India, Oct. 10 -- On October 11, 1902, in the dharm, sanskriti and gyan bhoomi of Bihar, at the confluence of the Ganga and the Ghaghra in the village of Sitabdiara, was born the champion of democracy, Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan. Today, we commemorate his 123rd birth anniversary. Fondly remembered as JP, the architect of Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution), was a statesman, who never thought about himself, but always placed the concerns of the poor as his topmost priority. The title Lok Nayak was bestowed on him by no great personality, but by the loving masses who had assembled at Patna's Gandhi Maidan on June 5, 1974. On this day, I pay my naman (salutations) to this great leader.

JP's humble beginnings from Sitabdiara helped him st...