National Vice-president of Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) and member of Bihar-Jharkhand State Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy Com. H. M. Upadhyay breathed his last on November 20, 2006 at Ranchi. His cremation on November 21 was attended by representatives of National Committee and IFTU Jharkhand State Committee, CPI(ML)-New Democracy, Uranium Kamgar Union, workers of HEC Ranchi, coal-mines and Mecon workers and old TU colleagues.

Com. Hari Mangal Upadhyay was born in 1943 in village Aadmi Nagar of Gopalganj district in Bihar. After getting educated up to 8th, he joined Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) Ranchi in 1962. While in service he continued his education, cleared his matriculation, attended night school and prepared for graduation.

He came in contact with Com. S.N. Singh in 1964 and was politically motivated by him to join the communist movement. From early stage he became active in trade union movement. Initially he worked in AITUC in HEC and remained its secretary for some time. Later he led Hatia Lal Jhanda Kamgar Union which was one of the founding unions of IFTU in 1978. He developed as a TU leader under Com. SN’s guidance and after his death in 1984 shouldered the main responsibility of TU work in Jharkhand (earlier South Bihar).

Com. H.M. Upadhyay was associated with many important struggles of workers of public sector. He led many struggles of HEC employees e.g. Struggle in 1974 for relief payment, 27 days’ strike struggle in 1982 for wage settlement and 72 days strike in 1987 for wage agreement. Com. Upadhyay led struggles of Uranium workers for nearly two decades and was President of Uranium Kamgar Union till the end. He played leading role in 47 days’ strike struggle of Uranium workers in 1990. For several years he led IFTU’s work among coal workers and in 1990 played a role in the struggle of co-operative workers in Dhanbad for regularization. He was president of Indian Federation of Coal Workers and General Secretary of Jharkhand Mines Lal Jhanda Mazdoor Union. In his last days despite failing health he was organizing contract workers of MECON.

Com. Upadhyay played an important role in IFTU National Committee. He was General Secretary of IFTU from 1985 to 1993 and Vice-president thereafter. A month before falling gravely ill, he had actively participated in the 5th All India Conference of IFTU held in Eluru (AP) in January 2006.

Com. Upadhyay actively supported the revolutionary peasant movement and directly participated in it. Besides playing an active role in the struggle of tribals in Ranchi district, Com. Upadhyay played an active role in peasant struggles in Patna district in 1980s and faced police repression- beating, torture and arrest.

Since beginning of his political life Com. Upadhyay remained associated with revolutionary communist movement for over four decades. Inspired by Great Naxalbari Peasant Armed Struggle, he, under the leadership of Com. S.N. Singh actively participated in CPI(ML). After 1980 he had continuously been a member of Bihar State Committee (later Bihar-Jharkhand Committee) of the Party. From 1985 to 1991 he had been a member of the Central Committee of the Party. For a long time he shouldered the Party work in Jharkhand region.

Com. Upadhyay is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Central Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy pays its homage to the revolutionary memory of this tireless fighter for the new democratic revolution in India and a leading comrade of the revolutionary trade union movement in the country. We extend heart-felt condolences to his grief stricken family. CPI(ML)-New Democracy reiterates its resolve to intensify struggle for new democratic revolution in India for which Com. Upadhyay struggled to the end of his life.