People and Personalities of Muzaffarpur District

The big stories often make the headlines of our historical narratives, but history is not only about the landmark events - it finds shape and character in the myriad events that led up to a flashpoint of change. An attempt to discover and document stories of people, events, and places linked to the freedom struggle of India at the micro level of the district has led to the creation of a Digital District Repository. Stories in this section can be broadly classified under - People & Personalities.

Babu Langat Singh

Babu Langat Singh was born in 1851 in a very poor family of Dharhara, Vaishali. His father’s name was Awadh Bihari Singh. He was an ardent champion of the cause of the Swadeshi movement. He was also associated with the Indian National Congress. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, in his speech at the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 1959, had talked about meeting him at the Congress session held in Calcutta in 1906, where Langat Babu had built a grand pandal for the Swadeshi Exhibition in a very short time. He was elected as a representative from Muzaffarpur in the Congress session held in Allahabad in 1910.

When the Swadeshi movement started, he not only joined it but also became an active participant in the movement. He was one of the directors of the “Swadeshi Stores, ‘Bung- Cotton Mills” that was opened in Calcutta. He also opened “Tirhut Stores” in Muzaffarpur. He traveled far away from Bengal and Bihar to places like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in the promotion of the Swadeshi movement.

In the process of his growing involvement with nationalistic activities, he became convinced that education had to be given the utmost priority. He used his personal charisma and wide contacts to bring various indigenous organizations to contribute in this regard. Consequently, his efforts began to take a solid shape and in 1899 a decision was taken during a regular session of Bhumihar Brahmin Sabha in Muzaffarpur to inaugurate L.S. College for higher education. It was an unparallel contribution as there was no college on the northern bank of the Ganges between Kashi and Calcutta. Langat Babu was given the title of Bihar Ratna by Bharat Dharma Mahamandal in Prayag Kumbh. Babu Saheb was also given a certificate of prestige on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the reign of Queen Victoria.

The Muzaffarpur Conspiracy Case (1908)

On 30 April 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki threw a bomb on the carriage of the Chief Presidency Magistrate Douglas Kingsford of Calcutta in Muzaffarpur district in present-day Bihar. It resulted in the killing of 2 women who were aboard the carriage. While Khudiram Bose was arrested Prafulla Chaki committed suicide.

The historic trial of this incident, known as the Muzaffarpur Conspiracy Case (1908), started on 21 May 1908 and was presided over by Judge Corndoff. Khudiram Bose was tried along with his accomplices, Mrityunjay Chakraborty and Kishorimohan Bandopadhyay. However, Mrityunjay died during the trial and Kishorimohan was tried separately.  Kalidas Basu, Upendranath Sen, and Kshetranath Bandopadhyay were the lawyers who handled Khudiram’s defence. Advocates Kulkamal Sen, Nagendra Lal Lahiri, and Satischandra Chakraborty later joined them during the trial.

Khudiram resubmitted his statement to Magistrate E W Bredhowd on 23 May 1908, wherein he denied his involvement or responsibility in any aspect or stage of the entire operation. Though Khudiram did not agree to the plea statement, he was persuaded by his lawyers to sign it. Despite the combined efforts of several lawyers, Khudaram was sentenced to death. His response after hearing the sentence baffled the Judge, as the young boy, only 18 at the time, smiled. On 12 August the headline of the Amrit Bazar Patrika (a prominent daily) read, “Khudiram’s End: Died cheerful and smiling.”

Ram Sanjeevan Thakur

Ram Sanjeevan Thakur was born on 19h May 1921 in Budholi village of Bochaha of Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. His father’s name was Ramkhelavan Thakur and his mother's name was Sita Kumari. His father was a farmer and therefore Ram Sanjeevan Thakur had seen rural life very closely. He observed the common problems faced by farmers in the colonial period and had seen the suffering of farmers and how the British used to torture them. He had seen and felt the atrocities of the British since childhood. At a very young age, he was sent to prison in 1931 for participating in the freedom struggle. But it could not extinguish his flame of love and patriotism for India. He also played a major role at the age of 25 years in the Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942. He took over the command of the district. In the course of this movement, he was arrested and kept in prison in Muzaffarpur itself. After getting released from jail, he continued his struggle for freedom.

