Freedom fighter of India: Raj Kumar Shukla

Raj Kumar Shukla (23 August 1875 – 20 May 1929) was the person who convinced Mr. M.K. Gandhi to visit Champaran. He was born in 1875 at Satwaria village, in Champaran, where his Bhatt Brahman ancestors lived for 200 years. Mr. Shukla stated himself about this in front of Champaran agrarian committee. His another village was Murli Bharahwa in Champaran itself. In Murli Bharahwa he has acres of farming land. His father's name was Kolahal Shukla . He was a villager from India who became famous for his association with Mahatma Gandhi during Champaran Satyagrah.Raj Kumar Shukla was instrumental in inviting Gandhi to Champaran village in Bihar and this struggle was a turning point in India's fight for independence.

During the 31st session of the Congress in Lucknow in 1916, Gandhiji met Raj Kumar Shukla, a representative of farmers from Champaran, who requested him to come and see for himself the miseries of the indigo ryots (tenant farmers) there. Gandhi later wrote in his autobiography “I must confess that I did not then know even the name, much less the geographical position, of Champaran, and I had hardly any notion of indigo plantations.” "Now we can say that Raj Kumar Shukla met Mahatma Gandhi to make him aware of the plight of the cultivators in Champaran and persuaded him to go there. He was known Indigo cultivator of the area as he was a money lender from village Murli Bharahwa near Narkatiaganj in West Champaran, earning, according to his own statement before the enquiry committee set up by the provincial government, a sum of two thousand rupees a month from interest Bhatt Brahmins in Champaran had earlier revolted against indigo cultivation in 1914 (at Pipra) and 1916 (Turkaulia).

To commemorate his 125th birth anniversary, the Department of Posts released a stamp in his honor in 2000. On the occasion of 100 years of Champaran Satyagrah Govt. of Bihar established a Statue of Pt. Rajkumar Shukla at Gandhi Sangrhalay Patna and Gandhi Peace Foundation Delhi has showcased Photograph of Raj Kumar Shukla