Minister was marked by a deep commitment to educational reform and institution-building. Dr. Shrimali’s legacy as a ‘forefather’ of Indian education is rooted in his visionary approach, which sought to balance the need for modernisation with the cultural and social context of India.
Dr. Shrimali was instrumental in the establishment and expansion of several higher education institutions. Under his leadership, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) were further developed and new ones were established, laying the groundwork for what would become India’s premier technical education institutions.
He supported the creation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act of 1956. This Act empowered the UGC to oversee and regulate higher education in India, ensuring the maintenance of standards, the promotion of research and quality education.
Recognising the need for a skilled workforce to drive India’s industrialisation, Dr. K.L. Shrimali emphasised the importance of technical and vocational education. He championed the establishment of Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs), which were precursors to the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), to address the regional imbalances in access to quality technical education.
He was an advocate for adult education and literacy, particularly in rural areas. He promoted several literacy programs aimed at reducing the high illiteracy rates in the country, believing that education was a key driver of social and economic progress.
Beyond his ministerial duties, Dr. Shrimali was actively involved with various educational institutions. He founded the iconic Vidhya Bhavan in Udaipur and social welfare organisations like the Seva Mandir. He was the editor of Jan Shikshan, a monthly educational magazine. He also authored several publications where he highlighted the challenges and opportunities in Indian education, influencing public opinion and policy discussions. In 1963, he resigned from the Congress. However, his passion for education continued. After resigning from the ministry, he served as the Vice Chancellor of Mysore University and Banaras Hindu University.
Dr. Shrimali played a key role in implementing the recommendations of the Secondary Education Commission (1952-1953) and prepared the groundwork for future reforms that included the Kothari Commission’s report (1964-1966). His advocacy for the three-language formula and the importance of moral and character education helped shape the curriculum and policy directions that India would follow for decades. His contributions to education were recognised through numerous awards and honours, including the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 1976. His work continues to be celebrated.
(The writer is a grand daughter of K.L. Shrimali. Views personal)
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