December 23 | This day in history

Former Indian Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh was born on December 23, 1902. He was Deputy Prime Minister in the Morarji Desai government that assumed office in 1977. In 1979 Morarji Desai resigned as Prime Minister. Charan Singh was sworn in as the next PM on July 28, 1979. He held the office of Prime Minister until January 14, 1980. Of all the Indian Prime Ministers, Charan Singh had the shortest tenure. Charan Singh started his life as a farmer. His birthday (December 23) is now celebrated as National Farmer’s Day. His Samadhi (the place where he is laid to rest) is called Kisan Ghat.

December 23 is also the day when two other prominent Indian politicians died. PV Narashimha Rao who become the Prime Minister of India after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 died on December 23, 2004. He was the first South Indian to become Indian Prime Minister. He authored two books – The Insider and Other Half.

K Karunakaran who served as the Chief Minister of Kerala four times also died on December 23. He was 92 when he died on December 23, 2010.