After independence, he was made the district president of Congress from 1975 to 1982. Apart from this, he also acted as the President of Bihar State Freedom Fighter Organization, District Freedom Fighter Organization, Bihar Pradesh Consumer Service Association, Shop Employees Union, Bihar Pradesh Khadi Leather Industries Employees Union, North Bihar Senema Employees Union, Bharat Wagon National Employees Union. He was also the General Secretary of District Bharat Sevak Sangh. He also acted as a Minister for the All India Workers Welfare Association. He was also the president of Ram Dayalu Smriti Bhawan. Recognizing the invaluable and precious contribution made by Ram Sanjeevan Thakur in the freedom struggle for independence of India, he was given Tamrapatra award by the then Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1972. After that, he received the President award in 2005 by the then President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam for his participation and contribution to the freedom struggle.

He was an environmentalist. He gave the message of environmental protection by using the cycle as a means of transport throughout his life. He always wore khadi clothes only as he was deeply inspired by the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi. Ram Sanjeevan constantly fought for the rights of farmers and labourers and became their voice. After seeing, observing, gaining, and giving so much knowledge and wisdom at a very ripe age of 100 years, Ram Sanjeevan Thakur breathed his last on 4 June 2021 in his house situated in Kalibari of Bihar. He continues to inspire young and brave minds even today. His contribution to the freedom struggle can never be forgotten.

Rambriksh Benipuri

Rambriksh Benipuri (1899-1968) hailed from the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, from a rural household. He took an active part in the freedom movement in 1920 being a founder of The Bihar Socialist Party. Between 1930 and 1942, he was imprisoned on fourteen separate occasions, for a duration of seven years. The suffering he underwent sharpened and honed his creativity to bring forth literary masterpieces such as “Qaidi Ki Patni”, “Ambapali” and the famous “Maati Ke Moortein” which was honoured with the Sahitya Academy Award. A prolific journalist he edited periodicals: the Kisan, Tarun Bharat, Balak, Yuvak, Karmveer, Yogi, Himalaya, Chunnu-Munnu, Janta, and Nai Dhara, and wrote plays, radio features, novels, stories, word-sketches, reminiscences, travelogues, biographies, etc. His works have been translated into many languages.

Jubba Sahni

Jubba Sahni (1906-1944) hailed from a poor family in the Muzaffarpur District of Bihar and was forced by circumstances to work as a laborer on a large agricultural farm where British supervisors kept watch. Jubba experienced the ruthlessness with which the British supervisors treated the Indian workers. He later joined the freedom struggle and dedicated himself totally to the movement, suffering imprisonment many times. From the Salt Satyagraha of 1930 to the Quit India Movement of 1942, his revolutionary activities were on the increase. In August 1942, he led an armed revolt against the Police Station in Meenapur in which the in-charge of the Police Station, Waller was killed. Jubba Sahni took the entire responsibility for the episode upon himself and was later sentenced to death by a special court appointed by the British Government. He was hanged to death in Bhagalpur Central Jail, at the age of 38.

Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi

Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi was born in Muzaffarpur district, Bihar. He was a political activist, who left studies in order to follow Gandhiji. He joined the Non-Cooperation Movement in the year 1921. He attended the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Session held at Ahmedabad (1921), and supported the 'Poorna Swaraj' motion demanded by Hasrat Mohani. The motion was opposed by Mahatma Gandhi and failed.

Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi met Gandhiji at Sabarmati Ashram. He was a representative of the Central Khilafat Committee, who later took charge of the Calcutta Khilafat Committee. He was arrested while participating in a protest march led by Netaji Subash Chandra Bose. Later, he was released. In the year 1942, a search operation was undertaken at his house. This pushed him to work secretly. He also opposed the two-nation theory initiated by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He served as the first General Secretary of the All India Jamhur Muslim League, which was established to counter the All India Muslim League demanding a separate nation.

Source :

• Nisha, Contributor for CCRT
• Indian Culture Portal
• Jagran, 4 June 2021 and MuzaffarpurNow, 5 June 2021
• Information Brochure of Commemorative Postage Stamp issued by Department of Posts.
• National Gallery of Modern Arts, New Delhi
• Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav