The hunger strike initiated on 5 April 2011 served as a catalyst for nationwide protests in India, successfully pressuring the government to draft the Lokpal Bill. Anna Hazare, a social reformer and former soldier, utilized his public profile to demand the creation of an ombudsman empowered to investigate and punish corruption within the highest echelons of public life.
Early Life and Mumbai Years
Born in 1937 in Bhingar, Kisan Baburao Hazare spent his formative years in the village of Ralegan Siddhi. After his father, an unskilled laborer, struggled to maintain the household, a relative financed his relocation to Mumbai for education. His formal schooling ended at the seventh grade. He subsequently operated two flower shops at the Dadar railway station and participated in grassroots vigilante groups that protected the poor from intimidation by local landlords.
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Drafted into the Indian Army in 1960, Hazare served for fifteen years as a truck driver and soldier. During his tenure, he survived enemy attacks in the Khem Karan sector during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War and later in Nagaland. These near-death experiences, combined with his reading of Swami Vivekananda, prompted a shift toward social service. Following his honorable discharge in 1975, he returned to his ancestral village, seeking to apply the discipline he acquired during his military career.
Rural Reform at Ralegan Siddhi
Upon returning to Ralegan Siddhi, Hazare found a community struggling with environmental degradation, water shortages, and widespread alcoholism. Using his army gratuity, he organized the restoration of the village temple. He mobilized residents through shramdaan, or voluntary labor, and formed a youth association. To address local dependency on alcohol, he led a campaign that resulted in the closure of thirty illegal brewing units. Enforcement of these reforms included corporal punishment, which Hazare defended as a necessary measure to address social ills.
Anti-Corruption Advocacy
Hazare gained national prominence through his activism regarding government transparency. His 2011 fast successfully forced the establishment of a joint committee to draft anti-corruption legislation. Despite his status as an influential figure, he has drawn controversy for his hardline stances on justice. His public comments suggesting the death penalty for corrupt officials and support for mandatory family planning through vasectomies have drawn significant criticism from human rights observers.
Fast facts
- Born: 1937, Bhingar, India
- Military service: 1960-1975
- Awards: Padma Shri (1990), Padma Bhushan (1992)
- Religion: Hinduism
- Citizenship: India
- Key movement: Jan Lokpal Bill
Questions readers ask
What is the origin of the name Anna?
Anna is a term in the Marathi language that translates to elder person or father.
What led to his shift toward social activism?
After surviving multiple life-threatening encounters in the military, he interpreted his survival as a mandate to serve the public.
