Early life and education
Surya Narayan Singh was born on 20 April 1920 in Madhurapur village, Bichlatola, Begusarai district, Bihar. He completed his primary schooling locally and later attended Patna University for intermediate studies, entering public life through student activism in the independence movement.Political career
Entry into politics and CPI membership
Singh joined the Communist Party of India in the early 1940s, inspired by its agrarian reform agenda and commitment to labour rights. In the 1950s, he organized trade union cells among railway workers in Begusarai, helping secure improved wages and working conditions.Lok Sabha terms
First term (1980–1984): Elected from Balia in 1980, Singh garnered 102,345 votes (42.7%), defeating Congress incumbent Ram Jeevan Singh. In Parliament, he pressed for implementation of land ceiling laws and rural electrification in flood‐prone Bihar districts. Second & third terms (1989–1996): Regaining Balia in 1989 with 98,140 votes (41.2%), and again in 1991 with 105,876 votes (43.5%), Singh served on the Committee on Estimates (1990–1991) and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Power (1991–1996), advocating for rural irrigation and flood‐relief schemes.Electoral performance
Parliamentary contributions
Singh was noted for his detailed questions on flood management in Bihar’s agrarian zones, securing ₹12 crore for embankment repair in 1992. He championed worker‐benefits, leading to a 1983 amendment extending pension coverage to unorganized railway porters.Personal life
Singh lived a life of marked simplicity, residing in a rented room in Patna throughout his parliamentary career and commuting by bicycle. He remained unmarried and was known for hosting daily “janata adda” discussions at Begusarai railway station tea stalls.Death
Surya Narayan Singh died in office in early 1996; his passing was formally recorded in the Lok Sabha on 26 February 1996.Legacy and commemorations
* In 2001, India Post issued a commemorative stamp honoring Singh’s parliamentary service and advocacy for rural Bihar. * Annual memorial seminars are held in Darbhanga by the “Shahid Suraj Narayan Singh Vichar Manch,” which in April 2025 called for a Bharat Ratna in his name, recognizing his role in the freedom struggle and post‐independence rural reforms :contentReference aicite:0 * On his 105th birth anniversary, a seminar on “Challenges and Opportunities in the Communist Movement” was held at Teghra, Begusarai, with scholars noting his leadership during the Tebhaga-inspired agrarian mobilizations :contentReference aicite:1 * Biannual “Surya Narayan Mahayagna” festivals in Ghosarawan village revive his emphasis on social harmony and community welfare through cultural rituals :contentReference aicite:2 * Preparations for his 119th birth anniversary in May 2025 included plans for a public meeting at Nehru Stadium, Begusarai, presided over by the Chief Minister of Bihar :contentReference aicite:3See also
*References
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