Batak Mian, was a cook who saved the life of

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

from a murder attempt by food poisoning in 1917. He was an employee of an indigo plant at

Motihari Motihari is the headquarters of East Champaran district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Bihar. It is located District entry point and New City 40.09 kilometres Northeast Mehsi. north of the state capital Patna. Geograp ...

Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...

. Afterwards, he was ousted from his job, tortured, and compelled to leave the village.

Incident

was invited to dinner by the manager of an indigo plant, Erwin. Erwin insisted to his cook, Batak Mian, to add poison to a glass of milk, and to serve to Gandhi. He went to serve, but revealed the plot to

Rajendra Prasad Rajendra Prasad (3 December 1884 – 28 February 1963) was an Indian politician, lawyer, Indian independence activist, journalist & scholar who served as the first president of Republic of India from 1950 to 1962. He joined the Indian Nationa ...

. After escaping from the attempt,

continued his protest at Champaran. The estate manager tortured Batak Mian, lost his house and properties, and was driven out of his village.

After Independence of India

visited Motihari in 1950, as President of India. A crowd formed around him and he recognized Batak Mian from the crowd, and described to the public how the incident happened in 1917. He ordered to grant Batak Mian 50 acres of land as an appreciation from the nation, a promise which was fulfilled by the later Congress government by granting him a 25 acres of land. He died in 1957.

References

{{reflist People from Bihar People from Motihari Gandhians Year of death missing