Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti 2026: 122nd Birth Anniversary on 2 October

Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti 2026 will be observed on Friday, 2 October 2026. It marks the 122nd birth anniversary of India's second Prime Minister, who is remembered for his simple life, honesty, and the slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan."

Why Is Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti Celebrated?

The day is celebrated every year on 2 October to honour the legacy of Lal Bahadur Shastri. Some key reasons are:

• Humble leader: He lived a simple and honest life and put the nation's needs before his own comfort.
• Famous slogan: He gave the slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" during the 1965 war.
• Self-reliance: He backed agricultural growth, which laid the groundwork for the Green Revolution and the White Revolution.
• Freedom struggle: He took part in the independence movement alongside Mahatma Gandhi.

October 2nd, 2026: 122nd Lal Bahadur Shastri Jaynati

• Date: 2 October 2026 (Friday)
• Born: 2 October 1904, Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh
• Prime Minister: 9 June 1964 to 11 January 1966

Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti falls on the same day as Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, as both leaders were born on 2 October.

Lal Bahadur Shastri was India's 2nd Prime Minister

Shastri took part in the freedom movement and spent nearly nine years in jail during campaigns led by Gandhi. After Independence, he served in Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet, notably as Railway Minister and Home Minister. When Nehru died on 27 May 1964, Congress president K. Kamaraj built support around Shastri because of his clean image and humility. He took the oath as the second Prime Minister on 9 June 1964.

Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan: Famous Slogan of Lal Bahadur Shastri

The slogan means "Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer." He gave it at a large public rally at Uruwa in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. "Jai Jawan" raised the pride and morale of soldiers guarding the borders. "Jai Kisan" encouraged farmers to grow more crops and end dependence on foreign food.

Lal Bahadur Shastri's Role in the 1965 War

In 1965, Pakistan pushed India into a full-scale war under Operation Gibraltar. At the same time, India faced a food shortage after back-to-back droughts. The United States threatened to stop wheat supplies. Shastri did not bow to pressure and asked citizens to fast once a week to save food grains. His focus on food independence helped lay the base for the Green Revolution and White Revolution.

Early Life of Lal Bahadur Shastri

He was born as Lal Bahadur Srivastava in a Kayastha family. His father, a schoolteacher, died when he was an infant, and his mother raised him. He opposed the caste system and dropped his surname "Srivastava." In 1925, he graduated in philosophy and ethics from Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi, which gave him the title "Shastri" (scholar). This title became his surname.