Dashrath Manjhi
Dashrath Manjhi | |
|---|---|
| दशरथ मांझी | |
Dashrath Manjhi on 2016 stamp of India | |
| Born | 14 January 1934 |
| Died | 17 August 2007 (aged 73) New Delhi, India |
| Other names | Mountain Man |
| Known for | Manually carving a mountain in order to connect Gehlaur and Gaya |
| Spouse | Falguni Devi |
Dashrath Manjhi (14 January 1934 – 17 August 2007), also known as the Mountain Man, was an Indian laborer from Gehlaur village, near Gaya in the eastern state of Bihar. He is best known for carving a 110-metre-long (360 ft), 9.1-metre-wide (30 ft), and 7.7-metre-deep (25 ft) path through a ridge of hills using only a hammer and a chisel, from which his wife fell and died from injuries due to it blocking easy access to a nearby hospital on time. After 22 years of work, Dashrath shortened travel between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of Gaya district from 55 km (34 mi) to 15 km (9.3 mi). He travelled to New Delhi to get recognition of his work and was rewarded by then Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar. In 2016, India Post issued a postage stamp featuring Manjhi.