The hefty Jat leader, Devi Lai was born to Lekh Ram and Shrimati Shaguni Devi at Chautala (Haryana) on September 25, 1914. Devi Lal entered politics as an ambitious youth, raw in experience and education. When India’s freedom struggle was at its peak in thel930’s, he left school at Moga in Punjab and joined the freedom struggle. His political career, spanning over five-and-a-half decades, began as a congressman. In the 1950’s, he held many important posts in the Pratap Singh Karien Ministry in Punjab. Devi Lai was elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1952,1959 and 1962. He was the Chief Parliamentary Secretary in 1956- 5 7.
He was not aware of the theories of Marxism or Gandhism but was a great believer of populist philosophy. It was Devi Lai, the first Chief Minister, who first started the practice of awarding government compensation to farmers in the event of natural disasters. He died in 2001.