Kunzru was the second son of Pandit Ayodhya Nath Kunzru and his second wife Jankeshwari. He was born at Allahabad on 1 October 1887. Even though he had got married in 1908, his wife died in 1911 during childbirth, followed by the death of the child six months later. This was a turning point in his life and he resolved to dedicate his life to public service. He did his matriculation in 1903 and F.A. in 1905 from Agra College. He passed his B.A. examination in 1907 from Allahabad University. Subsequently, he left for the London School of Economics in 1910 where he completed a B.Sc in Political Science.
Political philosophy
Pandit Kunzru started his political career in the Congress, but left and formed the National Liberal Federation along with other moderates such as Tej Bahadur Sapru and Madan Mohan Malaviya. He became its President in 1934. The National Liberal Federation was a loose conglomeration of high-minded individuals and Kunzru remained true to that tradition, standing for his first election, and every election after, as an Independent candidate. His vigorous support of non-governmental organisations, was also linked to the liberal philosophy that government should not be all powerful in a democracy. Many of his interventions in the Constituent Assembly Debates were also to reduce the power of government over the people.
Career highlights
As a parliamentarian
He became a member of the Legislative Council of the United Provinces,and subsequently in the Central Legislative Assembly, the Council of States, the Provisional Parliament and the Rajya Sabha. Kunzru headed two expert committees set up to look into the Railways, the first established in 1944 to amalgamate the various railway companies the existing into the Indian Railways. He also chaired the Railway Accidents Committee set up in 1962. He was Chairman of the Committee established in 1946 that recommended the establishment of a cadet corps which ultimately took shape as the National Cadet Corps in 1948. He headed another Committee that recommended the establishment of the National Defence Academy. He was a member of the States Reorganisation Commission from 1953 to 1955. He was widely traveled and was part of Parliamentary and other delegations to many countries, including South Africa, the United States, Japan, and Pakistan. He also chaired the Pacific Conferences of 1950, 1954, and 1958 organised by the Institute of Pacific Relations.
As an educationist
Kunzru was instrumental in promoting the study of International relations in India. He helped set up the Indian Council of World Affairs and the Indian School of International Studies, using his influence and contacts to raise funds amounting to Rs. 600,000 to build Sapru House, the headquarters of the Indian Council of World Affairs. At various times, he was a member of the Senate and Executive Council of the Benares Hindu University, University of Delhi, Allahabad University, and the Sri Ram Institute, Delhi. In recognition of his work, he was conferred honorary degrees by many of these universities. He was a member of the University Grants Commissionfor 12 years from 1953 to 1966 and served as its Chairman for a brief period in 1966.
Kunzru was nominated for the highest Indian civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 1968 but he declined, citing his opposition to such honours in a Republic, which he had first voiced during the Constituent Assembly debates.
