Shyam Saran Negi: India's first voter, dies two days after casting his last vote

 Shyam Saran Negi: India's first voter, dies two days after casting his last vote

Shyam Saran Negi, (1 July 1917 – 5 November 2022) was an Indian school teacher in Kalpa, Himachal Pradesh, who cast the first vote in the 1951 general election in India.  The nation's first election since the end of the British era in 1947. Although most of the polling for that first election took place in February 1952, Himachal Pradesh went to the polls five months early because the weather there.In 1951, Negi was a member of the polling team and vividly remembers that he cast his first vote in Shonthong polling station and his polling party had to trek long distances to conduct polling in Purvani – Ribba – Moarang – Nesong over a period of 10 days. Negi casted the first vote on 25 October 1951.

The result was a landslide victory for the Indian National Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru became India's first democratically elected prime minister, following nearly 100 years of British era between 1848 and 1947.

 He voted in every general election since 1951 until his death, and is believed to be India's oldest voter as well its first. Shyam Saran Negi also made a special appearance in some bollywood movie.

Negi died on 5 November 2022, at the age of 106

In 2010, the then Chief Election Commissioner of India, Navin Chawla, visited Negi's village to honour him as part of the Election Commission's diamond jubilee celebrations.

In 2014, Google India produced a public service announcement in which Negi said "Youth should come forward to participate in the democratic process as it is not only our right but also our duty to participate in the elections by exercising our franchise.

Earlier this week, officials from the Electoral Commission laid out a red carpet for Mr Negi when he cast his postal ballot ahead of the 12 November election.

Indian media reported it was the first time Mr Negi had not attended a polling booth, opting to post his ballot instead due to ill-health.

In 2014, Mr Negi was made a brand ambassador for the Electoral Commission in a bid to encourage voting and starred in a Google video encouraging people to vote in the year's general election.

As he posted his papers on Wednesday, India's The Tribute newspaper reported that Mr Negi made a statement urging young people to vote.

India's first voter Shyam Saran Negi dies at 106, two days after voting for Himachal Assembly polls in Kinnaur's Kalpa

Speaking at an election rally on Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mr Negi. The government has said he will be cremated with full state honours at his village in Kalpa.