Lal Krishna Advani, commonly known as L.K. Advani, is one of India’s most iconic and influential political leaders. Born on November 8, 1927, in Karachi (then British India, now in Pakistan), Advani’s political journey spans over seven decades and has shaped contemporary Indian politics at multiple levels. Celebrated as a founding member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Advani has served as India’s Deputy Prime Minister (2002-2004) and Minister of Home Affairs. In 2024, he was honored with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, recognizing his immense service to the nation and long-standing contributions to Indian democracy. This article delves deep into Advani’s life, career, ideology, achievements, and legacy—a comprehensive resource perfect for SEO-optimized content with a human touch.
Early Life and Education
Lal Krishna Advani was born into a Sindhi Hindu family on November 8, 1927, in Karachi. His father, Kishinchand Advani, and mother, Gyanidevi, nurtured him in an environment that valued education and social responsibility. Advani attended St. Patrick’s High School in Karachi and later, D.G. National College in Hyderabad, Sindh. The traumatic partition of India in 1947 forced his family to migrate to India, where they settled in Bombay (now Mumbai). There, Advani continued his education, completing a law degree from Government Law College, Bombay University.
His early exposure to diverse cultural and political environments shaped his worldview and nationalist ideology. At the young age of 14, in 1941, Advani joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist volunteer organization, where he trained as a ‘pracharak’ (full-time worker) responsible for strengthening organizational networks in Rajasthan and other parts of India.
Political Career Beginnings
Advani’s political career officially began in 1951 when he became a member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), a political party founded by Syama Prasad Mookerjee that promoted Hindu nationalist principles. Over the years, he held various positions within the BJS, including Delhi unit president and national executive member. In 1967, he served as chairman of the Delhi Metropolitan Council till 1970.
He first entered the Indian Parliament in 1970, elected to the Rajya Sabha (upper house). During the Emergency period (1975-1977) imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Advani was actively involved in opposition politics and was jailed for a considerable time. After the Emergency, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh merged into the Janata Party, which defeated Congress in the 1977 general elections. Advani served as Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and leader of the house in Rajya Sabha.
Founding of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
In 1980, after the collapse of the Janata Party government, the Bharatiya Janata Party was formed with Lal Krishna Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee playing key founding roles. Under their leadership, the BJP initially struggled but steadily grew into a national political force.
Advani served as BJP president for two major stints—from 1986 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 1998. During this period, he transformed the party from a minor player with only two Lok Sabha seats in 1984 to a formidable force capturing 120 seats in 1991 and 182 seats in the 1998 elections.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Movement and Rath Yatra
One of Advani’s most defining political events was leading the Ram Janmabhoomi Rath Yatra in 1990, a mass political campaign to mobilize supporters to build a Ram temple at the disputed site of Ayodhya. This controversial movement significantly boosted BJP’s popularity, but also led to heightened communal tensions and riots around the country.
Despite the controversies, the Rath Yatra remains a watershed moment in Indian politics that positioned Advani as the BJP’s most prominent leader nationally and helped the BJP emerge as a key player in Indian politics.
Parliamentary Roles and Leadership
Advani was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s Parliament, in 1989 from New Delhi constituency and later from Gandhinagar constituency for several terms until his retirement from electoral politics in 2019. He became the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha (1991-1993, 1998-2004, and briefly in 2009) and the longest-serving President of the BJP.
He was the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate during the 1989, 1991, and 2009 general elections.
Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister
Between 1998 and 2004, Advani served as India’s Home Minister—the longest in that role until 2025—and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister from 2002 to 2004 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
His tenure was marked by important security and administrative reforms. He was instrumental in launching the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in 2002, providing the government greater powers to combat terrorism. Advani also played a significant role during the Kargil War (1999) by coordinating India’s response to Pakistani incursions.
Under his leadership, India conducted the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, asserting its nuclear capabilities on the global stage. Advani established key institutions such as the National Security Council, National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the National Disaster Management Authority, strengthening India’s preparedness against various threats.
Later Political Years and Retirement
Advani continued to influence Indian politics well into the 2010s, serving on various parliamentary committees and again briefly as Leader of Opposition. However, his direct political influence waned after BJP’s defeat in the 2009 general elections.
In 2019, Advani formally retired from electoral politics, handing over his Gandhinagar seat to the then BJP president Amit Shah.
Awards and Honors
Advani’s lifetime contribution to Indian politics has been recognized through several prestigious awards:
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Padma Vibhushan in 2015
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Bharat Ratna in 2024—the highest civilian award in India, conferred by President Droupadi Murmu and awarded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recognition of Advani’s decades-long public service and political impact.
Legacy and Influence
Lal Krishna Advani’s legacy is monumental in shaping India’s political landscape. Known for his intellectual rigor, strategic acumen, and unwavering commitment to his nationalist ideals, Advani played a pivotal role in establishing BJP as a dominant political party.
His political mentor role shaped the careers of many current politicians, including Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Arun Jaitley, and Sushma Swaraj. Despite controversies associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and political setbacks, Advani remains respected for his statesmanship, parliamentary conduct, and leadership.
Personal Life
Advani is a private person regarding his personal life, married to Kamla Advani, with whom he shares a deep partnership supporting his political vocation.
Conclusion
Lal Krishna Advani’s journey from a young RSS pracharak to India’s Deputy Prime Minister embodies the story of India’s evolving democracy and political ethos. His commitment to public service, political strategy, ideology, and leadership has left an indelible mark on Indian politics. Recognized widely across the political spectrum for his contributions, Advani’s political career offers valuable lessons in perseverance, vision, and governance.