Nagarmal Bajoria 'Dhartipakad' dies at 97 after 280+ contests
India
Nagarmal Bajoria, better known as Dhartipakad, died in Patna at 97.
Born in Lahore in 1930 and later settled in Bhagalpur, he became famous for contesting more than 280 elections against big names like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, just to prove that anyone could take part in democracy.
His funeral will be held by the Ganga in Bhagalpur.
Bajoria staged stunts and aided poor
Bajoria was known for his quirky election stunts, like a rally with donkeys carrying anti-corruption signs back in 2005.
His grandson Saurav shared that he wanted to show regular people they could challenge political elites.
Beyond politics, Bajoria quietly helped underprivileged families by organizing weddings and setting up hand pumps where water was scarce.