Acharya Narendra Dev (1889–1956) was a prominent socialist leader and educationist. He was born on 30th October, 1889 in Sitapur, in present-day Uttar Pradesh. After pursuing a Masters in 1913 and completing law in 1915, he started his career as a successful lawyer, however, he quit law and started teaching at the Kashi Vidyapith, where he got the title “Acharya.”
Acharya Narendra Dev was deeply influenced by the revolutionary ideas of Congress leaders such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Sri Aurobindo. He was associated with the Home Rule League and became a member of the provincial Congress. He actively participated in the demonstrations against the Simon Commission and the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Acharya Narendra Dev was instrumental in the establishment of the Congress Socialist Party in 1934 as a radical faction working within the Indian National Congress. The Congress Socialist Party under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan and Acharya Narendra Dev played a major role in the Quit India Movement (1942), for which he was imprisoned. Acharyaji’s contributions as a distinguished leader, freedom fighter and educationist to both pre and post independent India has been immense.
Source: Indian Culture Portal