CM Samrat Choudhary pays tribute to Bihar Kesari on his jayanti
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary paid floral tribute to the state's first Chief Minister Dr. Shrikrishna Singh — 'Bihar Kesari' — at a state ceremony in the Main Secretariat, Patna, on his birth anniversary on 21 October 2026.
Key Takeaways
CM Samrat Choudhary garlanded the life-size statue of Dr.
Shrikrishna Singh at the Main Secretariat, Patna on 21 October 2026 .
Shrikrishna Singh was Bihar's first Chief Minister, serving from 1946 to 1961 .
He is honoured with the title 'Bihar Kesari' — meaning 'Lion of Bihar' — for his role in the state's post-independence development.
The birth anniversary event is part of an established annual state tradition at the Secretariat.
The ceremony was a formal state function ( rajkiya samaroh ) organised by the Bihar government.
Fifteen years after independence, one man had already shaped Bihar's modern foundations — and on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, the state paused to remember him. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary garlanded the life-size statue of the state's first Chief Minister, Dr. Shrikrishna Singh, at a state ceremony held at the Main Secretariat, Patna, on the occasion of Singh's birth anniversary.
The Chief Minister's Office shared the tribute on X, noting that CM Choudhary paid a heartfelt homage — bhavbheeni shraddhanjali — at the official state function organised to mark the jayanti of 'Bihar Kesari', as Dr. Shrikrishna Singh is reverentially known.Who was Bihar Kesari Dr. Shrikrishna Singh?
Dr. Shrikrishna Singh served as Bihar's first Chief Minister from 1946 to 1961 — a tenure that spanned the final years of British rule, independence, and Bihar's critical early decades as a state within the Indian Union. His stewardship during those formative years earned him the title 'Bihar Kesari', meaning 'Lion of Bihar'. He is widely credited with laying the administrative and developmental groundwork that would define the state's post-independence trajectory.
A tradition etched into Bihar's political calendar
Bihar governments have, over successive decades, observed Dr. Shrikrishna Singh's birth anniversary with formal state-level ceremonies at the Secretariat — the same institution he once led. The ritual of garlanding his statue keeps his legacy formally visible in the machinery of the state he helped build. For CM Samrat Choudhary, presiding over the event signals continuity with Bihar's founding political tradition, irrespective of party affiliation.
These annual jayanti observances carry a dual purpose: honouring a historical figure and reinforcing a sense of institutional memory within the government. Bihar's first Chief Minister remains a symbol of the state's political identity — invoked across party lines whenever the question of Bihar's developmental heritage is raised.
As long as Bihar's Secretariat stands, Dr. Shrikrishna Singh's statue will likely continue to receive its annual garland — a quiet, enduring ritual in an otherwise turbulent political state.
Point of View
Presiding over the 'Bihar Kesari' jayanti at the Secretariat reinforces a thread of continuity across Bihar's political generations. Singh's 15-year tenure as first Chief Minister remains a touchstone invoked whenever Bihar's developmental trajectory is debated. Such state-organised commemorations also reflect how regional political cultures construct and maintain their own historical canons, separate from national narratives.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Bihar Kesari Dr. Shrikrishna Singh?
Dr. Shrikrishna Singh was Bihar's first Chief Minister, serving from 1946 to 1961. He earned the title 'Bihar Kesari' — meaning 'Lion of Bihar' — for his role in shaping the state's administration and development in the post-independence era.
Why did CM Samrat Choudhary garland Dr. Shrikrishna Singh's statue?
CM Samrat Choudhary garlanded Dr. Shrikrishna Singh's life-size statue at the Main Secretariat, Patna, on 21 October 2026, to pay official tribute on the occasion of Singh's birth anniversary as part of a formal state ceremony.
Where is the statue of Dr. Shrikrishna Singh located?
The life-size statue of Dr. Shrikrishna Singh is located at the Main Secretariat (Mukhya Sachivalaya) in Patna, Bihar, where official state tribute ceremonies are held on his birth anniversary each year.
How long did Dr. Shrikrishna Singh serve as Bihar's Chief Minister?
Dr. Shrikrishna Singh served as Bihar's Chief Minister for approximately 15 years, from 1946 to 1961 — the longest tenure of any Chief Minister in Bihar's history.
What is the significance of Bihar Kesari jayanti?
Bihar Kesari jayanti marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Shrikrishna Singh, Bihar's founding Chief Minister. The Bihar government observes it as an annual state function to honour his contributions to the state's post-independence development and administrative legacy.
