People and Personalities of Jamui 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.

Hiraji

Hiraji: the Diamond of Freedom Struggle in Bihar who said the foreign court did not have jurisdiction over him.

“As a citizen of free India, I do not recognize the jurisdiction over me of a foreign Court. As a Non-co-operator, I owe allegiance only to Congress, the popularly and properly constituted Government of this country. Before this Court, therefore, I can only appear as a prisoner of war and as such, I have no defence to offer. But the Government to which I owe allegiance that is the Congress allows me the privilege of making a statement more for my people than as a defence. In pursuance thereof, I make the statement.”

(Text of Statement made in the Sub Divisional Court, Jamui on 22 October 1921)

Kumar Kalika Prasad Singh (1895 – 1953), popularly known as Hiraji, was a great freedom fighter who shunned the luxuries of royal life and got engrossed in the freedom struggle. He was inspired by a deep spirit of patriotism when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920.  He decided to dedicate his whole life to the service of the motherland. He had a rare distinction of being the first student leader from a highly aristocratic family from Bihar to participate in the Non-Cooperation Movement and was subject to prosecution and conviction. The statement made by him in P. Meerja’s Sub-Divisional Court, Jamui on 22 October 1921 as mentioned above was undoubted, a milestone in our freedom struggle. It was, indeed, an important step towards the assertion of Indian sovereignty. Inspired by his great courage and commitment, a large number of people came out openly and fearlessly raised their voices against the mighty British rule.

Kalika Prasad was one of those who sowed the seeds of the freedom movement, struggled against British rule, and made immense sacrifices but died unsung. He was imprisoned four times during the freedom movement and spent seven years in Jail. In pre-independent India, he has elected two terms each to Bihar Legislative Council and Assembly. Having been an orator rich in concept and presentation, he was a Legislator par excellence. Disillusioned with the Congress Party, Kalika Prasad resigned from the Congress and followed Vinoba Bhave during his final days. He passed away in September 1953 in the midst of poverty and misery, having magnanimously spent his wealth for the freedom movement.

A strong zeal to fight for the have-not’s

Malati Devi Choudhury (née Sen) was an Indian civil rights and freedom activist. She was deeply influenced by both, Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi. It was the former from who she learnt and acquired the principles of education, development, art and culture, which had been the guiding principles in her life; and it was the latter at whose insistence that she plunged herself into the freedom struggle.

While studying at Shantiniketan, she met her future husband, and they both relocated to present-day Odisha. The Salt Satyagraha started soon after, and Choudhury threw herself into the movement.

She had organized the ‘Krusaka Andolana’ (Farmers Movement) as part of the freedom struggle against the zamindars and moneylenders, who exploited the poor. After Independence, Malati Choudhury, as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, and as the President of the Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee, tried her best to emphasize the role of education, especially adult education in rural reconstruction. She also joined the Bhoodan Movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave.

Source :

• Book “ Kumar Kalika Prasad Singh: An Unsung Hero of Our Freedom Struggle” Author - Dr. Ranbir Kumar
• Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav