The architect of Vietnamese independence, Ho Chi Minh was born on 19th May, 1890, at Kim Lien village, Nam Dan District in the province of Nghe Tinh in Central Vietnam. His real name was Nguyen Sinh Cung, which was changed first to Nguyen Tat Thanh and then to Nguyen Ai Quoc or "Nguyen the patriot". He adopted the name of Ho Chi Minh in 1942.

Greatly inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution and the works of Rousseau and Montesquieu, he left Vietnam in 1911 in search of the right course of action for liberation from French Colonialism. During his 30 years abroad, he participated actively' in many socio­ political movements. He was a member of the French Socialist Party and took part in the founding of the French Communist Party. In February, 1930, he convened a conference for all Vietnamese revolutionaries at Hong Kong and merged the various Communist groups into the Communist Party of Vietnam. He was also responsible for working out the Party's political platform, strategy and statute.

In 1941, Ho Chi Minh secretly returned to Vietnam and formed Viet Minh, the Independence League. He believed that the revolution in Indo ­China was part of the world-wide struggle against colonialism, imperialism and fascism. In August, 19.45, he called a people's national Congress and ordered a general insurrection. On 2nd September, 1945, as Head of the Provisional Government,  he  proclaimed the birth  of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

The struggle for liberation, however, continued till 1954, when a temporary partition was agreed upon to stop the bloodshed.

Ho Chi Minh passed away oil 2nd September, 1969, after a simple but eventful life. The Vietnamese people translated their sorrow into action, stepping up the struggle for a reunified and independent Vietnam, which was finally achieved in April 1975, fulfilling Ho Chi Minh's life-long dream.

Simple in life,  he chose to live in a hut rather than the Presidential Palace, cultivating his own vegetables. His other interests led him to journalism, poetry, playwriting, acting and lecturing. He was deeply interested in other cultures, and did his. best to promote and protect the Vietnamese cultural traditions. In the word s of Pandit Nehru, Ho Chi Minh was "not only a, pace-lover, but also a particularly affable and friendly personage, one who never thought of himself, who was so simple and modest...a man of the masses, a leader who knew how to combine in a rare..manner utmost generosity with the most stubborn determination".

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India