Mahavir Mandir Trust founder and retired IPS officer Acharya Kishore Kunal dies
During his police career, Acharya Kishore was appointed as Special Duty Officer (Ayodhya) to mediate between the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Babri Masjid Action Committee on the Ayodhya dispute. He was given this responsibility by Prime Minister VP Singh.
Acharya Kishore Kunal, a 1972 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Gujarat cadre and founder secretary of Mahavir Mandir Trust, died of cardiac arrest on December 29 in Patna. He was 74.
Kunal served as Patna Senior Superintendent of Police for two years (1983-84). He was also appointed officer of special duty on the Ayodhya dispute during the time of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh and Chandra Shekhar.
In 1989, he was appointed officer on special duty (OSD) to Ayodhya by the ministry of home affairs during the tenure of Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh. He continued in the same position under subsequent Prime Ministers Chandra Shekhar and P V Narasimha Rao. As the OSD to Ayodhya, he was instrumental in negotiating between the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Babri Masjid Action Committee.
As head of Patna’s famous Hanuman Mandir Trust, he is credited with appointing the first Dalit priest in any temple in Bihar, on June 13, 1993.
He was also known as a tough and honest police officer. Kunal hit the headlines for several weeks after he, as the superintendent of police (SP) of Patna district, investigated the famous Swetnisha Rani alias Bobby murder case in 1983.
After Bobby’s death, the matter was kept under wraps for four days. After a Patna-based newspaper carried a report about her mysterious death, Kunal, as the SP, got a case of unnatural death registered. He also got the body of Bobby exhumed from the graveyard.
Kunal took voluntary retirement in May 2001 from the post of Additional Director General, Gujarat Prisions, to dedicate himself to religious and social causes.
His unwavering faith in Lord Mahavir led him to establish the Mahavir Mandir Trust, which now runs hospitals and welfare programmes across Bihar.
Kunal also chaired the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT), where he worked to uplift marginalised communities and expand the Mahavir Mandir’s reach nationally.
For the last few years, Kunal was working for the establishment of Viraat Ramayan Mandir in East Champaran district.
Condolences
Governor Rajendra V Arlekar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and others expressed their condolences over the sudden demise of Kunal.
“I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the sudden demise of Acharya Kishor Kunal, former officer of the Indian Police Service, former President of the Bihar State Religious Trust Board and founder secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Trust Committee. He did remarkable work for the society by combining religion with human service,” Governor Arlekar said.
“His demise has caused an irreparable loss in the administrative, religious and social fields. May God grant him a place on his feet. Deep condolences to his bereaved family and well-wishers,” he added.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Kunal was an efficient and sensitive administrator and officer.
“He was also associated with various social and religious organisations. He carried out various social and religious works while holding the post of Secretary of Mahavir Mandir Trust Committee. He successfully performed his works while holding the post of President of Bihar State Religious Trust Board,” Kumar said.
“His demise is an irreparable loss in the administrative, social and religious field,” he added.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said his life was dedicated to social service, and religious and cultural upliftment.
“He gave Mahavir Mandir a national identity and did unprecedented work for the upliftment of the weaker sections of the society. His contribution is difficult to express in words. His demise is an irreparable loss to society. I pray to God to give peace to the departed soul and strength to his family to bear this grief,” Choudhary said.
Leader of the opposition in the state assembly Tejashwi Yadav said the news of Kunal’s untimely demise was sad.
“Acharya ji played an important role in the educational, religious and social fields. I pray to God to grant the departed soul a place in his feet and give the bereaved family the strength to bear the loss,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath also expressed grief over the demise of a former IPS officer. “The demise of Acharya Kishore Kunal ji, founder member of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust and Secretary of Mahavir Mandir Trust is extremely sad and an irreparable loss to the social and religious field. A humble tribute to him! I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant a place to the departed soul in his lotus feet and provide strength to the bereaved family and well-wishers to bear this immense loss,” he said in an X post.
“Heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Acharya Kishore Kunal ji, IPS(Retd)
& ex President, Bihar State Religious Trust Board who rebuilt Mahavir Mandir and set up 9 nine hospitals,” said Arif Mohammed Khan, Governor of Kerala.
Education
Acharya Kishore Kunal was born on August 10, 1950. His early education took place in Muzaffarpur. After this, he graduated in History and Sanskrit from Patna University. Later he became an IPS officer of Gujarat cadre. He was also the Senior Superintendent of Police of Patna. After serving in the Home Ministry, he retired and also became the Vice Chancellor of Sanskrit University, Darbhanga. After this, he contributed to improving the education and health system in Bihar. Many leaders including Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha expressed grief over his demise.
