This article has been written by Jigyasa Nain, a student studying BBA.LLB from Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak. The author is a 1^st year law student.

The first thing that comes to our mind when we encounter the term “Constituent Assembly” is drafting of Constitution for an independent India. Yes, we are talking about the Constitution which establishes a set of guidelines and standards that all citizens can rely upon and accept as the framework for how the nation will be governed. When we talk about its value it provides assurance that elected officials will fairly represent the public, establish equality for every citizen, punish criminals, pursue government to ensure basic human rights (education, healthcare facilities etc.), allows an individual to practice the profession they want and the list goes on. 

Since we are already aware of the significance of the Indian Constitution, let’s read about some of the magnificent and intellectual leaders one by one who designed it with the wellbeing of our nation and a broad vision in mind.

1. Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha 

(10 November 1871 – 6 March 1950)

Role :- Interim President

About :- He was born in the city of Arrah of former Bengal Presidency. He completed his education in Patna before completing his legal studies in London where he was an active part of British Committee on the Indian National Congress. In 1892, he even worked to get Dadabhai Naoroji elected to the House of Commons.

In 1893, he registered himself with the Calcutta High Court and thereafter worked in the Allahabad and Patna High Courts. He later on becomes a key player in the establishment of the provinces of Bihar and Orissa. Between 1896 and 1919, Sinha was connected to the Congress party. He played a crucial role in the Bihar Provincial Congress Committee at this time, first as its Secretary and then as its President.

He also served in the Imperial Legislative Council (1910 – 1930). In 1921, he was elected as the Central Legislative Assembly’s Deputy President. He was also a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and President of the Bihar and Orissa Legislative Councils. Later, he became the first Indian to ever hold the position of a province’s Finance Member.

He was the editor of the monthly magazine “Hindustan Review.” He even wrote several novels and was also an educator. He served as Patna University’s chancellor from 1936 to 1944. Although Sinha was regarded as a moderate when it came to his involvement in the Independence Movement, he chose to describe to himself as a “constitutional nationalist” to express his opinion that Indians should use constitutional means to achieve freedom. He consequently took a passive role in the various independence fight activities.

When we consider his contribution in Constitution making, Sinha was chosen by the Congress Party to represent Bihar in the Constituent Assembly. Before Rajendra Prasad was formally appointed as President, he served as the Assembly’s acting President. He did not actively participate in the discussions, but he did submit significant memoranda to the President and the Tribal and Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas (other than Assam) Sub-Committee on tribal concerns in Bihar and on the unification of Bihari territory with West Bengal.

2. Dr. Rajendra Prasad 

(3 December 1884 – 28 February 1963)

Role :- President of Constituent Assembly, Chairman of Rules of Procedure Committee, Chairman of Steering Committee, Chairman of Finance and Staff Committee and Chairman of Ad Hoc Committee on the National Flag

About :- He was born in Bihar’s Siwan region, on December 3, 1884.  After earning his Master of Economics degree at the University of Calcutta in 1907, he continued his education by enrolling in the Calcutta Law College and began his career in law at the Calcutta High Court. Later he  launched the Bihar Law Weekly and started working at Patna High Court. He took over as editor of the English biweekly “Searchlight” and the Hindi weekly “Desh” at the beginning of the 1920s.

He joined the Indian National Congress in 1911, later serving as its president three times. In 1920, Prasad left his legal practise to join the independence movement. He was even detained in 1931 and 1942 during the Salt Satyagraha and the Quit India movements respectively. As the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Rajendra Prasad joined the Interim Government of India in 1946. He was chosen to serve in the Constituent Assembly from the province of Bihar, where he presided over the body from 1946 to 1950. He also served as the head of four committees during this time. In his capacity as President of the Assembly, he was consistently appreciated for his attributes of neutrality, fairness, tolerance, and intelligence.

