Balraj Madhok

Balraj Madhok(Hindi:बलराज मधोक) (b. 25 February 1920) was a president of Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS) and a senior politician of India in 1960s. He was born at Skardu in the former princely state of Kashmir and Jammu (now in the Pakistani Northern Areas). He started his academic and political career in Jammu and Kashmir. Prof. Madhok played a key role in the accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to India. He unified Hindus who were not in large numbers, to stand against the Pakistani forces and local separatists in 1948. Some historians believe that it was only the cleverness and bravery of him that India could save the Kashmir valley from invaders. He along with Pt. Prem Nath Dogra, formed the Praja Parishad Party in Kashmir in 1949. The party demanded complete unification of Jammu & Kashmir with India. Later he merged the Praja Parishad Party with BJS. He assisted Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in formation of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh in 1951, which in 1980 got transformed into Bharatiya Janta Party. He was the first secretary of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. He scripted the first manifesto of the Party.

He was a Professor of History at the University of Delhi. He served as the President of the party for a year. He served as a member in the Consultative committee of Foreign Affairs, Lok Sabha. He was the President of Indo-Israeli Friendship Society (1967–1974) and Indo-Tibetan Society.

He held various positions in the BJS as Secretary, General Secretary,...
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