'Bhumihar'
Brahmins (à¤à¥‚मिहर बà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤¹à¥à¤®à¤£), also known as ''Bhumihars'' (à¤à¥‚मिहार) are an influential
Hindu sub-
caste who have traditionally resided in fertile regions of
Indo-Gangetic plains of
North India, in the
states of
Bihar,
Uttar Pradesh and
Jharkhand. They were referred to as ''Baabhan''s (बाà¤à¤¨) too, an
apabhramsha word for
Brahmin.
Etymology
The word ''Bhumihar'' consists of two
Sanskrit words, ''bhoomi'' (à¤à¥‚मि), meaning "land" and ''har'' (हर), meaning 'seizer'. There are a lot of theories about the origin of this
caste and there is no unanimous accord over any of them excepting one which is the authority of
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati who gives the most acceptable account of the origin and history of
Bhumihar Brahmins. The name of his book is "Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar". Some of the other theorists owe the origin of the Bhumihars to the displacement of Brahmins from Western India following muslim invasion or, a change of religion to Buddhism and reconversion to
Hinduism or, a change of profession from priesthood to farming or, a gradual shift from priestly and academic activities to farming and conquest, owing to lack of support from the rulers during the reign of ignorant kings.
Traditions
Ideally, the Bhumihar
Brahmins are supposed to perform sixteen major
Samskara (rites) during the course of their lifetime.
[1] In the pre-natal stage, Garbhadharana (conception),
Pumsavana (rite for consecrating a male child in the womb) and Simantonnayana (rite for parting the hair of a pregnant woman) are performed. During childhood, Jatakarma (birth ceremony), Namakarana (naming ceremony), Nishkarmana (first outing) Annaprasana (first feeding solid food),
Choodakarana (first tonsure) and
Karnavedha (
ear piercing) are performed. During education of the child, Vidhyarambha (starting of education),
Upanayanam (thread ceremony- initiation), Vedarambha (starting of the study of the
Vedas), Keshanta or Godana (first shaving of the beard) and
Samavartanam or Snaana (ending of studentship) are performed. During adulthood,
Vivaha (marriage) and Anthyesthi (funeral rites) are the main ceremonies.
All the orthodox Bhumihar
Brahmins try to adhere to these customs. But, as among all
Brahmins throughout the country (the general masses), all Samskaras can no longer be practically performed. Only the most essential ones like Garbhadharana (conception), Jatakarma (birth ceremony), Namakarana (naming ceremony), Annaprasana (first feeding solid food),
Choodakarana (first tonsure), Vidhyarambha (starting of education),
Upanayanam (thread ceremony- initiation),
Vivaha (marriage) and Anthyesthi (funeral rites) are performed.
Mythology
In the context of mythological perspective,
Bhumihar Brahmins identify themselves with
Bhagwan Parashurama, who was a
Brahmin and who is believed to have killed Kshatriyas 21 times who had failed or forgotten their Vedic duties and had become regressed into chaos. The descendants of Parashurama are called
Bhumihar Brahmins in Eastern U.P. and Bihar,
Tyagi Brahmins in Western Uttar Pradesh,
Goud Brahmins in U.P. and Rajasthan,
Chitpawan Brahmins in Maharashtra,
Anavil Brahmins in Gujarat,
Havyak Brahmins in Karnataka,
Niyogi Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh,
Iyer Brahmins of Tamil Nadu,
Namboothiri Brahmins in Kerala,
Bengali Brahmins in Eastern India and
Mohyals in the Punjab region. Their variants are found with different names all across the Indian sub-continent.The records of
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati in "Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar" and
Acharya Chatursen Shastri in "Vayam Rakshamah" points towards the same origin by taking help of all ancient texts as well as prevailing customary practices and temperament of these illustrious Brahmins.
The Namboothiris' own mythology holds that Parashuraaman created the land (of Kerala) and bestowed it upon them. Thus their reverence of Parashuram shows that these two brahmin castes might be sharing the same lineage. The legend of Parasurama also exists amongst Brahmins of all India and he is worshipped in UP. Hence it has to be seen as a myth not exclusive to Namboothiris and Kerala alone. However, this myth also exist in an old Chera lore about King Velkezu Kuttavan. According to this myth, the king flings his spear into the sea to claim land from it. This lore must have modified later in Malayalam language by the Namboothiris as part of their campaign to establish themselves in Kerala. In the Namboothiri version, Parashuraaman uses his Parashu (Axe), to create new land for the Brahmins.
