Lal Bihari Mritak

Lal Bihari Mritak is an Indian farmer and an activist. In 1955, he was born in Amilo, Azamgarh district, Uttar Pradesh. Because of some misplacement of documents, he was declared dead between 1975 to 1994. He fought with the Indian government for 19 years to prove that he was alive. He also founded Mritak Sangh, The Uttar Pradesh Association of Dead People, to shed light on many other cases like his. He lived an ordinary life before coming into the limelight.

He wanted to take out a bank loan, so he went to the revenue office at Azamgarh district headquarters to get some important documents like proof of identity. Thereupon, he learned that he was officially declared dead on papers. He later came to know that his uncle bribed the officials to register him dead So, that he could claim ownership of Bihari's ancestral land at Khalilbad. Lal Bihari did all this for a land which measured less than an acre. After roaming around and talking to different people, Bihari discovered at least 100 other people in the same situation as him.

He and many other members were at risk of being killed by those who had seized their property. The association has over 20,000 members from all over India. By 2004, the community was successful in proving four members of their association alive. Over time, Bihari has tried his ways to attract the attention of people and other officials. He even conducted his funeral and demanded a widow's compensation for his wife. In 1980, he also stood for elections against Rajiv Gandhi to prove that he was alive. However, he was unsuccessful in the elections. In 1994, he was finally able to invalidate his official death after a long legal struggle. In 2003, Bihari received the Ig Nobel Peace Award. In 2004, he stood for a seat in the parliament of Lalganj, Uttar Pradesh.