
Babuji, Dalit leader who served under five PMs.
As Defence Minister, Ram oversaw India's military operations during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. He was responsible for the strategic planning and execution of the campaign.
As Minister of Railways, Ram supported the demands of railway workers during the 1974 strike, which involved over 1.7 million employees. The strike was crushed by the government, leading to mass arrests and Ram's subsequent resignation from the cabinet.
Ram resigned from the Indian National Congress and joined the Janata Party coalition ahead of the 1977 general election. His departure was a major blow to Indira Gandhi's government and contributed to the Congress defeat.
Ram was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of India in the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai. He held the portfolio of Defence and was a key figure in the coalition.