Khuda Baksh Khan born in village Ukhai, 6 K.M. from Siwan on 2nd August 1842 in his parental house. His ancestors were in service of King Alamgir.They were doing the work of book-keeping and writing records of the kingdom.

His father was a famous advocate in Patna. He was very fond of collecting hand-written books and he was spending big part of his income on purchasing such books. His father brought Khuda Baksh to Patna from Ukhai. He passed his Matriculation with very good marks from the Patna High School in 1859. His father sent him to Calcutta for higher studies. But he could not adjust himself to the new environment and he often had health problems. He returned to Patna and started studying law in Patna University. He completed his law education in 1868 and started practice at Patna. In short time he became a well known advocate.

His father excpired in 1876, but in his will he has asked his son to establish a public library with the collection of his books nearing around 1700 and making more contribution to the collection . His father's aim was to benefit the people of his precious collection.

In 1877 he became the 1st Vice Chairman of the Patna Municipal Corporation. For his contribution in the area of education and literature he was awrded the title of Khan Bahadur in 1891. In 1903 he was honoured with the title of " C.I.B. ".

The biggest achievement of Khuda Baksh was creating a public library from the precious collections of his father and making his own valuable collection of books, which was later named as Oriental Public Library .He started constructing a separate special building for the library, which was completed in two years. the library was inaugurated by the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal Sir Charles Elliot in 1891. At that time it was having around 4000 hand-written books in the library.

In 1895, he was appointed as a Chief Justice of High Court of Nizam of Hyderabad. After staying there for about three years, he again returned to Patna and started the pratice. But soon he suffered from the Paralysis and he confined his activity only to the library. Due to his illness, he could not carry out his activities. He was given Rs. 8000/- for repaying his debts and made the secretary of the library and Rs. 200/- was sanctioned as a pension to him. He could not recovered from the paralysis and the great son of Siwan died on 3rd August,1908.
( Source & Courtesy : NIC,Chhapra )

Maulana Mazharul Haque was born on 22nd December,1866 in village Brahmpur,thana Maner of Patna district. He was the only son among the three children of Sheikh Amedullah. The names of sisters were Gafrunnisha and Kaneej Fatma. His father was a rich landlord.

He got his primary education from a Moulvi at home. He passed his Matriculation from Patna Collegiate in 1886.Then he went to Lucknow for higher studies and took admission in Cannigh College. But he could not adjust himself and left to England for studying law in 1886.He returned to India in 1891 after passing law and started practice at Patna.On the advice of his friend Mr. William Barket ,he joined the judicial service as Munsif .But he soon resigned following differences with the District and Session Judge and started practice at Chhapra. He again went to Patna in 1906 to practise law.

He got lots of land donated to him by his relatives and settled in village Faridpur near Siwan in 1900.He constructed a house in the village and it was named "Aashiyana".Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1927, Smt Sarojini (Naidu) Devi in 1928, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, K.F.Nariman, Moulana Abul Kalam Azad visited his house "Aashiyana" in Faridpur.

He took interest in politics and he was elected Vice-chairman of Bihar Congress Committee in 1906. He started a journal "Motherland". He actively participated in the Champaran (Satyagraha) Movement and was sentenced three months' imprisonment.
He was the founder of Sadaquat Ashram and Bihar Vidyapeeth" at Patna.
( Source & Courtesy : NIC,Chhapra )