Dashrath Manjhi
Dashrath Manjhi (January 14, 1934 – August 17, 2007) was an Indian worker from Gehlaur village near Gaya in Bihar. He became known as the Mountain Man for carving a path through a mountain ridge to connect his village with the town and hospital.
In 1959, his wife Falguni Devi died after injuries she suffered while trying to reach medical help far away. To prevent others from facing the same danger, Manjhi decided to cut a road through the ridge. For 22 years, from 1960 to 1982, he worked with a hammer and chisel to make a route about 110 meters long, 9.1 meters wide, and up to 7.7 meters deep.
The new path reduced the travel distance from Gehlaur to the nearby town from 55 kilometers to about 15 kilometers. At first, many people mocked him, but some villagers helped by giving food and tools. After his death, official roads were built along the route he carved.
Manjhi died of gallbladder cancer in AIIMS, New Delhi, in 2007 and was given a state funeral by the Bihar government. He is remembered as the Mountain Man for his extraordinary effort to help others. India issued a postage stamp honoring him in 2016. His life inspired films and documentaries, including the 2015 movie Manjhi – The Mountain Man.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 18:39 (CET).