IndianGaurav

Heroes from Bihar

People from the state of Bihar whose work we have profiled.

Showing 1–24 of 26 heroes

Portrait of Anand Kumar

Anand Kumar

The Patna mathematics teacher behind Super 30, which coaches poor students free of charge for IIT entrance, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Bihar
AK

Ashok Kumar Biswas

A Bihar artist who revived Tikuli art as a form of folk painting and has trained about 8,000 women in it, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.

  • Padma Shri 2024
  • Bihar
Portrait of Bharat Singh Bharti

Bharat Singh Bharti

A Bhojpuri folk singer and teacher, an AIR artist since 1962 whose songs were made famous by Sharda Sinha, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.

  • Padma Shri 2026
  • Bihar
President Droupadi Murmu presenting the Padma Shri to Bhim Singh Bhavesh at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Bhim Singh Bhavesh

A Bhojpur journalist who has helped Musahar families gain schooling, health care and welfare for 20 years, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.

  • Padma Shri 2025
  • Mann Ki Baat #110
  • Bihar
Portrait of Bindeshwar Pathak

Bindeshwar Pathak

Founder of Sulabh International, whose low-cost and pay-and-use toilets changed sanitation in India, honoured posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan in 2024.

  • Padma Vibhushan 2024 (posthumous)
  • Bihar
BB

Bishwa Bandhu

A Bihar dancer and teacher who founded the Surangan institute and taught dance free for six decades, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2026.

  • Padma Shri 2026 (posthumous)
  • Bihar
CP

C. P. Thakur

A physician whose kala-azar research shaped its treatment, and a former Union minister and MP from Patna, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2024.

  • Padma Bhushan 2024
  • Bihar
Portrait of Chandanaji

Chandanaji

A Jain sadhvi, the first given the title of Acharya, who founded Veerayatan's schools and eye hospitals; Padma Shri, 2022. She died in 2026.

  • Padma Shri 2022
  • Bihar
DK

Dilip Kumar Singh

A Bihar country doctor who rode to villages on horseback, treated leprosy patients and ran free cataract camps, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

  • Padma Shri 2021
  • Bihar
DD

Dulari Devi

A Madhubani painter from the Mallah community who learned the art while working as a domestic help in an artist's home, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

  • Padma Shri 2021
  • Bihar
GJ

Gopal Ji Trivedi

A Bihar farm scientist and former vice-chancellor who devised the Trivedi Scale and went back to farm in his village, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.

  • Padma Shri 2026
  • Bihar
HK

Hemant Kumar

A Patna nephrologist who brought home peritoneal dialysis to Bihar and champions kidney care for the poor, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.

  • Padma Shri 2025
  • Bihar
KD

Kapil Dev Prasad

A Nalanda weaver who kept the bawan buti handloom style alive, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023. He died in 2024.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Bihar
KK

Kishore Kunal

A former IPS officer who revived Patna's Mahavir Mandir and founded a cancer hospital for the poor, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2025.

  • Padma Shri 2025 (posthumous)
  • Bihar
MS

Mridula Sinha

A Hindi writer of more than 64 books who served as the first woman Governor of Goa, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2021.

  • Padma Shri 2021 (posthumous)
  • Bihar
ND

Nirmala Devi

A Muzaffarpur artisan who trained women in Sujni embroidery and won the craft a GI tag, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.

  • Padma Shri 2025
  • Bihar
RK

Ram Kumar Mallick

A dhrupad singer of the Darbhanga gharana who teaches dhrupad free in Darbhanga, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.

  • Padma Shri 2024
  • Bihar
RV

Ram Vilas Paswan

A Bihar leader who won nine Lok Sabha elections and founded the Lok Janshakti Party, honoured posthumously with the Padma Bhushan in 2021.

  • Padma Bhushan 2021 (posthumous)
  • Bihar
RM

Ramachandra Manjhi

A Bhojpuri folk actor who worked for four decades with Bhikhari Thakur, famed as Rakhailan in Bidesiya, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

  • Padma Shri 2021
  • Bihar
SG

Shaibal Gupta

An economist who founded a leading social science institute in Patna and championed Bihar's development; Padma Shri (posthumous), 2022.

  • Padma Shri 2022 (posthumous)
  • Bihar
SD

Shanti Devi and Shivan Paswan

A Mithila artist couple from Laheriaganj who developed the Godna style of Madhubani painting, jointly honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.

  • Padma Shri 2024
  • Bihar
Portrait of Sharda Sinha

Sharda Sinha

The folk singer known as "Bihar Kokila", whose Chhath songs became part of the festival itself, honoured posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan in 2025.

  • Padma Bhushan 2018
  • Padma Vibhushan 2025 (posthumous)
  • Bihar
SD

Subhadra Devi

A Mithila artist known as the mother of Madhubani papier-mache, who brought Madhubani painting to papier-mache toys, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Bihar