Mentions by historians
Mr Crook in his book, ''The Tribes and castes of UP and Oudh: Part II'', page 64, has written:
''Bhumihar (Sanskrit ''Bhumi'', 'land' and ''Kara''(''har''), 'maker'): An important tribe and landowners and agriculturists in eastern districts. They are also known as Babhan, Zamindar Brahmin, Grihastha Brahman or Pachchima (Western) Brahmin.''
They are also called Magadhan brahmin because they have their largest number of presence in the old Magadh region of Bihar
According to Sir Elliot's supplemental glossary, there are five divisions of the
Kamkoobj Brahmins. They are Kamkoobj proper, Sunadh, Surwaria, Jijhotia and Bhoinhar.
Mr William Oldham in his book ''North Western Provinces Historical And Statical Memoir'', has categorically mentioned that Bhoinhars, both by themselves and by ethnologists, are believed to be the descendants of Brahmins, who on becoming cultivators and landholders gave up their priestly functions.
Pundit Yogendra Bhattacharya in his book ''Hindu Castes and Set'', writes that Bhumihar Brahmin literally means landholder. The Bhumihar Brahmins are evidently those Brahmins who held grants of land for secular services. Any Brahmin who held a secular fief was a Bhumihar.
The East India Company for the Bengal presidency exclusively recruited soldiers from the Bhumihar
Brahmin & Rajput communities. It is a fact that British established their British empire in India with the help of this Bengal regiment.
But this Bengal regiment soon revolted against British and bhumihars were the leading light of it
Present
The Bhumihars are predominantly farmers. Some are owners of vast quantities of land but many are small farmers too. Presently, most Bhumihars have been reduced to the status of small-scale farmers with the fall of the
zamindari system. While most
zamindars were Bhumihars, there was widespread discontent among the
raiyyats (farmers who were lent land on lease and from whom tax was collected), regardless of their castes. Then, it was a class struggle rather than a caste struggle. And this struggle was led by none other than
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, a Bhumihar, who formed the first
Kisan Sabha in
India. Many other nationalists like
Pandit Karyanand Sharma,
Pandit Yadunandan Sharma and
Pandit Jamuna Karjee joined Swamiji in the upliftment of the peasantry which did not include people of all castes and communities and for the freedom of India from colonial yoke.
Marriage of people in this community, like most of other social groups of India, is restricted to their own subcaste. English education was adopted very late by Bhumihar Brahmins because they have been very orthodox Brahmins along with being well off from the rest. There had been some exceptions to this but nowadays they are doing very well in all walks of life. Bhumihar Brahmins were just 2.9% of Bihar population (before partition of Jharkhand) but wielded a great political strength in Pre-Mandal politics of Bihar as Brahmins all over the country. At one time this caste contributed 19 MPs out of total 54 Lok sabha seats in Bihar. It is a fact that Bhumihar Brahmin's contribution to the freedom struggle of India and the upliftment of downtrodden in Bihar is unmatched by any other community in Bihar. Many think that Bihar was the best administered state in India under the tenure of Dr.
Sri Krishna Sinha, who was a Bhumihar Brahmin and the state saw most of its development under his tenure only. This caste is vilified even though the first peasant struggle in India against zamindari was started by Sahajanand Saraswati and the communities to benefit most from it were Yadav, Kurmi and Koeri (
backward castes) who got the land ownership at the cost of Bhumihar Brahmin zamindars. He is still one of the most revered leaders of peasants. In 1990s the poltics in Bihar was done with the sole basis of targeting the upper castes, more particularly the Bhumihar Brahmins.
Lalu Prasad Yadav even called for the 'elimination' of the Bhumihars and other upper castes of Bihar. The
per cent population of the Bhumihars in Bihar has also increased from a lowly 2.9% to 4.6% after Jharkhand was separated from it, making them politically significant.
The clans
Suryanarayan Pandey in his book Sainik Brahmin has noted that only in two situation they were separated from Kanyakubja brahmin the first was, when they were honoured and given land as AGRAHARAM by the kings of different states and second when they were attacked by muslim ruler. They wanted to preserve Hindu cultural heritage so they came to Eastern Kashi.
Usually Bhumihar clans are known by the original place from which they come. For example Bhumihars from Dighwa near by DIGHAWA DUBAULI ( Gopalganj , Old SARAN ) went to Barahiya and settled there and known as Dighwait Bhumihars, similarly, Eksaria Bhumihars belongs to Eksaar village in Balia but spread over complete Saran district of
Bihar. But there are others like Jijhoutiya Bhumihar Brahmins who reside in Eastern U.P. and the region of Jhansi. Chitponia Bhumihar of Nawada are from Maharashtra. In fact at times they are considered as a separate Brahmin sub-caste altogether. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was from Jijhoutia clan of Bhumihar Brahmins. Then there are others like Bhriguvansh, claiming lineage from Maharishi Bhrigu as the name suggests. There are around two to three dozen such clans.
Drona Ticar (Domkatar colloquially) is another Bhumihar clan. There were some famous zamindars and feudal lords like:
★ Kashi Naresh ( Varanasi )
★ Maharaja Of Hathwa ( also pronounced HATHUA ,Gopalganj, Old SARAN)
★ Maharaja of Bettiah ( Champaran)
★ Raja of Amawan ( old MONGHYR)
★ Raja of Tekari ( old GAYA )
★ Zamindar of Chainpur, Sheohar, Pandooi
★ Zamindar of HAKAM-REOTITH in Old SARAN ( Now Gopalganj)
★ Bagaura Naresh (Siwan)
★ Udayni Kothi near Bagaura estate (Siwan)
★ Goreya Kothi
The Village Eksar from where the origination of Eksaria started is situated in Ballia. The First clan of Eksaria Bhumihar Brahmins was Jaganath Dixit, who migrated probably from Indraprasth or from Hastinapur in the year 1551A.D. and became mantra guru of Nepal Mahraj. The eksaria migrated to Parsa garh and subsequently to Chainpur, Bagaura, Chittauli etc and famous "REOTITH-HAKAM" village Zamindaars are Eksaria Bhumihars.
Surnames
Bhumihar Brahmin have always used
Brahmin surnames as they are Brahmins but they also adopted titles of
Rajputs,
Muslims, and many others
social groups of
north India suggesting the source of the land grants which they came to hold. Some scholars suggest that Bhumihar is itself a title of those Brahmins who came to hold land and political power through different periods of
history in the Gangetic plain. Some of the surnames used by these
Brahmins are given below:-
★
Thakur: A number of villages in 'Koiriyan'(
Rohtas), Kanti,
Muzaffarpur natives have ''Thakur'' as surname.
★
Chaudhary: Chaudhary is also visible in Kanti,
Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur ,
Katihar,
Purnia . Some
Bengali Brahmins and
Maithili Brahmins also use this surname. Present MP Loksabha Nikhil Chaudhary and Famous Industrialist Sri Durga Chaudhary are from Purnia.
★
Choubey: A lot of Villages in Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur.
★
Sharma: A large section of Bhumihar Brahmins as any other Brahmin have SHARMA as Surname. Majority of SHARMA are densed in and around ARWAL, Jehanabad, Bihar. Famous nationalists and peasant leaders Pandit Karyanand Sharma and Pandit Jadunandan Sharma, famous Leftist Historian R S Sharma.
★
Tiwari : near by MUZAFFARPUR TOWN many villages like MITHANPURA , BELA etc BHUMIHARs have TIWARI as SURNAME. Tiwary surname is also found in Sitamarhi district in villages like Radhaur.Kameshwar Prasad Tiwary, The late pramukh of Sursand was from this village . Bhumihar Tiwaris were ZAMINDAARs & LAND LORDs
★
Ojha: A few villages in Chhapara and Muzaffarpur have Bhumihars with OHJA as sirname. Sri D P Ojha , ex-DGP, Govt. of Bihar.
★
Mishra: Madhubani and Chhapara have surname as MISHRA. Muzaffarpur based SKMCH Medical college First principal Dr B P Mishra is from Chhapara .
