Shiva Mahto was an Indian politician and three time Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly from

Dumri Assembly constituency Dumri Assembly constituency is an assembly constituency in the Indian state of Jharkhand. Overview Dumri police station is in Giridih district and Nawadih police station in Bermo sub-division of Bokaro district. Dumri assembly consti ...

in undivided Bihar. Mahto was one of the prominent participant in 'Jharkhand movement', which demanded separate state of Jharkhand to be created by dividing the state of Bihar in 1970s. He was also known for his endeavour to spread education among the tribals in his constituency. He represented Dumri Assembly constituency in 1980, 1985 and 1995. Mahto was one of the founder member of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha political party.

Biography

Shiva Mahto was born on the auspicious day of

Mahashivratri Maha Shivaratri ( IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ...

in 1914, in Bokaro district's Sijua neighborhood near Dugda. Mahto was involved in social service in later part of his life and he primarily worked in the field of education for the poor children of tribal communities. He used to wander from village to village, in order to motivate the poor children to pursue education. He also coined the slogan of ''Padho aur Lado''. In 1962, he joined Binod Bihari Mahato, the prominent leader associated with movement for a separate state of Jharkhand, which was demanded for the tribals of undivided Bihar. He soon became one of the pillar of Jharkhand movement, alongside other leaders such as Binod Bihari Mahto, Shibu Soren and

A. K. Roy Arun Kumar Roy (1935 – 21 July 2019) was an Indian politician, who served both as a Member of Parliament and a Member of Legislative Assembly. He was born in a small village in Rajshahi district of the then East Bengal, during the British Raj ...

. Mahto also played significant role in freeing tribals from the clutches of unorganised debt market operated by moneylenders, which ultimately converted a tribal family into bonded labour. His first stint in politics came in 1970s, when he contested in a election for the post of Mukhiya from the jail itself and won it comfortably. After that he was elected as a member of Bihar Legislative Assembly for three terms from Dumri Assembly constituency. Mahto was also known for his fight against the coal mafias of Jharkhand's collieries. He was known for his powerful speeches and traditional attire having green turban on his head. Mahto also led establishment of Jharkhand Commerce College in Gutbali, in his bid to improve the educational outcome in the tribal dominated state.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahto, Shiva Bihar MLAs 1985–1990 Bihar MLAs 1980–1985 Bihar MLAs 1995–2000 Jharkhand Mukti Morcha politicians 2022 deaths People from Jharkhand