Dr Rajendra Prasad's birth anniversary: Here are some facts you need to know about him

New Delhi, Dec 3: Nation is remembering Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first president of India on his birth anniversary today. An eminent freedom fighter, a renowned jurist, an eloquent parliamentarian, an able administrator was born on December 3, 1884 at village Ziradei in Saran district (now in Siwan) of Bihar.

Here are some facts you need to know about the ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi

• He was affectionately addressed as ‘Rajen Babu'.

• He started his early education at the age of 5 under the guidance of a Maulvi in his village who also taught him Persian.

• He passed his high school from Chhapra and later joined prestigious Presidency College in Calcutta (now Kolkata) for higher education.

• After completion of his studies in law he started legal practice in Calcutta in 1911 and came to Patna after creation of the Patna High Court in 1916.

• He served thrice as President of the lndian National Congress.

• Rajendra Prasad joined the interim government of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as the minister of food and agriculture in 1946.

• He was unanimously elected as the provisional President of India on 24 January 1950, the penultimate day of the last session of the Constituent Assembly.

• In 1952, he was elected as the first President of the Republic of India and was re-elected as the President of India for the second term in 1957.

• Dr. Rajendra Prasad was well-versed in Sanskrit, Urdu, Persian and English. He wrote a number of books in English and Hindi.

• Dr.Rajendra Prasad was conferred the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian award, in 1963.

• Advocate's day is celebrated in India by the lawyer community on the 3rd of December to mark his birth anniversary of Rajendra Prasad.