V. V. Giri

Trivia

• He was commonly known as V. V. Giri.
• He was the fourth president of the Republic of India from August 24, 1969 to August 23, 1974.
• He was a creative writer and a good orator. He has written books on `Industrial Relations` and `Labour problems in Indian Industry.
• In 1913, he went to University College Dublin to study law, but he was expelled from Ireland in 1916 as he became involved with the Sinn Fein movement.
• He involvement had brought him into close contact with Eamon de Valera, Michael Collins, Patrick Pearse, Desmond FitzGerald, Eoin MacNeil, James Connolly and others.
• When Giri returned to India, he became heavily involved in the labour movement, becoming general secretary and then president of the All-India Railway men`s Federation and twice serving as president of the All-India Trade Union Congress.
• In the 1936 General Election in Madras, Giri was put up as the Congress candidate in Bobbili against the Raja of Bobbili and he won that election.
• He became minister of labour and industries in 1937 for the Congress Party led government formed by C.Rajagopalachari in the Madras Presidency.
• When the Congress governments resigned in 1942, he returned to the labour movement as part of the Quit India movement and was imprisoned by the British.
• After India got independence, Giri was first appointed as high commissioner to Ceylon and then successfully ran for parliament in 1952, serving as minister of labour until 1954.