Charan Singh was born 23 December 1902 “in an ordinary peasant farmers home under a thatched roof supported by kachcha mud walls, with a kachcha well … for drinking water and irrigation”. This infant born into poverty in a landless farmers mud hut in Noorpur village in Meerut district of the United Provinces (Uttar Pradesh) was to rise to become the most prominent voice of the village in independent India.
The Charan Singh Archives provides a brief biography of Charan Singh, shedding light on the early influences of Swami Dayananda and Mohandas Gandhi on his life. The biography covers his involvement in the freedom struggle, his political career in Uttar Pradesh and later in Delhi, his lasting impact as an intellectual figure in rural India, and his nuanced approach to development despite ideological differences with post-independence governments.
Charan Singh, molded by Gandhian principles, was known for his simplicity, integrity, and ethical conduct. These traits earned him a reputation as a proficient administrator and an expert in land laws. He advocated for a democratic system that united small-scale producers and consumers, aiming to address India's issues of poverty, unemployment, inequality, casteism, and corruption. These challenges remain relevant today.
As a scholarly figure, Singh authored numerous books, political pamphlets, and articles in English, focusing on India's political economy with an emphasis on rural areas and agriculture. His works continue to hold relevance, particularly amidst the current agrarian crisis and in addressing the needs of India's predominantly rural population. Notably, his earliest publication was the 611-page report of the "Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Committee" in Uttar Pradesh in 1948. Additionally, he wrote several other books, including "Abolition of Zamindari: Two Alternatives" (1947), "Joint Farming X-rayed: The Problem and Its Solution" (1959), "India's Poverty and Its Solution" (1964), "India's Economic Policy: The Gandhian Blueprint" (1978), and "Economic Nightmare of India: Its Cause and Cure" (1981).