*Early life and Education* Born on 30 January 1903 in the small princely state of Shahpura (Bhilwara) Pt. Mukut Bihari Lal Bhargava came to Beawar in early childhood as an adopted son of Shri Vinodi Lal Ji Bhargava. He completed his primary education at Shahpura, Matriculation from Mission School Beawar, Graduation from Muir Central College Allahabad and MA in History and LL.B from Allahabad University. *Professional Excellence* In 1926 he started practice at Beawar and Ajmer and thereafter at RajasthanHigh Court at Jodhpur and Jaipur. He frequently appeared before Hon’bleSupreme Court, most of them election petitions. He was designated SeniorAdvocate by Rajasthan High Court and Supreme Court. He practiced on Civil,Criminal, Revenue as well as Constitutional side. He was recognized as an expertof election matters and used to appear not only in Rajasthan High Court and Supreme Court but also in several other states. He left for heavenly abode on 18 December 1980 and was in active practice up to 3 months before his passingaway. His law library was perhaps the best in Rajasthan and contained about 10,000 books of Indian, British and American Law. He had a wonderful memory, his assistant advocates used to read out files and judgements to him which he remembered meticulously for years together and argued the cases in a way which many lawyers with eye sight could not do. He narrated all the facts and statements of witnesses with page number and paragraph number from the file and judgements like a computer. On completion of 50 years of practice in 1976 a public felicitation was held at Jodhpur wherein the then Chief Justice of India Shri A.N Ray was also present. He was so much impressedby his knowledge of law that he called Mr. Bhargava as “Moving Encyclopedia of Law”. Justice G.M. Lodha, in his one of the judgements referred to his memory as “Bharagava Memory” and cited him along with Dr. Hallen Keller and Mr. Brail who invented Brail script. He had a unique way of preparing cases. He used to do in-depth study of the record and also the relevant judgements which he had to refer at the time of arguments. He always started by reading the relevant sections from the bare acts and used to read them again and again. Every time he came out with a new angle of interpretation. During his long and successful legal career, he handled a large number of important cases involving difficult and complicated questions. He fought election cases of Congressmen free of charge irrespective of the strain theyput on him. Pt. Bhargava also went to Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to plead election petitions of several leaders. His preparation of the cases was so thorough that it left the adversary and the court marveling at his legal acumen. It was difficult to believe that with his incapacity, he could store so much in his mind just on the basis of his listening to reading by his juniors. His presentation of cases in facile English was unmatched and was held in high esteem both by the Bench and the Bar because of his thoroughness. Pt. Bhargava had been an acknowledged leader of the Bar and was much in demand. Lawyers used to gather in large numbers in the court rooms to see him pleading the cases with his unfailing memory and extraordinary wit. On his completing 50 years at the Bar in 1976, a Golden Jubilee felicitation function was organized by the Rajasthan Bar Association at Jodhpur. Shri Haribhauji Upadhyay -the Governor of Rajasthan described him as the "C.R. Das" of Rajasthan. He made tireless efforts for setting up a Bench of the Rajasthan High Court at Jaipur. He was also the Chairman of Rajasthan Bar Council and President of High Court Bar Association for number of years. He was a votary of an independent Judiciary As a Member of Parliament, he also strove hard for the separation of the Judiciary from the Executive. Former Chief Justice of India Shri Y.V. Chandrachud paid homage to Mr. Bhargava: “I and my colleagues in the Supreme Court were always struck by the phenomenal memory of Pandit Mukut Bihari Lal Bhargava whom destiny had unkindly deprived of his vision totally. He used to argue his cases even more meticulously than lawyers gifted with full eyesight. His life is an example of how one can surmount seemingly insurmountable difficulties in life. He helped many Courts and Judges to find correct answers to many intricate problems of law. I pay my humble homage and tribute to his memory”. *Public and Political life* From the age of 20 he started taking active part in freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi, C.R. Das, Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya, Shri Motilal Nehru and others were his inspiring personalities. In 1942 during Quit India Movement, he was put in jail for 18 months. Due to food poisoning, his eye sight was greatly effected. He also lost 35 Kgs weight. British Government offered him release from prison if he begs pardon so that he may get treatment of his eyes but he flatly refused to offer apology even at the risk of his eyesight. Such was his spirit of sacrifice for freedom movement. As a result he lost his eyesight completely at the age of 39 but he continued to practice in various courts till his last breath. • 1927 – Was elected member of Nagar Prishad Beawar • 1928 – Joined Indian National Congress • 1930 – Mr. Bhargava boldly extended free legal aid to 84 victims against whom police had filed a case alleging their involvement in the National Movement and thus set an example for fellow lawyers. He pleaded for fellow freedom fighters like Arjun Lal Sethi, Shri Ghisu Lal Jajodia, Attar, Pt. Gopi Lal Sharma and several others showing his love for the freedom struggle. 