Murli Manohar Joshi, Politician, Academic
Politician, Academic

Murli Manohar Joshi

Born 5 January 1934 · Uttarakhand

Serving as BJP President from 1991 to 1993 and shaping its political strategy.

Murli Manohar Joshi is an Indian politician. He is one of the founding members and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served as its President from 1991 to 1993. In addition to his role in the BJP, he has been a lifelong member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organisation. Joshi is the former Member of Parliament from Kanpur Lok Sabha constituency.

✨

A detail that
surprised us

“

Murli Manohar Joshi published one of the very first physics research papers in Hindi, breaking the convention of English-only scientific literature in India.

The Story

1
In 1966, Murli Manohar Joshi married Tarla Joshi in a traditional arranged marriage, marking the start of a lifelong partnership with two daughters, rooted in his Kumaon family heritage from Almora, Uttarakhand.
2
🌟 In the early 1970s, Joshi was a physics professor at Allahabad University who published a research paper in Hindi on spectroscopy, pioneering scientific literature in an Indian language.
3Joshi was imprisoned during the Emergency from June 26, 1975, until the 1977 Lok Sabha elections, after which he was elected MP from Almora as part of the first non-Congress government.
4🏛️ Between 1991 and 1993, Joshi served as BJP President and led the 1991 Ekta Yatra, a politically charged march aimed at asserting BJP’s national unity message.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Vibhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

Joshi was jailed during the 1975 Emergency from June 26 until the 1977 elections, an imprisonment that propelled his political career as he was elected MP from Almora immediately after release.

🖼️

Through the Years

10 photographs from the archives
Murli Manohar Joshi meeting IIM Ahmedabad Chairman Narayan Murthy in New Delhi (2004)
Murli Manohar Joshi meeting IIM Ahmedabad Chairman Narayan Murthy in New Delhi (2004)
2004
Murli Manohar Joshi addressing a press conference as Chairman of Public Accounts Committee in New Delhi (2011)
Murli Manohar Joshi portrait photograph showing clear visibility of the leader (2011)
Murli Manohar Joshi with other Members of Parliament in New Delhi meeting (2018)
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Former Minister of Home Affairs and Science and Technology, Government of India

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Delhi, family from Almora
Murli Manohar Joshi was born on January 5, 1934, in Delhi, with ancestral roots in the Kumaon region of Almora, now part of Uttarakhand.
1934
🌟
Other
Marriage to Tarla Joshi
Joshi married Tarla Joshi in a traditional arranged marriage, starting a family with two daughters.
1966
⚡
Career
Imprisoned during Emergency
Joshi was jailed from June 26, 1975, until the 1977 Lok Sabha elections for opposing the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi.
1975
⚡
Career
Elected MP from Almora
After release from jail, Joshi was elected to the Lok Sabha from Almora as part of the Janata Party coalition.
1977
⚡
Career
BJP President and Ekta Yatra
Joshi served as BJP President and led the Ekta Yatra, a march promoting national unity amidst rising communal tensions.
1991
⚡
Career
Appointed HRD Minister
Joshi became Union Human Resources & Development Minister under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, influencing education policies.
1999
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Vibhushan
Joshi received the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, recognizing his contributions to politics and academia.
2017
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Joshi’s doctoral thesis focused on spectroscopy, and he uniquely published scientific research in Hindi, marking a rare move to promote indigenous language in science.

02 / 05
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

As BJP president, Joshi spearheaded the 1991 Ekta Yatra, a politically symbolic march emphasizing national unity amid regional tensions.

03 / 05
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Under Joshi’s HRD ministry, NCERT textbooks underwent scrutiny to remove content deemed "anti-Hindu," leading to public controversies with historians like Romila Thapar.

“

"We should unshackle our thinking in the domain of science and technology from the clutches of Western thought."

— Murli Manohar Joshi

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Hindutva Ideology : Murli Manohar Joshi, L. K. Advani and Bal Thackeray
More from this archive
Hindutva Ideology : Murli Manohar Joshi, L. K. Advani and Bal Thackeray
01
Hindutva Ideology : Murli Manohar Joshi, L. K. Advani and Bal Thackeray
From Physics to Politics | Murli Manohar Joshi’s National Journey
02
From Physics to Politics | Murli Manohar Joshi’s National Journey
Murli Manohar Joshi | Politician | 1991 Elections
03
Murli Manohar Joshi | Politician | 1991 Elections
Murli Manohar Joshi on importance religious tableaux in Allahabad
04
Murli Manohar Joshi on importance religious tableaux in Allahabad
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi | Politician | देश की समृद्धि, धर्म और सांस्कृतिक के लिए तत्पर...
05
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi | Politician | देश की समृद्धि, धर्म और सांस्कृतिक के लिए तत्पर...
Cleaning in bits won't help: Murli Manohar Joshi questions Ganga cleaning project
06
Cleaning in bits won't help: Murli Manohar Joshi questions Ganga cleaning project
Murli Manohar Joshi | Politician & Former Minister | 1991 Elections
07
Murli Manohar Joshi | Politician & Former Minister | 1991 Elections
Regarding the Situation in Jammu & Kashmir: Sh. Murli Manohar Joshi: 26.08.2010
08
Regarding the Situation in Jammu & Kashmir: Sh. Murli Manohar Joshi: 26.08.2010
PM Modi meets Senior BJP leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi | DD India
09
PM Modi meets Senior BJP leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi | DD India
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi | Politician | 1991 General Election
10
Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi | Politician | 1991 General Election

🌱 What changed because of them

Joshi’s tenure as HRD Minister redefined India’s educational content by introducing religious consultation in textbook creation, influencing the narratives taught about Indian history and culture. His leadership in the BJP during its formative years helped steer the party toward asserting Hindu nationalist themes in Indian politics. His academic background lent a unique voice advocating for decolonizing science and education in India.

💬 Social Buzz

💬

What are people saying about Murli Manohar Joshi?

Share posts from historians, journalists and notable voices about this icon. 🇮🇳

💭 Memories & Tributes

Share your memory of Murli Manohar Joshi...
Loading memories...
Is this profile accurate?