★
Singh: This is a Surname of landlords and big Bhumihar Brahmin Zamindars. Chapra
Moke-village-Bihar Konch-block.Chandrashekhar Singh, Maheshwar Prasad Singh.
★
Sinha: Many SINGH People converted their name as SINHA, MANOJ SINHA, ex-MP, GAZIPUR.A good many of others think
Singh is incorrect word used esp by Britishers.They say
Sinha (Some say Sinh also) is the correct one e.g. Dr. Srikrishna Sinha,Shri Mahesh Prasad Sinha.
★
Pandey: Its avialbale in SAHABAD and Chhapara. Raghunath Pandey was native of Chhapara.
★
Shahi/SAHI: They are found in SITAMARHI, MUZAFFARPUR and some part of DEORIA, GOPALGANJ and SIWAN(SARAN). TAMKUHIRAJ & HATHWA NARESH have SAHI as Surname, L P Shahi (Congress leader). Gabhirar Estate, R R P N Shahi, Smt. Krishna Shahi, Hari Prasad Narayan Shahi had great existence in state as well as national politics.
★
Shukla: They are also found in VAISHALI
★
Dutt: Its taken from MAHIWAL or Mohyal; Sir Ganesh Dutt Singh
★
Prasad : One village SABALPUR , near by RAJGIR have Surname as PRASAD .
★
Yajee: Its MOOL of Bhumihars and are from Bakhtiyarpur.
★
Karjee: GANGWA, Muzaffarpur is known for KARJEE bhumihars and Pt Yamuna Karjee was from Samastipur.
★
Dwivedi: Sitamadhi and West Champaran Land Lords Bhumihars are having Dwivedi as sirname.
★
Upadhyay: a few villages in ROHTAS / BHOJPUR of Bihar is having UPADHYAY as Sirname.
★
Rai: Almost all Bhumihars from Eastern UP have this as surname.
★
Khawn: KHAN / KHAWN is also a sirname of Bhumihars and even Maithil Brahmins have this as Surname.
★
★
JHA : Some bhumihar Brahmins esp hailing from the Mithila region use this surname.
★
Dixit : Some Bhumihars of North Bihar also use this title
Notable Bhumihars
Pre-independence
★
Mangal Pandey Great nationalist who was one of the leading figures of the Sepoy Mutiny (called by British) or first war of Indian Independence (by Indians).
★
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati: Social worker, saint: Was the foremost leader of peasants of the previous century. International journalists term him as one of the ten most influential people of India of the last century. Our Indian journalist have largely glossed him over and ignored him as a caste leader when the fact is that he worked for all peasants irrespective of their caste. It was at the behest of the yadav peasants that he formed Kisan sabha which became the biggest anti -zamindari peasant movement of India. Landlords and big zamindars both respected and feared him. Other brahmins who lived off the donations of these hardworking brahmins like bhumihars, chitpawans, tyagis and anavails didn't consider them equal to their social status and consider them beneath them in social hierarchy. Swami Sahajanand worked for the equal status for these hardworking brahmins.
★
Basawon Singh (Sinha), Great Nationalist, Trade Unionist and First Leader of Opposition in Bihar; earlier active with HSRA (Hindustan Socialist Republican Army) and later joined Congress Socialist Party. He had spent EIGHTEEN AND A HALF YEARS IN PRISON IN BRITISH INDIA fighting for India's independence. In the early phase of his life he was a
revolutionary but later turned to
Democratic Socialism. He was among the foremost proponents of
Democratic Socialism in
India.
★
Pandit Karyanand Sharma : Great nationalist and peasant leader.
★
Yogendra Shukla: among the greatest nationalist the country has produced and who also served in the Cellular Jail, Andamans(Kalapani), among the founders of HSRA (Hindustan Socialist Republican Army) Yogendra Shukla (1896-1966) as well as his nephew Baikunth Shukla (1907-1934) hailed from village Jalalpur in Muzaffarpur (now Vaishali), district of Bihar and were torch bearers of the revolutionary spirit of freedom struggle. Young Yogendra made his greatest contribution to the cause of Indian freedom between 1930 and 1942, as one of the leaders of the revolutionary movement in Bihar and U.P. becoming "Almost a legendary figure for his many exploits". He was a close associate of Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Datta. He had to serve prison terms for a total of more than sixteen and a half years for his revolutionary activities. During imprisonment in different jails of India, he was subjected to extreme torture, which corroded his iron constitution.