Many of his beliefs were significantly impacted by Gandhiji, especially those regarding caste and untouchability. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was made to understand by Gandhiji that the country “became of one caste, namely co-workers” when working together for a common goal. He downsized his staff to one and looked for methods to make his life simpler. He no longer felt guilty about doing things like sweeping the floor or cleaning his own utensils that he had previously believed would be done for him.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was chosen as the President of India on January 24, 1950, during the final meeting of the Constituent Assembly. He holds the distinction of being the only President to have been re-elected for a second term. He received the Bharat Ratna after stepping down from public life in 1962 due to his poor health. His final days were spent in Patna’s Sadaqat Ashram, where he passed away on February 28th, 1963.

3. Harendra Coomar Mookerjee 

(3 October 1887 – 7 August 1956)

Role :- Vice President of Constituent Assembly, Chairman of the Minorities Sub Committee and member of Provincial Constitution Committee

About :- Bengal, where H.C. Mookerjee was born in 1877. From 1898 to 1914, he taught English at City College of Calcutta. Later, he worked at the University of Calcutta in a variety of positions, including those of lecturer, secretary, council member for post-graduate arts teaching, inspector of colleges, university professor of English from 1936 to 1940, and department head from 1942 to the present. Later, Mookerjee rose to the position of Vice Chancellor of the university. From 1937 until 1942, he served as the president of many teacher’s associations and as a member of the Bengal Legislative Council (later Assembly).

While serving as vice-president of the Indian Constituent Assembly and as chairman of the provincial constitution committee, minority rights subcommittee, and minority rights committee, he started promoting reservation for minorities’ advancement in all spheres, including politics. With the division of India, he modified his position and restricted it to making provisions for the preservation of minorities’ languages and cultures; over time, this has been interpreted by minority populations to mean opening educational institutions and other institutions.

He was a well-known figure in the Bengali Christian community and was chosen to lead the All India Council of Indian Christians. He also participated in the Indian National Congress, where he championed the Bengali Christian Community’s interests. Mookerjee and V.T. Krishnamachari were both unanimously chosen to serve as the Assembly’s vice presidents. He participated in discussions about reservations for underprivileged communities. From 1951 to 1956, Mookerjee held the position of Governor of Bengal, and beginning in 1953, he also held the position of President of the Desh Bandhu Memorial Society.

4. V.T. Krishnamachari

(8 February 1881- 14 February 1964) 

Role :- Vice President of the Constituent Assembly, Member of the Union of Constitution Committee, Member of the Union Powers Committee and Member of Finance and Staff Committee

About :- On February 8, 1881, V.T. Krishnamachari was born in Vangal, Tamil Nadu. After finishing school, he was awarded a BA BL. He joined the Indian Civil Services after completing his education, becoming a well-known civil official. He served as the State of Baroda’s Diwan (1927–1944) and a British India Reserve Bank Committee member (1930-1934).

Between 1941 and 1944, Krishnamachari held the positions of Prime Minister of the State of Jaipur and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers (1946-1949). He served as the Indian representative at the League of Nations Assembly as well as the delegation’s advisor at the Imperial Conference. Although he was involved in many significant national events, nothing is known about his contribution to the Indian Independence Movement.

In the Assembly, Krishnamachari represented the princely State of Jaipur. While he was a member of the Assembly, he made a few significant amendment suggestions. His initiatives mostly dealt with the provinces’ and the centre’s respective authority. Krishnamachari, the brains behind the Panchayati Raj system, was regarded as a superb administrator. He presided over the Indian Fiscal Commission (1948–1949) and the Indian States Finances Enquiry Committee (1949).

His time as the Planning Commission’s Deputy/Vice Chairman was when he made the most of his abilities as an administrator (1953-60). He advocated for improved irrigation and agricultural productivity and worked toward it. He was in charge of the Planning Commission when the Community Development programme was started, and he was a firm believer in the importance of villages to India’s identity and democratic system. The first director of the Indian Institute of Public Administration was Krishnamachari (1954-1963). He died on February 14, 1964.

5. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

(14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956)

Role :-  Chairman of Drafting Committee, Member of Committee on Functions of the Constituent Assembly, Member of Ad hoc committee on the National Flag, Member of Sub-Committee on Fundamental Rights, Member of Sub-Committee on Minorities, Member of Advisory Committee, Member of Union Constitution Committee, Member of Sub Committee on Amendment, Member of Ad Hoc Committee on the Supreme Court, Member of Ad-Hoc Committee on Citizenship and Member of Sub- Committee on Minority Problems affecting East Punjab and West Bengal.

About :- Ambedkar was born to a Dalit family on April 14, 1891, at the Mhow Army Cantonment of the Central Provinces (current-day Madhya Pradesh). Due to his family’s low caste rank, untouchability, segregation, and discrimination were a part of his early existence. Ambedkar had a thriving academic career. He graduated from Elphinstone College with a B.A. in economics and political science, from the London School of Economics with an M.A. and a doctorate, and from Columbia University with a second doctorate in 1927.

Ambedkar played a complicated role in the fight for independence. Ambedkar’s initiatives and lobbying were more focused on defending and advancing Dalit rights than the prevalent political rhetoric, which aimed to persuade the British to give the Indians more power and eventually leave India. He frequently disagreed with the Indian National Congress as a result. As part of his efforts to provide political protections for the untouchables, he made his first presentation to the Southborough Committee in support of the Government of India Act 1919. Other examples of this included his disagreement with M.K. Gandhi over the Poona Pact in 1932 and the formation of the Scheduled Castes Federation party. He also had a significant impact on social movements like the Mahad Satyagraha, which battled for untouchables’ access to public services and temples.

Ambedkar and the Indian Constitution are frequently equated in popular culture. He is frequently referred to be the founder of the Indian Constitution and is likely the member of the Constituent Assembly with the greatest level of public recognition. Due to the positions he held, as well as his contributions and remarks in the Assembly, Ambedkar emerged as a crucial figure in the creation of India’s constitution. He served as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, the most significant committee in the Assembly, as well as being a member of other significant committees. In his capacity as Chairman of the Drafting Committee, he had to speak out in favour of the Draft Constitution that the Committee had created.

Ambedkar addressed a letter and submitted States and Minorities to the Sub-Committee on Fundamental Rights of the Constituent Assembly on behalf of the Scheduled Caste Federation party. States and Minorities created a robust constitutional protection for the Scheduled Caste community that functions as a mini-Constitution in and of itself. On numerous facets of the Constitution, Ambedkar made intelligent, well-reasoned, and meticulously studied comments and speeches. He gained the respect and support of his fellow Assembly members as a result, and they gave him the authority to oversee the constitution-writing process.

In 1947, Ambedkar was chosen to serve as India’s first law minister. The Hilton Young Commission’s presentation of Ambedkar’s ideas served as an inspiration for the Reserve Bank of India’s conception. After spending years researching the faith, Ambedkar converted to Buddhism in 1956 with the support of 3,65,000 people. The Dalit Buddhist movement, Navayana, or Neo-Buddhism is the common name for Ambedkar’s re-invention of Buddhism in the context of social justice.

Ambedkar ran for office in India’s first general elections from the Bombay North Central constituency as a candidate for the Scheduled Caste Federation party. Ambedkar finished fourth in the polls, which Sukumar Sen, the election commissioner at the time, referred to as “the biggest experiment in democracy in human history.” An unknown candidate from the Congress party won the seat. He was chosen for the Rajya Sabha in 1952 notwithstanding his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. His health deteriorated in his final years, and on December 6, 1956, he passed away peacefully at home in Delhi. His birthday is commemorated with a public holiday called “Ambedkar Jayanti.” In 1991, he received the Bharat Ratna posthumously.

6. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru

(14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964 )

Role :- Chairman of States Committee, Chairman of Union Powers Committee, Chairman of Union Constitution Committee and Member of Sub Committee on Minority Problems affecting East Punjab and West Bengal

About :- On November 14, 1889, Jawaharlal Nehru was born in Allahabad to a Kashmiri Pandit family. His father, Motilal Nehru, was an influential member of the Indian national movement and a wealthy lawyer. Nehru received his education at a number of prestigious schools, including Trinity College in Cambridge and the Harrow School. He received his legal education in London’s Inner Temple, where he met scholars from the Fabian Society. Nehru will become well-known for supporting fabian socialism in the future. In 1912, after arriving back in India from London, Nehru registered as an advocate with the Allahabad High Court.

After his return from London, Nehru started working for the Indian National Congress and quickly rose through the party levels. He was the leader of the United Provinces’ Non-Cooperation Movement and Kisan Movement in 1920, took part in the protest against the Simon Commission in 1928, moved the Purna Swaraj Declaration in 1930, organised the United Provinces’ Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, and supported the Quit India Movement in 1942. He was detained by the British numerous times, imprisoned, and served a total of nearly 9 years behind bars. He repeatedly served as the president of the Indian National Congress and served as the interim prime minister of India between 1946 to 1950.

Nehru held significant positions on numerous committees and was elected to the Constituent Assembly from the United Provinces on a Congress Party ticket. His historic speech on the Objectives Resolution was part of his active participation in the Assembly’s discussions.

From 1947 to 1962, Nehru held the position of first Prime Minister of India for 17 years. He was crucial to the development of the heavy industries sector and the acceptance of import substitution as Prime Minister, both of which had a significant impact on the Indian economy. He founded a number of academic institutions, including the National Institutes of Technology, the Indian Institutes of Management, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

When we think of his key speeches, one of them is in reaction to the Hindi enthusiasts, in which Nehru argued for democratic principles to be used to resolve the national language issue rather than an authoritarian one. He also made a compelling argument for India to join the Commonwealth of Nations. Last but not least, on the eve of Independence Day, he delivered his well-known “Tryst with Destiny” speech to the Assembly and the country.

Through his support of and participation in the Non-Alignment Movement, Nehru was a crucial factor in India establishing an autonomous foreign policy. His management of the India-China relationship in the early 1960s was, however, viewed as a failure. In India, Nehru’s birthday is commemorated as Children’s Day as a mark of respect. He supported children’s rights and believed that they were a country’s true strength and the cornerstone of society. He passed away from coronary thrombosis in New Delhi on May 27, 1967.

7. Vallabhbhai Patel

(31 December 1875 – 15 December 1950)

Role :- Chairman of Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas, Chairman of Sub – Committee on Minority Problems affecting East Punjab and West Bengal, Member of Advisory Committee, Member of Provincial Constitution Committee, Member of Steering Committee and Member of States Committee.

About :- On October 31, 1875, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born. He received his education at Nadiad High School and the Middle Temple in London. He started off as a barrister. With his election to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation as the Sanitation Commissioner in 1917, his career in politics began off. He expanded access to sanitation, drainage, and power across the city and carried out significant changes in the educational system, including battling for the respect and compensation of teachers. Patel was put forward and chosen to lead the newly constituted Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee in 1920.

Patel actively participated in the Quit India, Satyagraha, and Non-Cooperation campaigns and was occasionally detained by the British. Gandhi organised and led the Satyagraha movement in Nagpur when he was imprisoned in 1923. Throughout the course of the 1931 Karachi session, when the Congress enacted the historic Karachi Resolution, Patel ascended through the ranks of the Congress Party and was chosen as its president.

On a ticket from the Congress Party, Patel was chosen to represent Bombay in the Constituent Assembly. He was an active participant in the crucial Advisory Committee phases as opposed to the plenary discussions. During the early stages of the constitution-making process, notably when the Assembly was taking into consideration the interim recommendations of the Sub-committees on Fundamental Rights and Minority Rights, he mostly participated in the debates.

He served as the Interim Government’s Home, Information, and Broadcasting Minister during the drafting of India’s Constitution and was known as the “Iron Man of India” for his crucial role in negotiating with and incorporating the 565 princely states into the Union of India. He oversaw relief efforts for refugees as India’s first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. From July 1947, he served as Minister for States, and then after 1948, as Minister of Home and States. Patel died on December 15th, 1950.

8. Jiwatram Bhagwandas Kripalani

(11 November 1888 – 19 March 1982)

Role :-  Chairman of Fundamental Rights Sub-Committee, Member of Steering Committee, Member of Advisory Committee and Member of Provincial Constitution Committee.

