Babu Chhote Lal Shrivastava

Babu Chhotelal Shrivastava was the architect of the Kandel Satyagraha, the major event in the history of Chhattisgarh.

Chhotalal Srivastava was born on 28 February 1889 in Kandel.

He started participating in national movements by coming in contact with Pt. Sundarlal Sharma and Pt. Narayanrao Meghawale. In the year 1915, he established the Srivastava Library. His house in Dhamtari was a major center of the freedom struggle in Indian independence movement. Also He was among the principal organizers of the Dhamtari Tehsil Political Council in the year 1918. Chhotalal Srivastava got the most fame from Kandel Satyagraha.

He organized the peasants against the tyranny of the British Raj. This was the first unprecedented demonstration of organized manpower against English imperialism. In the year 1921, he established Khadi Production Center for Swadeshi movement. The Jungle Satyagraha was held in Sihawa in 1922 under the leadership of Shyamlal Som where Babu Chhote Lal Shrivastava gave full support in that Satyagraha. When the Jungle Satyagraha was decided in Nawagaon near Rudri in 1930, Babu Saheb played an active role in it. He was arrested and sent to jail. He was tortured hard in jail therefore the Satyagrah was propagandized and Mahatma Gandhi comes to join the movement. In 1933, Gandhi on his second visite of Chhattisgarh went to Dhamtari. There he praised the leadership of Chhote Lal Babu. In the year 1937, Srivastavji was elected President of Dhamtari Municipality Corporation. Babu Saheb also had an active role in the Quit India Movement of 1942. He was arrested. He died on 18 July 1976 in Kandel, the great pilgrimage of the Indian independence movement.