Dashrath Manjhi (c. 1934^[1] – 17 August 2007^[2]), also known as "Mountain Man",^[3] was a poor laborer in Gehlaur village, nearGaya in Bihar, India, who carved a path through a mountain using only a hammer and chisel.^[1][4] After 22 years of work, Dashrath shortened travel between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of Gaya town from 55 km to 15 km
Dasarth's wife Falguni Devi died from lack of medical care in 1959. The nearest town with a doctor was 70 km away traveling around the hills, or along a treacherous pass through the hills. He decided to carve a path through the Gehlour hills so that his village could have easier access to medical attention

Dashrath Manjhi carved a path 360-foot-long (110 m) through-cut, 25-foot-deep (7.6 m) in places and 30-foot-wide (9.1 m) to form a road^[6] through the rocks in the Gehlour hill. He quoted that, When I started hammering the hill, people called me a lunatic but that steeled my resolve.

He completed the work in 22 years (1960–1982). This road reduced the distance between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of the Gaya district from 55 km to 15 km. Though mocked for his efforts, he has made life easier for people of Gehlour village.^[2][7] Later, Manjhi said, Though most villagers taunted me at first, there were quite a few who lent me support later by giving me food and helping me buy my tools.^[8][9]