★
Baikuntha Shukla: great nationalist who was hanged for murdering
Phanindrananth Ghosh who had become a government approver which led to hanging of
Bhagat Singh,
Sukhdev and
Rajguru. He was a nephew of
Yogendra Shukla. Baikunth Shukla was also initiated into the freedom struggle at a young age taking active part in the 'Salt Satyagraha' of 1930. He was associated with revolutionary organisations like the
Hindustan Seva Dal and
Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. The execution of the great Indian revolutionaries
Bhagat Singh,
Rajguru and
Sukhdev in 1931 as a result of their trial in the '
Lahore conspiracy case' was an event that shook the entire country.
Phanindra Nath Ghosh, hitherto a key member of the Revolutionary Party had treacherously betrayed the cause by turning an approver, giving evidence, which led to the execution. Baikunth was commissioned to plan the execution of Ghosh as an act of ideological vendetta which he carried out successfully on
9 November 1932. He was arrested and tried for the killing. Baikunth was convicted and hanged in Gaya Central Jail on
May 14,
1934. He was only 28 years old.
★
Sir Ganesh Dutt Singh : Only minister in the province of Bihar from 1923 to 1937 and great philanthropist who initiated World famous Prince of Wales Medical College, Patna University, Darbhanga Medical School etc.
★
Sri Krishna Sinha, first
chief minister of
Bihar He was from MAUR village of Shekhpura District of Bihar.
★
Ram Dayalu Singh : First Speaker of Bihar Assembly. He was from GANGAWA village of Muzaffarpur and strong advocate of SRI BABU candidature of premiership of the province of Bihar in 1937 assembly election (first). There is a famous college in Muzaffarpur which is named after him .
★
Ram Binod Singh: Great nationalist and revolutionary who was brought into the freedom struggle by Acharya
J.B.Kripalani when he used to teach in Langet Singh College in
Muzzafarpur. In fact, Acaryaji has also mentioned about him in his autobiography "My Time".
★
Ram Nandan Mishra: Nationalist and Socialist leader who spent years in jail in British India. A close associate of Loknayak
Jayaprakash Narayan, Ramnandan Mishra shot into fame when he, along with JP, scaled the walls of the Hazaribagh central jail during the
Quit India movement to lead the underground movement against the British. After Independence he become SAINT. Lohiya always regarded him as his GURU .
★
Pandit Raj Kumar ShuklaAfter his return from
South Africa,
Mahatma Gandhi started the freedom movement in
India by his
satyagraha in the
Champaran District of Bihar at the request of
Raj Kumar Shukla-- against the British, who were forcing the local
farmers to plant
indigo which was very harmful to the local soil. In India’s struggle for Independence the
"Champaran Satyagraha", marks a very important stage.
Raj Kumar Shukla drew the attention of
Mahatma Gandhi, who had just returned from
South Africa, to the plight of the peasants suffering under an oppressive system established by European indigo planters. Besides other excesses they were forced to cultivate indigo on 3/20 part of their holding and sell it to the planters at prices fixed by the planters. This marked
Gandhiji’s entry into the India’s Struggle for Freedom. On his arrival at
Motihari, the district headquarters, accompanied by
Raj Kumar Shukla,
Gandhiji was ordered to leave by the next available train which he refused to do and was arrested. He was released and the ban order was withdrawn in the face of a, "Satyagraha" threat. Gandhiji conducted an open enquiry into the peasant’s grievances. The Government had to appoint an enquiry committee with Gandhiji as a member. This led to the abolition of the system. Raj Kumar Shukla has been described by Gandhiji in his "Atmakatha", as a man whose suffering gave him the strength to rise against the odds. In his letter to Gandhiji he wrote "Respected Mahatma, You hear the stories of others everyday. Today please listen to my story….. I want to draw your attention to the promise made by you in the Lucknow Congress that you would come to Champaran. The time has come for you to fulfil your promise. 19 lakhs suffering people of Champaran are waiting to see you."
