The End of an Era in Indian Socialism
The passing of Sachchidanand Sinha has severed the final living connection to the Lohia stream of India's socialist movement. His death on November 24, 2025, marks the closing of a significant chapter in India's political and intellectual history. Sinha embodied the socialist way of life through his principled activism and scholarly contributions that influenced generations of thinkers and activists.
From Mill Worker to Intellectual Giant
Born into an affluent rural family deeply involved in India's freedom struggle, Sinha took an unconventional path to understand the working class. He gained firsthand experience of labor conditions by working as a railway porter, mining field laborer, and textile mill worker. This practical exposure shaped his perspective on social justice and workers' rights.
At just 28 years old, Ram Manohar Lohia appointed him editor of the influential journal Mankind in 1956. He joined a distinguished team of Lohiaite socialists including Hector Abhaywardhan, Rama Mitra, Rangnath, Rabi Ray, and Kishen Patanaik, among others. Each would go on to make significant contributions to national life in subsequent years.
Prodigious Literary Legacy and Independent Thought
Sinha's intellectual output was both vast and profound. His biography Unarmed Prophet on Gandhi, analysis of Bihar's problems in Internal Colony, and examination of the caste system in Caste System became essential reading in their respective fields. His works Emergency in Perspective and Permanent Crisis in India offered crucial institutional critiques of post-colonial India.
Despite his association with prominent socialist leaders, Sinha maintained intellectual independence. He neither worshipped Lohia nor JP and openly disagreed with some of their key formulations. He challenged Lohia's view that Marxism represented Europe's latest weapon against Asia and differed with Jayaprakash Narayan on the concept of "party-less democracy."
Sinha found greater inspiration in Rosa Luxemburg's analysis of capitalism and imperialism, which formed the foundation for his own writings on these subjects. A self-taught intellectual, he commanded Hindi, English, German, and French, making him a truly multilingual scholar.
Political Journey and Lasting Impact
Sinha's political experience spanned decades, from campaigning for B.R. Ambedkar in the first Lok Sabha elections of 1952 to serving as election in-charge for George Fernandes from Muzaffarpur in the historic 1977 elections. He felt most comfortable with activists of the Samajwadi Jan Parishad and contributed to the editorial board of Samayik Varta.
His Hindi writings reached a broader audience than his English works, though he consistently avoided self-promotion. He was reportedly uncomfortable when leading Hindi poet Raghuvir Sahay dedicated a poetry collection to him, viewing political work as a moral responsibility rather than a path to personal recognition.
Sinha stood among notable Indian intellectuals and activists including socialist leader Kishan Patnaik, painter M.F. Hussain, Lohia biographer Indumati Kelkar, and political reformer Yogendra Yadav. His legacy was honored when three generations of the Gandhi family, along with leadership from the Sampurna Kranti Andolan, gave him a standing ovation after his keynote speech at a major conference.
As a cautious optimist who believed in sustained effort rather than hurried solutions, Sachchidanand Sinha's wisdom and principled approach to socialism will be deeply missed in Indian political discourse, particularly as Bihar's new government takes charge.