Ayodhya Ram Mandir
During his police career, Acharya Kishore was appointed as Special Duty Officer (Ayodhya) to mediate between the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Babri Masjid Action Committee on the Ayodhya dispute. He was given this responsibility by Prime Minister VP Singh. He took VRS due to his faith in Lord Mahavir. Despite a brilliant career, he did not complete his job and devoted himself to social work.
He also took the initiative to build the world’s largest Virat Ramayana temple in East Champaran, Bihar. The construction work of Virat Ramayana Temple started on June 20, 2023. On this 12 December, due to his efforts, the foundation stone of Mahavir Bal Cancer Hospital, the country’s first cancer hospital for children, was laid by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
With the efforts and vision of Acharya Kishore Kunal, Ram Rasoi is being run by Mahavir Temple of Patna in the Aamava Ram Temple complex of Ayodhya and Sita Rasoi is being run in Janaki Janm Sthan Punauradham in Sitamarhi. On an average, 10 thousand devotee representatives are getting free food prasad in both times in Ram Rasoi of Ayodhya.
Acharya Kishore Kunal profile
Kishore Kunal was born in 1950. He passed Matriculation Examination from his village High School at Baruraj in Muzaffarpur district and was awarded scholarship which very few students at the top used to gets. Then in 1967 when he had adequate number for admission in an Engineering College, he declined the admission in Engineering and left Science and Muzaffarpur. He went to Patna college to join the stream of Arts. In 1968 he got the distinction of obtaining highest marks in Patna University. Having passed History Honours Examination he appeared for U.P.S.C. examination in 1971 and since he had not completed 21 years of age, he could appear for I.P.S. only and in his first attempt he was selected and joined the coveted post of I.P.S. in 1972. He was allotted Gujarat Cadre and was a probationer at Mehsana and got the first independent posting of A.S.P. at Anand where he performed brilliantly. Then he was D.C.P. at Ahmedabad and came to Bihar in 1978. From 1978 to 1984 he was Superintendent of Police in North Santhal Pargana, Rothas, Palamau and Patna district. Everywhere he suppressed crime and criminals with iron hands.
Thereafter after remaining on leave for completing the construction of famous Mahavir Mandir, Patna he remained in B.P.R&D, Bharat Wagon Ltd. for brief periods. While he was on study leave, his services were called by the M.H.A and he was appointed O.S.D. on Ayodhya in the Ayodhta Cell of the Ministry. It was during days of the Prime Minister Mr. V. P. Singh and further more he was retained as O.S.D. on Ayodhya by the succeeding Prime Minister Mr. Chandra Shekhar. Kunal played an important role in the negotiation of the contentious issue and the solution ultimately eluded, though at many stages it looked within the sight.
When Mr. Narasimha Rao became the Prime Minister he called the services of Kunal after the demolition of the disputed shrine and engaged him in making a national consensus on the construction of a Rama Temple at the R.J.B.
Thereafter, he joined C.I.S.F and remained there for nine years as D.I.G and I.G. Then he decided to take voluntary retirement, he left the C.I.S.F in 2000 and joined Gujarat where from he took voluntary retirement in May, 2001 from the post of Addl. D.G., Gujarat Prisons.
As an I.P.S. officer he was reputed for his honesty, integrity and dedication to duty. He is still remembered by the people of Bihar as a very strict and dynamic police officer who effectively controlled crime wherever he was posted and who was a Samaritan to the peace-loving people and a terror to hard-core criminals. He served in Gujarat and Bihar cadres and was on Central deputation for long. He was an O.S.D on Ayodhya in Ministry of Home Affairs and was instrumental in amicable negotiation with Hindu and Muslim religious leaders on Ayodhya issue. His stint in C.I.S.F. was marked with varied growth of the organisation. His subordinates and colleagues looked upto him for guidance, leadership and found solid support from him for their righteous work. He has been an icon to the new generation.
Acharya (Dr.) Kishore Kunal is a true visionary, a genius and a versatile and towering personality. He has been a highly celebrated I.P.S. officer, Vice-chancellor of a Sanskrit University and, above all, a dedicated social worker. In May, 2001 he took voluntary retirement from the coveted Indian Police Service, almost a decade before the actual date of his superannuation. This he did so primarily to serve the teeming masses, with special focus on the down-trodden Dalit’s living in the poor State of Bihar. He is an author of repute and a great authority on Valmiki Ramayan. He has worked as Chairman of the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts, a statutory body which supervises the functioning of religious trusts in Bihar. The post is exempted from the office of profit by an Act of the Parliament.
