Who was that person who turned out to be better than the examiner and later became the first President of the country?

Rajendra Prasad Story: Annual examination was held in a school in Chapra, Bihar. In one subject of this examination, so many crooked questions were asked that most of the students did not answer more than half of these questions, but one boy filled the entire notebook. And that too in such a way that the answer to every question was written very clearly, every step was written. Even where the question could have been solved in two-three ways, this student wrote both the three ways and in the end told which way was the best and Why is it? The examiner who checked the copy was also surprised to see the writing style and way of explaining the work of a small child. He too was not an ordinary teacher, but a senior examiner who had come from outside. As soon as he saw the copy, his mouth fell open. First he gave the complete numbers, then he picked up a red pen and wrote in big letters on the copy –The examinee is better than the examiner. This meant that the one giving the exam is better than the one taking the exam. When this news spread in the school, the entire staff was shocked. The Principal kept that copy aside. Later this child went on to become the first President of this country.

Yes, this story is not about anyone else but the first President of the country, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Rajendra Prasad was born on 3 December 1884 in a small village Jiradei in Siwan district of Bihar. Born in a Kayastha family, Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s father’s name was Mahadev Sahay and mother’s name was Kamleshwari Devi. Rajendra Prasad was the youngest and beloved son. Being the youngest among five siblings, he was loved by everyone, but fate soon gave him a blow. Mother passed away in childhood and elder sister Bhagwati Devi took all the responsibility of upbringing. At the age of just 12, he got married to Rajvanshi Devi, but it had no impact on his studies. When Rajendra Babu was studying in Chapra District School, he must have been only 13-14 years old. In the annual examination of that time, he did such a miracle that till today the world gives his example.

My mind was sharp since childhood

At the age of just five years, Rajendra Prasad was sent to Maulvi Saheb to learn Persian, Hindi and Mathematics. Then he was enrolled in Chapra District School. He studied there with elder brother Mahendra Prasad. After this, he studied at TK Ghosh Academy, Patna and Presidency College, Kolkata. Later he traveled to Allahabad University. Rajendra Prasad was a topper everywhere. The teachers who checked the copies were amazed at how this boy writes such neat and perfect answers. That is why it was written about him that ‘examinee is better than examiner’. This line is famous till today. Even today, the children and teachers of Chhapra District School proudly tell that the first President of the country studied in our school and that too, a topper who used to beat the examiner.

First became a teacher, then a lawyer

Rajendra Prasad first became a teacher after completing his studies. After that he started practicing law, but his heart went towards politics and national service. He joined the Congress as a volunteer in 1906 and officially became a member in the Kolkata session in 1911.

What is the story of becoming President?

Rajendra Babu becoming President was not a sudden thing, but was the result of his long contribution in the freedom struggle. In 1942, during the Quit India Movement, he was arrested and put in Bankipur Central Jail and remained in jail for about three years. He was released only in June 1945. Immediately after independence, in 1946, he was made the Minister of Fertilizer and Agriculture in the interim government of Jawaharlal Nehru. Then on 11 December 1946, the Constituent Assembly elected him as its President. The entire responsibility of making the Constitution was on his shoulders and finally on 26 January 1950, when the Indian Constitution came into force, on the same day the entire country unanimously elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the first President of independent India. After this, he won the elections of 1952 and 1957 continuously and remained the President for a total of 12 years, which is considered to be the longest presidential tenure till date.

So returned to the tile house

After 12 years of India’s independence, i.e. on 14 May 1962, Rajendra Babu resigned from the President and returned to Patna. He returned to the same house where he lived before becoming the President. Rajendra Babu started living in the same old tiled house again. Same old stand fan, same charkha, same simplicity. When Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan came to know about it, he was stunned. Speak-The former President of the country in a tile house? People collected donations and got a permanent house built nearby and then he shifted somewhere. Even in the last days of his life, Rajendra Prasad used to spin the charkha daily. In 1955, he himself prepared a saree by cutting the yarn for Kanyadaan at his granddaughter’s wedding. People still remember his favorite couplet – Haare na himmatt, bisaree na hari ko naam, jahi vidhi rakhe Ram tahi vidhi rahiye. Rajendra Prasad breathed his last on 28 February 1963 in Patna. Today his tiled house has become the Rajendra Memorial Museum. Dr. Rajendra Babu had three sons, Mrityunjay Prasad, Dhananjay Prasad and Janardan Prasad. Out of these, Mrityunjay Prasad also won the election, but later he did not remain in politics.