Mountain Man:
Dashrath Manjhi, also known as the Mountain Man, was born on January 14, 1934, in Gehlaur, a small village in Bihar, India. After running away from home at a young age, he worked in coal mines in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, before returning to Gehlaur and marrying Falguni Devi.
Gehlaur was a village with few resources, bordered by a steep quartzite ridge that made access to nearby towns difficult. In 1959, Manjhi's wife was seriously injured after falling from the mountain. Due to the lack of immediate medical care, she tragically passed away. This incident deeply affected Manjhi, inspiring him to carve a path through the ridge to make his village more accessible.
Armed only with a hammer and chisel, Manjhi began his monumental task in 1960. He worked tirelessly for 22 years, enduring ridicule and skepticism from fellow villagers. Despite the odds, he succeeded in carving a 110-meter-long, 9.1-meter-wide, and 7.7-meter-deep road through the rocky ridge. His efforts reduced the distance between the Atri and Wazirganj sectors of Gaya district from 55 km to 15 km, significantly easing travel and improving access to medical care.

In recognition of his incredible determination and contribution to society, Manjhi traveled to New Delhi, where he was honored by Bihar's Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar. In 2006, the Bihar government proposed his name for the Padma Shree award in social service.