Anna Hazare Age, Wikipedia, Biography, Political Party, Net Worth, Wife, Son, Family
Kisan Baburao Hazare, globally known as Anna Hazare, is one of India's most prominent social activists and anti-corruption crusade leaders. Famous for pioneering eco-friendly rural development in Maharashtra and spearheading the nation-shaking 2011 India Against Corruption movement, he remains a key figure of discussion for his Gandhian activism, governance reform efforts, and lasting impact on Indian civil rights laws like the Right to Information Act.
Vijeta Dahiya Biography
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kisan Baburao Hazare |
| Nickname | Anna Hazare |
| Date of Birth | June 15, 1937 |
| Birthplace | Bhingar, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Height | Approx. 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) |
| Profession | Social Activist, Former Indian Army Soldier |
| Debut Project | Ralegan Siddhi Village Transformation (1975) |
| Net Worth (Approx.) | Minimal personal savings (reported around ₹68,000 INR; lives in a village temple) |
| Spouse / Relationship Status | Unmarried (Lifelong Celibate |
Early Life and Family Roots
Kisan Baburao Hazare was born on June 15, 1937, in Bhingar, near Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. Raised in a modest working-class family by his parents, Baburao Hazare and Laxmibai Hazare, he was the eldest of seven children. His father worked as an unskilled pharmacy laborer, making daily life an economic struggle. To support his education, a relative took young Kisan to Mumbai, but financial hardship cut his formal schooling short around the seventh standard. He began earning a living selling flowers at local railway stations before joining the military.
In 1963, following national calls for military recruitment during border tensions, Hazare joined the Indian Army as a driver in the land forces. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, he survived an intense border attack in the Khem Karan sector where his fellow service members lost their lives. Escaping unharmed transformed his perspective. Inspired by the writings of Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi, he vowed to dedicate his remaining years entirely to selfless public service and rural upliftment.
Career Breakthrough and Milestones
Upon receiving an honorable discharge from the army in 1975 after 15 years of service, Hazare returned to his ancestral home, Ralegan Siddhi. He found the village suffering from severe drought, poverty, and rampant alcoholism. Rallying local youth, he initiated watershed management projects, banned commercial alcohol sales, built a community school, and established grain banks. Within years, Ralegan Siddhi transformed into a internationally studied model of sustainable ecology and rural self-reliance.
Expanding his reach, Hazare targeted political and bureaucratic corruption throughout Maharashtra during the 1990s. His grassroots campaigns proved essential in pushing the government to enact the Right to Information (RTI) Act in Maharashtra, laying the foundation for the landmark national RTI legislation passed in 2005.
His national peak arrived in April 2011, when he launched a public fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding a strong anti-corruption ombudsman, the Jan Lokpal Bill. The movement, dubbed "India Against Corruption," mobilized millions across urban and rural India, capturing global attention and leading directly to the passage of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act. For his lifetime of public service, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992.
Net Worth and Lifestyle
Anna Hazare practices extreme personal frugality, choosing to live in a single room inside the Sant Yadavbaba temple complex at Ralegan Siddhi. His lifestyle is intentionally devoid of personal luxury assets, property ownership, or commercial income streams.
- Personal Holdings: In public asset disclosures made during civil society filings, his total personal net worth comprised around ₹68,000 in personal bank savings, alongside an army gratuity fund used entirely for community temple restoration.
- Real Estate & Vehicles: He owns no personal residential houses or luxury cars. Land granted or donated to him over the decades was officially transferred back to the village for public utility.
- Income Sources: He accepts no commercial brand endorsements or corporate salaries. Community donations and voluntary civil contributions fund the trust programs operating out of Ralegan Siddhi.
Lesser-Known Facts & Trivia
- Sole Survivor Experience: During his military service in the 1965 war, Hazare was driving an army transport truck when an enemy strike killed all other personnel in the vehicle, leaving him as the sole survivor.
- Meaning of "Anna": His given birth name is Kisan. The community title "Anna" was given to him later in life by villagers, which means "elder brother" or "father" in Marathi.
- Early Flower Vendor: Before enlisting in the armed forces, he earned a living as a teenager selling fresh flower garlands at Dadar railway station in Mumbai.
- Pledge of Celibacy: At age 25, while posted on the border, he pledged lifelong bachelorhood and celibacy to ensure his complete devotion to social service without family obligations.
- Right to Information Pioneer: Long before his 2011 hunger strikes made international news, his hunger fasts in Maharashtra during the late 1990s directly led to the earliest state-level Right to Information draft rules.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is Anna Hazare?
Anna Hazare (Kisan Baburao Hazare) is a renowned Indian social activist and former army soldier who led the landmark 2011 anti-corruption movement in India and converted Ralegan Siddhi into a model sustainable village.
What is Anna Hazare's age and birth details?
He was born on June 15, 1937, in Bhingar near Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India.
What major awards has Anna Hazare received?
He was honored with the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan—India's third-highest civilian honor—in 1992 for his contributions to rural development and social reform.
What was the Lokpal Bill movement led by Anna Hazare?
In 2011, Anna Hazare led the "India Against Corruption" movement, using hunger strikes to push the Indian government into passing the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act to establish an independent anti-corruption ombudsman.
Where does Anna Hazare currently live?
He continues to reside in a simple room within the Sant Yadavbaba temple complex located in his model village, Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashtra.
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