C. N. Annadurai 

• He was the Chief Minister of Madras (1967), a journalist, and founder of DMK. He championed Dravid culture and opposed imposition of Hindi.
• He once explained his stance towards God and religion as “I do not break coconuts for Pillaiyar, (a form of worship) neither do I break his idols”.

Ram Manohar Lohia 

• A socialist leader known for his criticisms of Nehru, strategy of non-Congressism, and his advocacy for reservations for backward castes.
• Lohia recognized five types of inequalities that must be challenged at the same time: gender inequality, racial inequality, caste inequality, colonial domination, and economic disparity.

K. Kamaraj (1903-1975) 

• A freedom fighter and Congress President, he served as Chief Minister of Madras (now Tamil Nadu).
•  Despite facing educational challenges, he championed cause of education in Madras and introduced a mid-day meal scheme for school children.
•  In 1963, he proposed the ‘Kamaraj plan’, suggesting senior Congressmen resign to pave way for a younger generation.

S. Nijalingappa (1902-2000) 

• A senior Congress leader, he was a Member of the Constituent Assembly, Lok Sabha, and served as Chief Minister of Mysore (now Karnataka). 
• He played a pivotal role in shaping modern Karnataka and helmed the Congress from 1968-71.

Karpoori Thakur (1924-1988) 

• Serving twice as Bihar’s Chief Minister, he was a freedom fighter and a staunch socialist.
•  He was actively involved in labour and peasant movements and was a devout follower of Lohia. 
• He took part in the JP-led movement and was notable for introducing reservations for backward classes in Bihar during his second tenure as Chief Minister. 
• He was a vocal critic of the English language.

V.V. Giri (1894-1980)

• President of India (1969-1974), a Congress member and labour leader from Andhra Pradesh. 
• Held several prominent positions including Indian High Commissioner to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Union Labour Minister, and Governor of multiple states.
•  He was the Vice-President (1967-1969) and became the acting President post Zakir Hussain’s death. 
• He later resigned to run as an independent presidential candidate with Indira Gandhi’s support.

Glossary

• Syndicate: A dominant group within the Congress during the 1960s.
• Privy Purse: Grant or allowance given to former princely state rulers.
• Grand Alliance: A coalition of major non-communist, non-Congress opposition parties.
• Garibi Hatao: Slogan introduced by Indira Gandhi, meaning “Remove Poverty.”
• Congress(R): Faction led by Indira Gandhi after the Congress split.
• Congress(O): Faction led by the ‘syndicate’ post-Congress split.
• East Pakistan Crisis: A major political and military crisis in 1971 led to the creation of Bangladesh.
• Indo-Pak War: 1971 war between India and Pakistan.
• CPI: Communist Party of India.
• DMK: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a regional political party.
• Land Ceiling: Policy to impose an upper limit on landholdings.
• Lok Sabha: The lower house of India’s Parliament.
• Rajya Sabha: The upper house of India’s Parliament.
• Constitutional Amendment: Changes made to the Constitution of India.
• Congress System: The dominance of the Congress party in Indian politics.
• Conscience Vote: A call by Indira Gandhi allowing Congress MPs and MLAs to vote according to their conscience in the 1969 presidential elections.
• Grand Alliance: A coalition of major non-communist, non-Congress parties formed to challenge Indira Gandhi’s leadership in 1971.
• Statesmanship: The skill of managing public affairs, often associated with leaders like Indira Gandhi.
• Constitutional Democracy: A system of government in which laws are based on a constitution, and leaders are elected by the people.
• Socialist Credentials: Policies and actions indicative of socialist principles, often associated with Indira Gandhi’s governance.