Bali Ram Bhagat is a former Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He was born on October 7, 1922 in Patna, Bihar. He graduated from Patna College. He received his M.A. degree in Economics from the Patna University. He later joined the freedom struggle.
He became a member of the Congress. He participated in the Quit India Movement and remained underground for a period of two years. He edited two underground weeklies during the movement - ‘Our Struggle’ and ‘Non-violent Revolution’. He became the General Secretary of Bihar Pradesh Students’ Congress in 1946.
After the Indian Independence, he held a range of ministerial posts. In 1963, he became the Minister of State for Planning. He was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Trade and Supply in 1969. His tenure as Speaker of the Lok Sabha was appreciated by all the parties. Bali Ram Bhagat also served as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.