Gandhiji reached
Patna on
10 April, 1917 and on
16 April he reached
Motihari accompanied by
Raj Kumar Shukla. Under Gandhiji’s leadership the historic
"Champaran Satyagraha" began. The contribution of
Raj Kumar Shukla is reflected in the writings of
Dr. Rajendra Prasad, first President of India,
Acharya Kriplani and of course,
Mahatma Gandhi himself. Raj Kumar Shukla maintained a diary in which he has given an account of struggle against the atrocities of the indigo planters, atrocities so movingly depicted by
Deen Bandhu Mitra in
"Neel Darpan", a play that was translated by
Michael Madhusudan Dutt. This movement by Mahatma Gandhi received the spontaneous support of a cross section of people, including Dr.
Rajendra Prasad, who ultimately became the first
President of India.
★
Mahavir Tyagi Eminent nationalist.
★
Pandit Yamuna Karjee: Pandit Yamuna Karjee was born in a small village name Deopar near Pusa in Darbhanga District of Bihar in 1898. His father Anu Karjee was a marginal farmer who died when Jamuna Karjee was just 6 months old. From his school days itself, he was drawn towards India’s freedom struggle and the Kisan Movement and Peasant movement under Swami Sehganandji Saraswati’s leadership. For higher studies he went to the Presidency College, Calcutta, and also obtained a degree in Law. In Calcutta he came in contact with several freedom fighters and Congress leaders like Dr. B.C. Roy, Dr. Shri Krishan Sinha, Rahul Sankritayan etc. Spurning the offers of several government jobs, he became a Hindi journalist of repute. He joined the editorial wing of Hindi weekly Bharat Mirtra published in Calcutta. He also took part in Gandhiji’s non cooperation movement from 1920-21 and was jailed in 1929-30 for taking part in civil disobedience movement and Namak Satyagrah. He won the first election for Bihar and Orissa Assembly in 1937 as a Congress candidate. He was one of the strongest pillars of the peasant movement in Bihar under the leadership of
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati. He along with
Rahul Sankritayan and other Hindi literaries started publishing a Hindi weekly Hunkar from Bihar, in 1940. Hunkar later became the mouthpiece of the peasant movement and the agrarian movement in Bihar. He was elected to the post of President Bihar Journalist association in 1947-48. He died of cancer in October 1953 at an early age of 55. After his untimely demise the peasant movement lost momentum in Bihar and became rudderless. His name also appears in Bipan Chandra's masterpiece India's Struggle for Independence Also refer :people.indiatimes.com/articleshow/813210.cms
★
Sheel Bhadra Yajee (1906-1996) the fiery freedom fighter from Bihar was associated with the non-violent and the violent form of freedom struggle. Yajee's participation in the freedom movement began in 1928 when, as a student, he attended the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. He joined the Congress Socialist Party four years later and became involved in the Kisan movement. Later, he came in close touch with Subhas Chandra Bose, as well as Mahatma Gandhi. In 1939 he joined Subhas Chandra Bose to found the All India Forward Bloc. He was actively associated with the INA movement. Yajee raised his voice against caste prejudices and other social evils. He was a firm believer in the active participation of the peasants, workers and the middle classes in the struggle for the transformation of society. He authored several books like' A Glimpse of the Indian Labour Movement', 'Forward Bloc and Its Stand', 'Is Socialism a Necessity to India', and 'True Face of Monopolistic American Democracy'.The government of India issued a commemorative stamp on him on 28/01/2001.[]
★
Ganga Sharan Singh: Littrateur and Nationalist. He was the child of Shri Ram Prasad Sinha and Shirimati Chandramani Devi. He was born in 1905 and died on 22-8-1988. he was also a member of Rajya Sabha from 1956 till 1974. He was elected to the upper house from 3-4-1956 to 2-4-1962 and on 3-4-1962 to 2-4-1968 and was Nominated to the upper house from3-4-1968 to 2-4-1974. He was also the Chairman of PSP from 1956—59. He was close to Jay Prakash Narayan as well as mrs Indira Gandhi . He tried his best to make these two leaders close to each other but was suspected by both . pupul Jaykar wrote about him in a BOOK "Indira gandhi" .
★
Pt. Jadunandan Sharma: Eminent nationalist and peasant leader.
★
Kishori Prassana Sinha (Singh): Nationalist.
