Shri Krishna Sinha (21 October 1887 – 31 January 1961, also spelt Singh), also known as Shri Babu, was the first chief minister of the Indian state of Bihar (1946–61). Except for the period of World War II, Sinha was the chief minister of Bihar from the time of the first Congress Ministry in 1937 until his death in 1961. Along with the "Desh Ratna" Rajendra Prasad and "Bihar Vibhuti" Anugrah Narayan Sinha (A.N. Sinha), Sinha is regarded among the 'Architects of Modern Bihar'. He also led the Dalit entry into the Baidyanath Dham temple (Vaidyanath Temple, Deoghar), which reflected his commitment towards the upliftment and social empowerment of the Dalits. He was the first chief minister in the country to abolish the zamindari system. He underwent different terms of imprisonment for a total of about eight years in British India. Sinha's mass meetings brought hordes of people to hear him. He was known as "Bihar Kesari" for his lionlike roars when he rose to address the masses. His close friend and eminent Gandhian "Bihar Vibhuti" A.N. Sinha in his essay "Mere Shri Babu" wrote that, ""Since 1921, the History of Bihar has been the history of the life of Shri Babu"".