1931 – Organized function of Provincial Political Council at Pushkar (Ajmer) in the chairmanship of Smt. Kasturba Gandhi. • 1933 – Was appointed as President of ‘Harijan Sevak Sangh’ Beawar with *inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi* • 1936 – Participated in Congress Session at Haripura as sole representative of Ajmer Rajputana State and remained President of Ajmer Rajputana Central India Congress for 22 years. • 1937 - Pt. Nehru visited Beawar. The function was organized by Mr. Bhargava in such a manner and the public participated with such a zeal that Pt. Nehru expressed that India may get independence some day but in Beawar Independence has already come. • 1945 – Unanimously elected as member of Central Legislative Assembly which was converted into Constituent Assembly after independence. Thus he was contributory in making of the Constitution of India. • 1947 – Was elected member of Provisional Parliament and also President of Ajmer Merwara Congress Committee, Bar Association Beawar and Vice President of Advisory Committee of Chief Commissioner of Ajmer Merwara. • 1952, 1957 and 1962 – Was elected member of Parliament from Ajmer Constituency. He strived hard and was successful in integration of Ajmer in Rajasthan. His important speeches in Parliament include speech on Hindu Code Bill, States Reorganization, Useful Cattle Preservation / Go Samvardhan Bill and On Punishment of Tax Evaders and Black Marketeers Bill. Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma, President of India wrote about him:- “In Parliament, Pt. Bhargava distinguished himself as a good orator and a true and fearless public servant. His razor-sharp memory and lucid exposition of his views made him an outstanding Parliamentarian of his time. I have read some of his speeches which testify to the painstaking efforts made by an honest, patriotic and sensitive lawyer. I hope that his passion for public service, his zeal for hard work and his total dedication to the cause of national reconstruction will always inspire our countrymen” • 1952 – He was sole representative of Parliament of India in 41st Inter Parliamentary Conference in Bern. He also attended the World Moral Rearmament Assembly in Switzerland and one World Government Conference at London. His speech was also broadcasted by BBC. • 1971 – He contested Parliamentary election from Ajmer. The Nobel Award winner author Mr. V. S. Naipaul personally covered the complete election process which was published in his book as “An Election in Ajmer” and he appreciated the fairness with which the election was contested by Mr. Bhargava in which he lost to his own nephew Mr. Vishweshwar Nath Bhargava. This time he was contesting election as a member of Congress (S) and Mr. Vishweshwar Nath Bhargava from Congress (I). The article was also published in Sunday Times Magazine of London on 15th and 22nd August 1971. • 1972 – He was honored by Government of India as freedom fighter by presentation of ‘Tamra Patra’ • 1975 – He criticized imposition of emergency and fearlessly expressed his views. He also contested Habeas Corpus petitions on behalf of detenues during the emergency period whereas at that time no one had courage to stand up against the Government. Greatly pained by imposition of emergency he joined Janta Party. • 1983 – On his 80th birthday a ‘Smriti Granth’ was published which was released by the then Chief Justice of India Shri P.N Bhagwati, at Jaipur. • 1990 – The then Vice President of India Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma released his ‘Abhinandan Granth’ and unveiled his statute in the campus of Municipal Council, Beawar. 1997 – Lok Sabha Secretariat published monograph series of eminent Parliamentarians. Vol.16 was published in the honour of Mr. Bhargava. An extract from the book :- “Pandit Mukut Behari Lal Bhargava was one of those outstanding leaders of our country who endeared himself to the people by his exceptional integrity and utmost commitment to the national cause. He took to public life with a passion and a zeal, dedicating himself to the uplift of the peasants and the poor and used politics and legal profession as an instrument for social service to save the down-trodden and the suffering masses from the age-old exploitation.During the period of colonial subjugation, the entire Rajasthan, except Ajmer, was divided into a number of small and large princely States. In those days,freedom of the Press was only a dream; access to newspapers, publicity material, educational institutions, etc. was also minimal. In such a situation, Pt. Mukut Behari Lal Bhar-gava's contribution as a motivating force towards bringing about awakening among the people of Rajasthan and making them conscious of all forms of slavery is historic and unforgettable.” • 2001 – Government of Rajasthan published a book in the memory of Mr. Bhargava on Golden Jubilee celebration of formation of State of Rajasthan. • 2003 – Government of India published Postal Stamp in the honour of Mr. Bhargava which was released by the then Vice President of India Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. His worthy son Shri S.N. Bhargava was a great support of him in his personal as well as professional life. In the guidance of his father he excelled in profession and as a result was appointed judge of the Rajasthan High Court on 21 October 1982. He donated most of his library to the High Court Bar Association, Jaipur. On 9th January 1993 he was appointed as Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court. He also remained Acting Governor of Sikkim. Thereafter, he was appointed as Chairman of Human Rights Commission of Assam and Manipur. He served his father with utmost devotion and care throughout his life. He also I remained District Governor of Rotary Club. Presently he is associated with large number of Social, Religious and Philanthropic institutions. Pt. Mukut Bihari Lal Bhargava breathed his last on December 18, 1980.With his passing, the legal community has lost a great lawyer, a marvel with profound legal knowledge, a remarkably generous human being and a saviour of the poor and downtrodden . He leaves behind a legacy that continues to inspire us to mourn his loss while striving to embody the values he cherished— a guiding light for being a good human being, a true patriot and a loyal soldier of our country , a politician with the desire to serve selflessly and, above all, a committed professional.Shri A.K Bhandari Senior Advocate and myself remained associated with‘Babu Ji’ Shri Mukut Bihari Lal Bhargava till his last. I express my gratitude and homage to my respected Guru.