★
Mithilesh Narayan Singh: Nationalist
★ Rai Jagannath Singh: Great grandson of Rai Hriday Narayan Singh, a philanthropist close to British administration. He was a freedom fighter . His wealth was seized by the British government for his active participation in Indian freedom movement.
Intelligensia
★
Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan Rahul Sankrityayan (1893-1963) was one of the most widely traveled scholars of India, who spent forty-five years of his life on travel and away from home. He became a buddhist monk(Bauddh Bhikkhu) and eventually drew towards Marxist Socialism. He was given the title of Mahapandit (great scholar).
★
Ramdhari Singh Dinkar One of the greatest poet of Hindi and known as Rastra Kavi.He was from Simariya village of Begusarai District of Bihar. He was vice chancellor of Bhagalpur University,Bhagalpur,Bihar. He was close friend of
Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. He got the prestious
Jnanpith Award award for his famous poem ''Urvashi'' and
Sahitya Akademi Award for his book ''Sanskriti Ke Char Adhyaya''. He was awarded the third highest civilian award
Padma Bhushan also. His famous books are 'kurukshetra, Neel Kusum, Rashmirathi, Hamari Sanskritik Ekta, Dinkar ki Dairy and the list is endless.
★
Ram Briksh Benipuri, an eminent
Hindi language writer from Benipur village of Muzaffarpur,Bihar. He was a great nationalist jouranlist and editor of national news paper 'Janta'.He was a great freedom fighter and close associate of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain. He was author of great Hindi Natak 'Ambapali' on which a Hindi movie 'Amrapali' was made by Rajkapoor.
★
Gopal Singh "Nepali", an eminent poet of post-
Chhayavaad period and a famous lyricist of
Bollywood
★
Ram Sharan Sharma is Professor Emeritus of History at
Patna University. He has earlier taught at
Delhi (1973-85) and
Toronto Universities. He was also the founding chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research. He has been among the most renowned historians specialising in ancient
history of India. He belongs to Barauni flag village of Begusarai district of Bihar. His works include: India's Ancient Past (
Oxford University Press) ''Aspects of Political Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India'' (
Motilal BanarsidassISBN 8120808983), ''Perspectives in Social and Economic History of Early India'' (ISBN 8121506727), ''Urban Decay in India c. 300-c. 1000'' (ISBN 8121500451), ''Sudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order Down to Circa A D 600'' (ISBN 8120808738), ''Higher Education'' (ISBN 8171693202), ''Looking for the Aryans'' (ISBN 8125006311), 'Indian Feudalism' and many other scholastic works.
★
V. S. Naipaul: Nobel laureate for literature, whose
Bhumihar Brahmin ancestors had migrated from
Gorakhpur in eastern parts of
U.P. to
Trinidad and Tobago as indentured labourers. Many of the poor agricultural and 'secular Brahmins in secular profession as agriculture apart from religious functions went as indentured workers from Bihar and eastern U.P. to Mauritius, South Africa, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad where because of the dint of their hard work and intellect are now among the most influential, powerful and intellectual group in these regions. Some have kept their distinct Brahmin identity alive while many have got assimilated with others.
★ Prof G R Sharma: Native of
Ghazipur and archeologist at
Kosambi excavation.He was professor and head of the History department of Allahabad University.
★ Pandit M.S.M. Sharma : Eminent journalist who was involved in a legal tangle with the Government of Bihar over
Parliamentary Privileges during the Chief Ministership of
Shri Krishna Sinha.
★ Prof. R.N.Rai (BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY) has done great work to nourish the Indian English literature.
★ Dr. Madhusudan Mishra is a world renowned Sanskrit scholar who has deciphered Indus valley civilization script and has about 20+ publications to his credit. He is a gold medalist in B.A. & M.A. from Patna University. He retired from Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan as Deputy Director (Academic) with some time as Director also.
★ Prof.Devendra Nath Sharma: Eminent Hindi Critic and Bhasha Vaigyanic.He Served as Vice Chancellor of Patna and Bhagalpur Universities.
★ Prof.Vijendra Narayan Singh: Renowoned Hindi Critic.He served as Professor and Head of the Hindi Department of Central University Hydrabad.His famous books are Urvashi;uplabdhi aur sima'and Monograph on Ramdhari Singh Dinker[Sahitya Akademy].He is native of Vibhutipur village of Samastipur District'Bihar.
