Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur: All you need to know about 'Jan Nayak'

Karpoori Thakur, who is considered to be the fountainhead of OBC politics in Bihar, served as the state's CM for two short tenures

The Centre on Tuesday announced that former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur will be awarded the Bharat Ratna. The announcement came ahead of his birth centenary on Wednesday.

Following the announcement, politicians across party lines hailed the decision to give the socialist leader India's highest civilian honour. Nitish Kumar said he was "delighted" by the announcement. Tejaswi Yadav thanked the Centre for the step.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a column on Wednesday, said, "Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur's relentless pursuit of social justice created a positive impact in the lives of crores of people. He belonged to one of the most backward sections of society, the Nai Samaj. Overcoming numerous obstacles, he achieved a lot and worked for societal betterment."

Jan Nayak: Who was Karpoori Thakur?

Born on January 24, 1924, in Samastipur in Bihar, Thakur served as the state's CM for two short tenures. The village where he was born was later renamed after him as Karpuri Gram.

Thakur was inspired by the likes of Ram Manohar Lohia and was close to Jayaprakash Lohia. He was also an active participant in India's freedom struggle.

In 1942, he was arrested for participating in the Quit India Movement.

Thakur, who is considered to be the fountainhead of OBC politics in Bihar, went on to become the state's CM twice, once for seven months in December 1970 and another for two years in 1977.

He also became the first non-Congress socialite leader who became CM twice.

Thakur's tenure as Bihar CM can be remembered with two important decisions. First, in 1970, he enforced the total prohibition of alcohol in the state. Second, he implemented the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission, whereby quotas for backward classes were introduced in the state.

This panel was a forerunner of the Mandal Commission. A highlight of the Mungeri Lal Commission was a separate sub-category called Most Backward Classes.

This category also provided the template for the "ati pichhda" plank built by Nitish Kumar years later.

Karpoori Thakur passed away in 1988 at the age of 64. He will be the 49th recipient of the Bharat Ratna. The award was last conferred on late President Pranab Mukherjee in 2019.