Syama Prasad Mookerjee (also spelled as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee) (July 6, 1901 – May 23, 1953) was the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.

His father Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee was a well respected advocate in Bengal, who went on to become the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calcutta.

Syama Prasad did his graduation from the University of Calcutta. He became a fellow of the Senate in 1923. He enrolled as an advocate in Calcutta High Court in 1924 after his father's death. Subsequently he left for England in 1926 to study in Lincoln's Inn and became a barrister in 1927. At the age of 33, he became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta and held the office till 1938. He was elected as member of the Legislative Council of Bengal as a Congress candidate representing Calcutta University but resigned next year when Congress decided to boycott the legislature. Subsequently, he contested the election as an independent and got elected.

He emerged as a spokesman for Hindus and shortly joined Hindu Mahasabha and in 1944, he became the President. After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, he wanted the Hindu Mahasabha not to be restricted to Hindus alone or work as apolitical body for the service of masses and broke away from it on this issue on November 23, 1948.

Pandit Nehru inducted him in the Interim Central Government as a Minister for Industry and Supply. On issue of the Delhi pact with Liaqat Ali Khan, Mookerjee resigned from the Cabinet on April 6, 1950. After consultation with Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar (commonly referred to as Guruji Golwalkar) of the RSS, Dr. Mookerjee founded Bharatiya Jana Sangh on October 21, 1951 at Delhi and became its first President.

In 1952 elections, Bharatiya Jana Sangh won 3 seats in Parliament, with one of the winners being Dr. Mookerjee.

Mookerjee went to visit Kashmir in 1953 and was arrested on 11th May while crossing border. He died as detenu on May 23, 1953.

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