★ Prof. kailash Rai: Renowned Professor of law in Allahabad university.He has written more than two dozen books on law in Hindi and English and 'has been awarded by the President on 13 of his books' which includes his books on the Constitutional Law of India and Contract.His career spans over 35 years of service in the field of Law and is still continuing. Belonging to a very ordinary family of Reotipur in Ghazipur he reached to this stage in the field of Law with immense literary contribution.
★ Dr. Girija Nandan Singh Prof. & head Dept. of Geography, Munger, Bihar. Has visited many countries and presented lots of research papers. He belongs from Tekari, Gaya, Bihar.
★ Prof.Ram Das Rai (Professor of Sanskrit L.S. College, Muzaffarpur,Bihar),Origanally from eastern U.P. Distric Ghazipur Village: Suhawal. Translated Kalidas Play s into Hindi,poetry version,which were used as college text-books in different colleges. His sister was married into the family of the owner of Granth Raj Publishers.
Doctors
★ Dr Sheetal Prasad Singh: One of the very first medicine expert from Bhumihar Samaj . His name is most respected in Bihar Medical Society .
★ Dr Vijay Narain Singh : Bihar ever best surgeon from Old Gaya district . He was longest serving HOD , Surgery of PMCH and after retirement he started a medical college with Krishna Kant Babu in Patna which is known as Nalanda Medical College .
★
Dr A K N Sinha : Tallest figure in
Indian Medical Association and also president of Commonwealth Medical Association and longest serving president of most powerful body
Medical Council Of India(MCI) is Governing body of All Medical Colleges in India. He was also a famous Cardiologist.
★ Dr G P Sharma: He was famous Pathologist native of West Patna ( Nadawan) . His started lab Dr G P Sharma lab is a premier Pathology Lab in Rajendra Nagar , Patna . These days one of his sons runs this lab.
★ Dr J P Sinha: 1948 pass MBBS graduate from
PMCH and went UK to get expertise in Radiology and became life long HOD of Radiology , PMCH and retired as Principal of presitious PMCH in 1980 . His started X RAY Institute at Rajendra Nagar was once best Lab with all modern Radiology equipments . His grand son is also a Radiologist presently in UK . Dr Sinha is Native of Bhagwanpur - Ratti , Near Lalganj , Vaishali . It is said he is very first Radiology expert in India.
★ Dr R K Singh & Dr Amit Kumar: Dr Raj Kishori Singh is one of the most famous GYN & OBS doctor in BIHAR . Her Son Dr Amit Kumar is also a Noted Infertility Expert in Bihar.
★ Dr U N Shahi: Another rare surgeon Bihar has ever produced . He was native of Shahi Meenapur , Muzaffarpur . His son Sri Pushkar Shahi is a famous lawyer in Patna.
★ Dr Dhan Pati Rai: Native of Buxar who got his Medicine degree in 1939 from Darbhanga Medical College and settled in his native place to serve the society . His son Dr B B Rai is also 1962 DMCH alumni & has served as Orthopaedic expert in HEC Ranchi . Dr B B Rai's son Sri Sanjeev Kumar Roy is settled in Singapore and heading a MNC in the capacity of Regional category manager of Asia Pacific region . While another son Sri Rajeev kumar Rai was a Civil Servant but now settled in Canada.
★ Dr B P Mishra: Son in Law of Dr Sheetal Prasad Singh who became first Principal of S K Medical College in Muzaffarpur . His younger brother, Dr B N Mishra is also a noted Physician in Darbhanga . Dr B P Mishra runs his Pathology clinic named Modern Diagnostic Lab in Muzaffarpur. His son is also a Pathology Expert , Dr Ranjan Mishra whlile his nephew Dr K K Mishra married to Maniyari Mahant's Grand daughter Dr Ranjana Mishra and runs his own Pathology clinic Standard Diagnostic Lab.
★ Dr R P N Sinha: He was native of Salemgarh estate from Deoria , eastern UP . He established himself as among the best Pshyciatrists in North India .
★ Dr K K Sinha, a
neuro surgeon of
Ranchi, is one of the major personalities in the mediacal profession of
East India, particularly of
Jharkhand and
Bihar. During formation of
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