| Region | Leader | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Jagdishpur | Kunwar Singh | Main leader, military resistance |
| Patna | Pir Ali Khan | Organized revolt, executed |
| Rajgir | Haider Ali Khan | Local resistance |
| Arwal | Hetam Singh | Regional uprising |
| Chhapra | Muhammad Hussain Khan | Mobilized locals |
Mazharul Haque participated in the Home Rule Movement (1916) led by Annie Besant and worked for Congress–Muslim League Unity (1916). He stood firmly with Mahatma Gandhi during the Champaran Satyagraha (1917) and later in the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920), and Gandhi stayed at his Patna residence. He supported the Khilafat Movement (1919) and promoted boycott during Non-Cooperation. He inspired the establishment of Sadaqat Ashram in Patna and started the Motherland (Weekly Journal). Rajendra Prasad described him as “A devout Muslim and a passionate patriot.”
Shri Krishna Singh’s turning point came when he met Mahatma Gandhi in 1916. He actively participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22), where he gave up his law practice and mobilised masses; the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930), including the Salt Satyagraha at Garhpura, where he faced arrest and injuries; and the Quit India Movement (1942), where he was arrested and became a symbol of resistance. He was imprisoned multiple times (1922, 1930, 1932, 1942) and spent around 8 years in jail, including Hazaribagh Jail. Politically, he served as Member of Legislative Council (1927), General Secretary of Bihar Congress (1929), and Premier of Bihar (1937). He became the first Chief Minister to abolish the feudal land system and contributed to projects like Barauni Refinery and Rajendra Setu (1959). He is known as “Bihar Kesari.”
Brajkishore Prasad played a foundational organisational role in the Champaran Satyagraha (1917) and worked closely with Rajendra Prasad and Anugrah Narayan Sinha, forming the core nationalist leadership in Bihar. During the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920), he renounced his legal career and became deeply involved in mass mobilisation. He also participated in Khilafat-related activities (1919) and peasant movements. He was detained in Bankipur Central Jail. He contributed to the establishment of Bihar Vidyapeeth and supported reforms such as the anti-purdah movement. Mahatma Gandhi referred to him as the “Gentle Bihari.”
Anugrah Narayan Sinha joined the Champaran Satyagraha (1917) and participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930), Individual Satyagraha (1940–41)—being among the first to respond—and the Quit India Movement (1942). He was arrested and jailed in Hazaribagh Jail. He served as a Member of the Constituent Assembly (1946–50) and later as Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of Bihar (1946–1957). He was also a teacher at Bihar Vidyapeeth and mentored Jayaprakash Narayan. He is known as “Bihar Vibhuti” and is regarded as the architect of modern Bihar.
Yamuna Nand Sharma was an important leader in the Kisan struggles of Bihar and was associated with the All India Kisan Sabha. He actively participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) as part of the Indian freedom movement.
In June 1940, Patna, after the Ramgarh Congress session, Prabhavati Devi initiated the Mahila Charkha Samiti (1940), starting with just 3 charkhas and 5 women, marking an important step in grassroots mobilisation.
The All India Kisan Sabha was founded in Lucknow (April 1936) with Swami Sahajanand Saraswati as President and N. G. Ranga as General Secretary. A Kisan Manifesto was issued and a periodical was started under Indulal Yagnik. The AIKS and the Congress held their sessions at Faizpur in 1936, and the Congress manifesto, especially its agrarian policy for the 1937 provincial elections, was strongly influenced by the AIKS agenda.
The period 1937–39 marked the high watermark of peasant movements under Congress provincial rule. The chief form of mobilisation was through kisan conferences and meetings where demands were aired and resolutions were passed. Mobilisation campaigns were also carried out in villages, strengthening grassroots participation.
In Bihar, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was joined by Karyanand Sharma, Yadunandan Sharma, Rahul Sankritayan, Panchanan Sharma, and Jamun Karjiti. In 1935, the Provincial Kisan Conference adopted the anti-zamindari slogan, marking a significant shift towards agrarian radicalism. The Provincial Kisan Sabha, however, developed a rift with the Congress over the bakasht land issue, due to an unfavourable government resolution which was not acceptable to the Sabha. As a result, the movement declined and died out by August 1939.
Because of the pro-war line adopted by communists, the AIKS split into communist and non-communist factions. Many veteran leaders, including Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, Indulal Yagnik, and N. G. Ranga, left the Sabha. This marked a phase of organisational weakening.
Despite the split, the All India Kisan Sabha continued to work among the people and performed notable work during the famine of 1943, maintaining its relevance in agrarian issues.
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati played a central role as the founder-President of AIKS (1936), leading peasant mobilisation in Bihar. He was instrumental in promoting the anti-zamindari movement (1935), became a key figure in the Kisan Sabha–Congress conflict over the bakasht issue, and eventually left the organisation after the ideological split, marking a major turning point in the peasant movement.