Balwantrai Mehta

Balwantrai Mehta
2nd Chief Minister of Gujarat
In office
25 February 1963 – 19 September 1965
Preceded byJivraj Narayan Mehta
Succeeded byHitendra Kanaiyalal Desai
Member of parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
17 April 1952 – 31 March 1962
Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byJashvant Mehta
ConstituencyGohilwad, Gujarat
Personal details
Born(1899-02-19)19 February 1899
Died19 September 1965(1965-09-19) (aged 65)
Manner of deathAssassination
PartyIndian National Congress
SpouseSarojben
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Balwantrai Gopalji Mehta ((1900-02-19)19 February 1900 – (1965-09-19)19 September 1965) was an Indian politician who served as the second Chief Minister of Gujarat, India. Balwantrai Mehta was the only sitting Chief Minister of an Indian state to have been killed by a different country during war. He participated in the Indian independence movement. After the independence of India, he was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India from Gohilwad, Gujarat as a member of the Indian National Congress. He is considered as the 'Architect of Panchayati Raj ' due to his contributions towards democratic decentralisation.

He was assassinated by Pakistan during 1965 war.