Acharya Kishore Kunal introduction by his son Saayan
The ancestral village of my father is Baruraj which is situated 35 kilometers away from the world’s first independent republic, Vaishali. The village was in the district of Muzaffarpur but right now Vaishali has become an independent district in Bihar. In past, it was one of the parts of Muzaffarpur district. My Father was born on 12th June 1950 at his maternal grandfather’s house in Kotwa Gram. Then, he came to Baruraj after staying at Piprakothi for few days. A few years ago, he had visited his maternal grandfather’s house.
After that he received his secondary education in the village school. In fact, the elementary school is situated at 3 meters, Jagdamba Temple at 5 meters, a beautiful pond at 7 meters and a Shivalaya at 10 meters from his house.
According to Kishore Kunal, he did not have food without worshipping Lord Shiva, since he became matured. But his mother used to say that little kunal had started writing on the slate only at a tender age. Actually, he was a perspicacious child. But he did not become so popular in the village school because it was not a matter of pride to excel among few students.
There was a middle school near by his village where he used to study. Here, there was always a competition between Kapil Dev Rai, a student of other village and Master Kunal in order to stand first in the class.
Once a saint appeared in the village who could predict many unbelievable things after putting his holy glance on the face of the children. One thing, Kunal still remembers that the saint had predicted about Master kunal that he would be highly intelligent, would serve either as a Police or as an Army officer and above all, would definitely sink into the water in his life. The Saint also added that God might protect him. As a result kunal was not allowed to take bath in the beautiful pond situated near his house. Prudently enough, all the family members and many friends similar to his age knew how to swim and took bath in the pond, but kunal was strictly prohibited in doing so. Consequently he remained the only man in the village who does not know how to swim in the water.
At home, his grandmother was the head of the family because his grandfather had passed away when he was an infant. His father served as a sugarcane Inspector at Balram Sugar Mill in Uttarpradesh. His uncle was another guardian who was so strict that everybody was afraid of him and his discipline. His grandfather’s name was Braj Nandan Prasad Shahi and his grandmother was Jai Rupshree. He is the second child of his parents- Ramchandra Prasad Shahi & Vindyeshwari Devi. Acharya Kunal has two brothers and two sisters. The name of the elder sister is Ramsnehi Devi, Younger sister is Gayatri and younger brother is Ramchand kumar. Besides, the names of his uncle and aunt are Ramashankar Prasad Shahi and Lalsha Devi. They have four offsprings- Premlata Devi, Satish Kumar, Shivendra Kumar and Sumit Kumar. Among all his ancestors, he only knows the name of his great Grandfather – Late Sri Rajendra Prasad Sahi.
Moreover, three centuries ago, many families settled in Baruraj offer migration from Kamalpura village. Among them; there was one of his ancestral families. Indeed, the family was not happy and prosperous, but because of his father’s service and some ancestral land the Family was contented and cheerful. The family in highly cultured and believes in the remarkable words of the eminent Hindi poet- Kabir Das- ” Sai Itna Dijiye, Ja Mein kutumb samaya, Main bhi bhukha na rahun Sadhu na bhukha Jaaye”
His Father used to say that according to ancient traditions, guest are to be honored here as God. Ganesh Choudhary and Ramshish Choudhary used to take lunch at his house. Both were Pasis by birth. They often came to his house as friends or well-wishers. They were never discriminated. They were served meal in the same category as his family were given.
Males in the family ate non-vegetarian food while females were vegetarian in his house. Only his aunt was an exception as she had to cook meat. There was a custom of having fish and meat in his house but having chicken was considered a sin. Kunal was offered meat frequently and he had to take a little bit of meat for one or two times but he protested by weeping because he felt that it is a sin because on e had to assassin an animal. Once he learnt in a Sanskrit book- “Ahimsha Par Mo Dharma “.
During his childhood, master Kunal did not visit his maternal grandmother’s house. But he went to the father-in-law’s house of his uncle – Raidhurwa twice a year. The main reason of going to Raidhurwa was that that there was a red-castle at a distance of 8 kilometers where Lal Saheb used to live. Kunal thought that Lal Saheb was an English Man. But later he came to know that he was a renowned landlord of Lal Kothi. When Kunal visited Raidhurwa, Lal Saheb used to send a cab the next day for him at 10.00 am. He used to spend the whole day with Lal Saheb. He used to ask various questions from General Knowledge. And Kunal used to answered him correctly which delighted and bewildered Lal Saheb. He often said about Master Kunal that one day he would be a great man because he was very intelligent at such a tender age. So he always awaited his restitution. Actually, his talent was enifiely erupted and manifested at high school in his village. After that, he was accustomed to read various types of books.
