Shastri, Shri Lal Bahadur, 1904-66, Indian political leader. He joined Mohandas Gandhi's noncooperation movement in 1921 and studied at the nationalist Kashi Vidyapeth school, where he was given the title Shastri [learned in the scriptures]. Elected to the central legislature in 1952, he served as minister for railways (1952-56), minister of commerce and industry (1957-61), and minister of home affairs (1961-63) before succeeding Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister in 1964. Following the India-Pakistan War of 1965, Shastri met in Tashkent with President Ayub Khan of Pakistan and signed a "no-war" declaration. He died the next day (Jan. 11, 1966).