Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was a social reformer, a freedom fighter, and an educationist. He started his journey of human life on December 25, 1861 to Pandit Brij Nath and Moona Devi.
His father was a Sanskrit scholar and used to narrate the stories from the Bhagavad Gita, on religious occasions.
After receiving early education from a local pathshala, Madan Mohan Malaviya did his matriculation in 1879 from the Muir Central College.
Though he was also interested in becoming a kathavachak like his father, to earn bread and butter for the family, he became a teacher in a government school. He completed his graduation meanwhile and in 1891, passed LL.B. Examination with good marks.
Then he started practicing as a lawyer in the Allahabad District Court and later, in the High Court. With the purpose of serving his nation, he discontinued the legal practice in 1913.
As an educationist and a freedom fighter, he realized the need for a newspaper for educating the masses. With this aim, he started a Hindi Weekly- Abhyudaya in 1907 and converted into a daily in 1915. He also started Maryada and Leader in 1909.
His belief was that only the right education can help the Indians to get freedom from foreign rule. As a result, he founded the Banaras Hindu University in 1915.
He also served as the Chairman of The Hindustan Times for about 22 years. His political career was also bright; he was elected the President of Indian National Congress four times (1909, 1918, 1930 and 1932).
He also fought the cases for 177 freedom fighters of Chori Choura who were convicted to be hanged and successfully, get the release of 156 of them.
He was at the front in the protest against Simon Commission (1928) and in the Non-Cooperation movement. In 1932, he was arrested for participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement, along with 450 other volunteers.
Not only that, but he also worked for dismantling the barriers of caste and many other social causes. The great soul left this world on November 2, 1946.