Varahagiri Venkata Giri was born on August 10, 1894, in a Telugu-speaking family in the Berhampur district of Odisha. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was a social worker. He received his primary and secondary education in Berhampur. In 1913, he went to University College Dublin to study law, where he was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy that student involvement in the freedom struggle was more important than formal studies.
Upon returning to India, Giri prioritized his involvement in the freedom movement over his studies. He became an active participant in the labor movement and eventually became the President of the All India Railwaymen's Federation. In 1926 and 1942, he served as the President of the Indian Trade Union Congress. Additionally, he held the Ministry of Labour and Industries portfolio in 1937 and 1946 in the Madras Presidency.
Giri's activism during the Quit India Movement in 1942 led to his imprisonment. Despite this, he remained dedicated to the country's cause after India gained independence. He was appointed as the High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and was elected to the first Lok Sabha in 1952. From 1952 to 1954, he served under the Ministry of Labour.
Giri also held the position of Governor in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka from 1957 to 1967. In 1967, he was elected as the Vice President of the country following the death of the 10th President, Zakir Hussain, on May 3, 1969. The presidential election of 1969 was notable, with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi urging her party members to vote according to their conscience. Giri, supported by the Congress party, won the election and became the fourth President of India post-independence, securing 50.2% of the vote.
Apart from his political career, Giri had a keen interest in writing books, which became popular. In 1994, the India Post and Telegram Department issued a commemorative stamp in his honor for his contributions to the Indian freedom struggle and public affairs. On June 24, 1980, in Chennai, he passed away due to a heart attack, leaving behind a legacy of service to the nation.
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