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Hridayanath Kunzru

Pandit
H. N. Kunzru
Rajya Sabha
In office
1952–1964
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
Indian Council of World Affairs President
In office
1948–1975
Preceded by Tej Bahadur Sapru
Succeeded by Sardar Swaran Singh
Indian School of International Studies President
In office
1955–1970
Bharat Scouts and Guides National Commissioner
In office
1952–1957
Preceded by Incumbent
Succeeded by Justice Vivian Bose
Personal details
Born 1 October 1887
Agra
Died 3 April 1978
Agra
Citizenship Indian
Political party Independent
Other political
affiliations
National Liberal Federation
Spouse(s) Senapati
Alma mater Agra College, London School of Economics
Occupation Public figure

Dr. Hridya Nath Kunzru (1 October 1887 – 3 April 1978), a Kashmiri Brahmin and a Pandit, was a freedom fighter and Indian public figure. He was a long-time Parliamentarian, serving in various legislative bodies at the Provincial and Central level for nearly four decades. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India (1946–50) that drew up the Constitution of India. He was also keenly interested in international affairs and co-founded the Indian Council of World Affairs and the Indian School of International Studies.

Kunzru was the second son of Pandit Ayodhya Nath Kunzru and his second wife Jankeshwari. He was born at Allahabad on 1 October 1887. Even though he had got married in 1908, his wife died in 1911 during childbirth, followed by the death of the child six months later. This was a turning point in his life and he resolved to dedicate his life to public service. He did his matriculation in 1903 and F.A. in 1905 from Agra College. He passed his B.A. examination in 1907 from Allahabad University. Subsequently, he left for the London School of Economics in 1910 where he completed a B.Sc in Political Science.

Pandit Kunzru started his political career in the Congress, but left and formed the National Liberal Federation along with other moderates such as Tej Bahadur Sapru and Madan Mohan Malaviya. He became its President in 1934. The National Liberal Federation was a loose conglomeration of high-minded individuals and Kunzru remained true to that tradition, standing for his first election, and every election after, as an Independent candidate. His vigorous support of non-governmental organisations, was also linked to the liberal philosophy that government should not be all powerful in a democracy. Many of his interventions in the Constituent Assembly Debates were also to reduce the power of government over the people.

He became a member of the Legislative Council of the United Provinces (1921–26),and subsequently in the Central Legislative Assembly (1926–30), the Council of States (1936), the Provisional Parliament (1950–52) and the Rajya Sabha (1952–64).


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