About :- Acharya Kripalani, often referred to as Jiwatram Bhagwandas Kripalani, was born in Hyderabad, Sindh, in 1888. Later, he attended Ferguson College in Pune, Wilson College in Bombay, and D.J. Sindh College in Karachi, modern-day Pakistan. He started his career in 1912 as an English and History instructor at Muzaffarpur College in Bihar. Prior to taking a position as Principal of the Gujarat Vidyapeeth, he temporarily taught at the Benaras University.

Kripalani participated in the Indian freedom movement while still a student. He joined the Indian National Congress in 1927 and was a fervent supporter of Gandhi. He participated in the Quit India, Non-Cooperation, and Champaran Satyagraha movements. He was chosen to lead the Congress Party in 1946, but he resigned a year later due to escalating disagreements with party members over the Working Committee’s function.

Kripalani was chosen to represent United Province in the Constituent Assembly. He served as the subcommittee on fundamental rights’ chairman. He discussed the Preamble in the Assembly. In 1951, Kripalani founded the Krishak Mazdoor Praja Party, a political organisation that ultimately amalgamated with the Praja Socialist Party. He retired from active politics after leaving the Praja Socialist Party. He was also detained in 1975 during the Emergency because he opposed the Indira Gandhi administration.

9. G.V. Mavalankar

(27 November 1888– 27 February 1956)

Role :- Member of Committee on Functions of the Constituent Assembly

About :- Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar, sometimes referred to as Dadasaheb, was born in Baroda on November 27, 1888. (now Vadodara). He graduated from Gujarat College in Ahmedabad with a B.A. in Science. He graduated from law school in 1912, Mavalankar became recognised as a leading attorney and was a social worker. In January 1946, he was chosen by the Congress party to serve as President of the Sixth Central Legislative Assembly.

Mavalankar actively participated in Gujarat’s liberation movement. He was connected to a number of national figures, including Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, and a number of Gujarati social organisations.Mavalankar joined the Mahatma Gandhi-led Non-Cooperation campaign, where he later got affiliated with the Indian National Congress. Due to his services to the cause, he was chosen to serve as the Secretary of the Gujarat Provincial Congress Committee in 1921–1922. Mavalankar was an important and involved participant in the “Khaira No-Rent” campaign. He participated extensively in relief efforts during the hunger and the flood.

On a ticket from the Congress party, Mavalankar was chosen to represent Bombay in the Constituent Assembly. He served as the head of the legislature, the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) (between 1946-1950). From 1951 until the first general elections, Mavalankar served as Speaker of the Provisional Parliament (1952). On May 15, 1952, he was appointed Speaker of the First Lok Sabha in independent India.

The Rules Committee, the Committee of Privileges, the Business Advisory Committee, the Committee on Private Members Bills and Resolutions, and the Committee on Salaries and Allowances were just a few of the committees he established during his tenure as Speaker. Although he had connections to Congress, he was usually regarded as a nonpartisan Speaker. He left his position as Speaker in January 1956 because of health problems. He was referred to as the “Father of the Lok Sabha” by Jawaharlal Nehru. Mavalankar was connected to several trusts and organisations that promoted social service, rural upliftment, and the advancement of the poor. His death took place on February 27, 1956.

The 284 members of the constituent assembly participated in the entire process of drafting the Indian Constitution. Ultimately, it became challenging to talk about them all at once. As a result, I made an effort to include the information on the members, about whom we learn only brief details in high school but just never learn in-depth facts about the hardships they encounter. I sincerely hope you enjoy the work.

Reference :-

1. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/sachchidananda_sinha 
2. https://siwan.nic.in/dr-rajendra-prasad/ 
3. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/rajendra_prasad
4. https://peoplepill.com/people/harendra-coomar-mookerjee 
5. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/h_c__mookerjee 
6. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/v__t__krishnamachari 
7. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/b__r__ambedkar 
8. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/jawaharlal_nehru_ 
9. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/_sardar_vallabhbhai_patel 
10. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/j__b__kripalani 
11. https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constituent_assembly_members/g_v__mavalankar 
12. Source of Images = Google 

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