Purushottam K. Chauhan

Purushottam K. Chauhan (1905–1958) was a freedom fighter, coal mines owner, social leader, labor activist and politician from Dhanbad, India.

Life-sketch

He was born in 1905 in his native village called Reha in Kutch.Diary of Golden Days at Jharia – A Memoir & History of Gurjar Kashtriya Samaj of Kutch in Coalfields of Jharia – written by Natwarlal Devram Jethwa of Calcutta (1998).pp: 27 : Life sketch : Khimji Walji Chauhan of Reha and Purushottam K. Chauhan His father Khimji Walji Chauhan was a Railway Contractor belonging to Mestri community of Kutch. In the year 1916, Khimji Walji & Company was founded by his father Khimji Walji in partnership with Seth Khora Ramji & brothers. The firm founded ''Indian Jharia Colliery'', the coal mines of which were located in Tisra.Nanji Bapa ni Nondh-pothi by Dharsi Jethalal Tank published in Gujarati language in year 1999 from Vadodara. This book was given ''Aank Sidhhi'' Award by Kutch Shakti at Mumbai in year 2000. pp:13 ''Pursuhottam Khimji Chauhan – Jeevan Charitra'' After death of his father in 1936, he became Senior & Managing Partner of the coal mining firm.

He was highly influenced by ideals of Mahatma Gandhi when he was studying Law in Calcutta and joined Indian independence movement. He led the rally in Quit India Movement on 17 August 1942 at Dhanbad, which was broken up by lathicharge and a continent of anti-aircraft gunners was sent from Asansol under Captain Ellis to control the activists in Dhanbad. Chauhan along with other student leaders like P. C. Bose were arrested by British and sent to jail.Bihar district gazetteers, Volume 12 by Bihar (India), Pranab Chandra Roy Choudhury Printed by the Superintendent, Secretariat Press, Bihar, 1964:pp 77 Bose and Chauhan were both student leaders from Dhanbad, while P. C. Bose after independence was Member of Parliament from Dhanbad for years 1951–57 and 1957–62, where as P. K. Chauhan became the Member of Legislative Assembly of Bihar from Dhanbad for same period.

In the year 1947 he attended 30th session of International Labour Conference held at Geneva from 19 June to 11 July 1947 as an employers delegate; where-in he was appointed as substitute to Resolutions Committee headed by Naval Tata Again in 1948, he attended 31st International Labour Conference held in San Francisco, United States of America, from 17 June 1948 to 10 July 1948. He attended conference as a Member of Legislative Assembly of Bihar, who was appointed as an Advisory member and also as a representative of Government of India to the delegation. This year also he was one of the advisers to the delegation and also appointed as substitute to Naval Tata in resolutions committee.

After independence of India, he became a Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly as a candidate of Indian National Congress, twice in 1948 and 1952, defeating strong opponents like, the Raja of Jharia ( Raja Kali Prasad Singh) and the Raja of Ramgarh ( Raja Bahadur Kamakhya Narain Singh) in respective years.

He was a champion of labour cause and in spite of himself being owner of coal mines, was so popular that he went on to become the President of Jharia Coalfields Mazdoor Sangh, i.e., Labour Union of Jharia Coalfiedls, a unit of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh for the years 1955–56.

He was a good orator and was applauded by Dr. Rajendra Prasad for his exemplary and compassionate speech on bringing the Bihar Abolition of Zamindaris Act. He was closely associated with other prominent activists and politicians from Bihar like, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Jayaprakash Narayan, Sri Krishna Sinha, Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Satyendra Narayan Sinha, Binodanand Jha, Krishna Ballabh Sahay.Dr. Rajendra Prasad, correspondence and select documents: Volume seventeen. Presidency period January 1954 to December 1955 by Rajendra Prasad Printed Allied, 1984 pp:496,498

He died suddenly due to heart attack at the age of 53 in the year 1958 in Bombay.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chauhan, Purushottam K.
1905 births
1958 deaths
Indian independence activists from Jharkhand
People from Dhanbad
Prisoners and detainees of British India
Indian National Congress politicians from Bihar
Gujarati people
Gandhians
Indian businesspeople in mining
Indian businesspeople in coal
Businesspeople from Jharkhand
20th-century Indian businesspeople
People from Kutch district
Bihar MLAs 1952–1957
Bihar MLAs 1957–1962
Kutchi people
People from Jharia
Social leaders