Anna Hazare, Social Activist
Social Activist

Anna Hazare

Born 15 June 1937 · Maharashtra

Led the 2011 India anti-corruption movement demanding a strong Lokpal bill.

Kisan Baburao "Anna" Hazare is an Indian social activist who has led movements to promote rural development, increase government transparency, and investigate and punish corruption in public life. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan—the third-highest civilian award—by the Government of India in 1992.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Hazare sold flowers at Mumbai's Dadar railway station before owning two flower shops and later joining the Indian Army in 1960.

The Story

1
In 1965, while driving a truck on the Indo-Pakistani border at Khem Karan, Anna Hazare was the sole survivor of a deadly attack that killed many comrades, a moment that profoundly altered his outlook on life.
2
🌾 Returning to his drought-prone village of Ralegan Siddhi in the late 1970s, Hazare transformed it through watershed development and strict community discipline, turning barren land into fertile fields by 1985.
3🏛️ In 1992, the Government of India honored Hazare with the Padma Bhushan for his grassroots rural reform work, recognizing his impact beyond his village.
4📢 On 5 April 2011, Hazare began a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, demanding a strong Lokpal Bill to combat corruption, triggering nationwide protests and government negotiations within just four days.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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Anna Hazare dropped out of school after 7th grade due to financial constraints and never pursued formal education beyond that, yet led nationwide social movements.

🖼️

Through the Years

4 photographs from the archives
Anna Hazare with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the National Convention on RTI in New Delhi (2006).
Anna Hazare with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the National Convention on RTI in New Delhi (2006).
2006
Anna Hazare fasting on the second day during his anti-corruption protest in 2011.
Anna Hazare with Anupam Kher, Manish Sisodia, and Kumar Vishwas during Janlokpal movement (2012).
Anna Hazare's birthplace as seen in a photograph from 2013.

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Birth in Bhingar, Maharashtra
Kisan Baburao Hazare was born in the village of Bhingar near Ahmednagar, into a poor farming family.
1937
⚡
Career
Joined Indian Army
Hazare enlisted in the Indian Army as a truck driver and later became a soldier, training at Aurangabad.
1960
⚡
Career
Survived Indo-Pak War attack
Posted at Khem Karan sector, he survived a deadly attack that killed many soldiers in his convoy.
1965
⚡
Career
Retired from Indian Army
Hazare took voluntary retirement to dedicate himself to rural development in his ancestral village.
1978
🏅
Award
Received Padma Bhushan
The Government of India awarded Hazare the Padma Bhushan for his work in social reform and rural development.
1992
⚡
Career
Hunger strike for Lokpal Bill
Hazare launched a hunger strike in Delhi demanding the enactment of a strict anti-corruption law.
2011
⚡
Career
Government accepted demands
After four days of fasting, the government agreed to form a joint committee with civil society members.
2011
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, Hazare survived an enemy attack as a truck driver in the Khem Karan sector that killed many soldiers, a rare sole-survivor incident.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Hazare's 2011 hunger strike lasted 4 days and led the government to form a joint committee including civil society members to draft anti-corruption legislation.

03 / 04
💡SURPRISING

Despite advocating non-violence, Hazare publicly supported the death penalty for corrupt officials, a stance that drew criticism from fellow activists.

“

"We want to change the system, not the government."

— Anna Hazare

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Anna's youngest supporters
More from this archive
Anna's youngest supporters
01
Anna's youngest supporters
social activist anna hazare special interview
02
social activist anna hazare special interview
NWI's Exclusive Interview With Social Activist Anna Hazare
03
NWI's Exclusive Interview With Social Activist Anna Hazare
Anna Hazare's fight for Lokpal continues, His health worsens on Day 7
04
Anna Hazare's fight for Lokpal continues, His health worsens on Day 7
Headlines: Anna Hazare to launch hunger strike over delay in Lokpal
05
Headlines: Anna Hazare to launch hunger strike over delay in Lokpal
Anna Hazare goes on hunger strike for Lokpal
06
Anna Hazare goes on hunger strike for Lokpal
Biopic on Gandhian activist Anna Hazare
07
Biopic on Gandhian activist Anna Hazare
Anna Hazare Biography & Campaign
08
Anna Hazare Biography & Campaign
Khaas Mulaqat | Exclusive Interview Of Anna Hazare | Social Activist | On Etv Urdu
09
Khaas Mulaqat | Exclusive Interview Of Anna Hazare | Social Activist | On Etv Urdu
Lessons from Anna's crusade
10
Lessons from Anna's crusade

🌱 What changed because of them

Hazare’s watershed development model in Ralegan Siddhi became a blueprint for rural rejuvenation adopted by several Indian villages. His 2011 hunger strike reignited mass civic activism against corruption, influencing the passage of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act in 2013. His insistence on transparency helped institutionalize the Right to Information Act's use nationwide.

💬 Social Buzz

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