Shri Ram Narayan Chaudhary (1895–1989) was an eminent Gandhian freedom fighter, social worker, thinker, and prolific writer from Rajasthan.
This website by Shri Chaudhary’s family is a tribute to a hero of India’s freedom movement and to bring to public knowledge his and his wife, Anjana Devi’s contributions to the country.
Ram Narayanji was born in a family of privilege in Neem ka Thana in Rajasthan. He had begun to show traits of a social worker — inspired by his mother — and cultivated a lifelong interest in languages from an early age.
Ram Narayanji’s introduction to revolutionary movements took place at Maharaja College in Jaipur where he joined Shri Arjun Sethi’s Kranti Dal. After reading Gandhiji, Ram Narayanji slowly gave up revolutionary associations and walked the path of non-violent resistance.
Ram Narayanji and his wife, Anjana Devi, were deeply inspired by Gandhiji’s ideological repertoire and imbibed his message of austerity in personal life by relinquishing family wealth. Ram Narayanji’s social work for India’s independence, against feudal forces in Rajasthan and for removal of untouchability took place on Gandhiji’s direct counsel, and he developed a familial bond with Gandhiji while residing at Sabarmati and Wardha Ashram. As Gandhiji’s aide, Ram Narayanji often handled his personal correspondence, ashram’s administration, and translated some of the most important Gandhian texts.
After India’s freedom, Ram Narayanji worked as a key functionary of Bharat Sevak Samaj in Delhi to aid India’s developmental journey in close contact with Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister. In Delhi, he also established Gram Sahyog Samaj to train public servants and elected leaders to better serve the country. In this period, he shaped public opinion through his commentaries and authoritative books on Rajasthan’s history, Indian politics, and his experiences with Gandhiji, to name a few.
At the age of seventy, Ram Narayanji retired to Ajmer and continued with his social work. He remained physically active till his last days and particularly enjoyed gardening for a few hours every day.
You will find here audio interviews of Shri Ram Narayanji and his colleagues in the Indian freedom struggle. These interviews were conducted in the 1980s by the Rajasthan State Archives, Bikaner. We are thankful to the archives for providing us with these precious recordings.
You can also read the transcripts of this recording published by the Rajasthan State Archives by clicking here.
I know Ram Narayanji Chaudhary from my study of history. A sharp observer of individuals and of realities on the Indian soil, Ram Narayanji was also blessed with a sensitive conscience which never allowed him to focus on his own status or comfort.
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भारत के स्वाधीनता संग्राम की वीरगाथाओं में, और देश के गांधी युग के इतिहास में श्री राम नारायण चैधरी और उनकी पत्नी, श्रीमती अंजना देवी के जीवन का संदेश चिरस्मरणीय है।
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A hundred years ago, a young Ramnarayan, a man of great merit, passion, and a revolutionary fervour, made a choice of a lifetime: to follow M.K. Gandhi and his non-violent way. Forsaking lures of a settled career, and easy fascination of a violent way, he plunged himself into the hard work of service in the […]
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Ram Narayanji, my Nana, was a bit of magic for me. His stature never allowed us to take too many liberties. We held him duly in some awe.
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Growing up with Nanaji, Ram Narayan Chaudhary, meant growing up with the tales of freedom fighters ranging from Bhagat Singh and Vijay Singh Pathik to Gandhiji.
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My first memories of Ram Narayanji, my Nana, go back to the early 1960s: I can clearly see him showing every new leaf and bud in the garden to a 3-year-old, filling her with a sense of amazement!
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