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Diwan Chaman Lall (30 October 1892 – 12 November 1973) was an Indian politician and diplomat who served as a Member of the Rajya Sabha.

Early life

Chaman Lall was born on 30 October 1892 to Dewan Bahadur Daulat Rai. He received an honors degree in jurisprudence from Jesus College, Oxford, later called to the bar at Middle Temple in London. He worked a journalist, first for the art and literature quarterly magazine Coterie, in London, then as editor and Chief Leader Writer for the newspaper The Bombay Chronicle.

In freedom movement

Lall was a founder and first general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress in 1920, later becoming its President in 1927. He established himself as a leader of workers' unions, serving as president of the Federation of Posts and Telegraphs Union, All India telegraph Workmen's Union, All India Postal and R.M.S. Union, All India Press Workers' Union, NWFP Railway Workmen's Union and the EP Railway Union. Lall was a member of the Royal Commission on Labour in India during 1929–30. He recommended that the working hours of industrial workers be reduced and that minimum age for employment at factories be raised to 13 years. He also suggested that the government take steps towards it in conformity with the 1921 Convention that dealt with the same. He represented workers' interests at the first Round Table Conference in 1930–31. Lall served as delegate at the International Labour Organization conference in Geneva and led India's delegation at the 1946 Montreal Conference.

As a politician, Lall served as a member of the Central Legislative Assembly first from 1924 to 1931, and then between 1944 and 1946. From 1937 to 1945, he served as member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from Eastern Punjab constituency reserved for Trade and Labour Unions. In 1946, Lall became a member of the Constituent Assembly of India before he resigned in two years later.

Constitution making

In 1946, Chaman Lall was elected to the Constituent Assembly from East Punjab representing the All-India Trade Union Congress party. However, he resigned after two years. He spoke on voting rights of people who migrated to India after the partition.

During his tenure in constitutional assembly, contribute by working in Committees of the Constituent Assembly: Steering Committee and Provincial Constitution Committee.

Global policy

He was one of the signatories of the agreement to convene a convention for drafting a world constitution. As a result, for the first time in human history, a World Constituent Assembly convened to draft and adopt the Constitution for the Federation of Earth.

After Independence

He served as India's 1st Ambassador to Turkey from 1948 to 1950. Lall was Member of Rajya Sabha for three consecutive term 1952 to 1968.

During his tenure, as a Rajya Sabha member, Lall introduced a private member bill to amend provisions on obscenity in the Indian Penal Code (1963). He proposed in the bill, to exempt works of art, or publications meant for research, science or literature from the applicability of obscenity provisions. The amendment was passed in 1969.

Personal life

He married Helen Khan and had three children with her; sons Prakash, Navin Prakash and Rahul.

Bibliography

• Lall, D. Chaman (1932). Coolie: The Story of Labour and Capital in India. Oriental Publishing House.

References

1. ^ "Indian Ambassadors to Turkey". Retrieved 23 September 2021.
2. ^ "Diwan Chaman Lall". www.constitutionofindia.net. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
3. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report. Rajya Sabha, Volume 86, Issues 1-7
4. Stewart, John (2001). Standing for Justice: A Biography of Andrew MacLaren MP.
5. ^ Reed, Stanley (1950). The Indian And Pakistan Year Book And Who's Who 1950. Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. p. 706. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
6. Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India. 1931. pp. 51–52. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
7. "Letters from Thane Read asking Helen Keller to sign the World Constitution for world peace. 1961". Helen Keller Archive. American Foundation for the Blind. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
8. "Letter from World Constitution Coordinating Committee to Helen, enclosing current materials". Helen Keller Archive. American Foundation for the Blind. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
9. "Preparing earth constitution | Global Strategies & Solutions | The Encyclopedia of World Problems". The Encyclopedia of World Problems | Union of International Associations (UIA). Retrieved 15 July 2023.
10. "Bill Diwan Chaman Lall amend the Indian Penal Code to make the Provisions of Sections 292 and 293". Retrieved 23 September 2021.

• 1892 births
• 1973 deaths
• Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford
• Members of the Middle Temple
• Members of the Central Legislative Assembly of India
• Members of the Constituent Assembly of India
• Ambassadors of India to Turkey
• Rajya Sabha members from Punjab, India
• Indian barristers
• Indian journalists
• Indian National Congress politicians from Punjab, India
• World Constitutional Convention call signatories