”’Mahendra Singh Tikait”’ (6 October 1935 – 15 May 2011) was an Indian farmer leader, activist, and president of the [[Bharatiya Kisan Union]] (BKU), an organisation advocating for farmers’ rights in India.<ref name=”DmsTG”>{{cite news |date=15 May 2011 |title=”Messiah” for farmers who laid siege to capital |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110516/jsp/frontpage/story_13987687.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529113416/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110516/jsp/frontpage/story_13987687.jsp |archive-date=29 May 2015 |accessdate=29 May 2015 |work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]}}</ref> Tikait emerged as a distinguished figure in the history of Indian agriculture, leading numerous large-scale farmers’ movements, particularly in western [[Uttar Pradesh]], to demand fair prices for crops, loan waivers, and better agricultural policies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2023 |title=12th death anniversary of Mahendra Singh Tikait {{!}} 5 things to know about ex-BKU chief |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mahendra-singh-tikait-12th-death-anniversary-bharatiya-kisan-union-farmer-leader-101684124372018.html |access-date=28 May 2025 |website=[[Hindustan Times]] |quote=Monday marks the twelfth death anniversary of Mahendra Singh Tikait, one of the tallest farmer leaders the country has ever seen. Born on October 6, 1935 in Uttar Pradesh’s Sisauli, Tikait passed away on May 15, 2011 after a prolonged battle with bone cancer.}}</ref> Born in [[Sisauli|Sisauli, Uttar Pradesh]], he was instrumental in mobilising farmers across northern India, most notably through the ”1988 Boat Club Rally” in [[New Delhi]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-06 |title=Thirty-two winters ago, the hookah, the hukumat |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/farmers-protest-mahendra-singh-tikait-rajiv-gandhi-7093241/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jain |first=Praveen |date=2020-12-09 |title=Farmers with tractors, hookahs & chaupar — rare photos of protests at Delhi’s Boat Club |url=https://theprint.in/in-pictures/farmers-with-tractors-hookahs-chaupar-rare-photos-of-protests-at-delhis-boat-club/562958/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref> Nicknamed as Baba Tikait, he played a noted role in [[Jats|Jat]] community leadership of northern India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=From Shamli protest in 1987 to Delhi borders now, Mahendra Singh Tikait’s legacy lives on with diya, hookah |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/from-shamli-protest-in-1987-to-delhi-borders-now-mahendra-singh-tikaits-legacy-lives-on-with-diya-hookah-960671.html |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}} “The agitation outside a powerhouse in Shamli soon became over-three-lakh-farmers strong and established ””Baba Tikait”'<nowiki/>’ as the most powerful farm leader of the region”</ref> He was also ”Chaudhary” (head) of the [[Baliyan (surname)|Baliyan Khap]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=2 powerful farmer families in west U.P. bury the hatchet after 20 yrs |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/2-powerful-farmer-families-in-west-u-p-bury-the-hatchet-after-20-yrs-101704825441488.html |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=Hindustan Times |quote=Naresh Tikait became chaudhary of Baliyan Khap after demise of his father Mahendra Singh Tikait in 2011.}}</ref> He died of bone cancer on 15 May 2011 in [[Muzaffarnagar|Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh]], leaving behind a legacy continued by his sons, including Naresh and [[Rakesh Tikait]], who remain active in the BKU.<ref name=”DmsTOI”>{{cite news |date=2011-05-16 |title=Tikait, farmer leader who laid siege to Delhi, dead |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tikait-farmer-leader-who-laid-siege-to-Delhi-dead/articleshow/8353773.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024233511/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-16/india/29548242_1_delhi-s-boat-club-sisauli-mahendra-singh-tikait |archive-date=2012-10-24 |accessdate=29 May 2015 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>
”’Mahendra Singh Tikait”’ (6 October 1935 – 15 May 2011) was an Indian farmer leader, activist, and president of the [[Bharatiya Kisan Union]] (BKU), an organisation advocating for farmers’ rights in India.<ref name=”DmsTG”>{{cite news |date=15 May 2011 |title=”Messiah” for farmers who laid siege to capital |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110516/jsp/frontpage/story_13987687.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529113416/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110516/jsp/frontpage/story_13987687.jsp |archive-date=29 May 2015 |accessdate=29 May 2015 |work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]}}</ref> Tikait emerged as a distinguished figure in the history of Indian agriculture, leading numerous large-scale farmers’ movements, particularly in western [[Uttar Pradesh]], to demand fair prices for crops, loan waivers, and better agricultural policies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2023 |title=12th death anniversary of Mahendra Singh Tikait {{!}} 5 things to know about ex-BKU chief |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mahendra-singh-tikait-12th-death-anniversary-bharatiya-kisan-union-farmer-leader-101684124372018.html |access-date=28 May 2025 |website=[[Hindustan Times]] |quote=Monday marks the twelfth death anniversary of Mahendra Singh Tikait, one of the tallest farmer leaders the country has ever seen. Born on October 6, 1935 in Uttar Pradesh’s Sisauli, Tikait passed away on May 15, 2011 after a prolonged battle with bone cancer.}}</ref> Born in [[Sisauli|Sisauli, Uttar Pradesh]], he was instrumental in mobilising farmers across northern India, most notably through the ”1988 Boat Club Rally” in [[New Delhi]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-06 |title=Thirty-two winters ago, the hookah, the hukumat |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/farmers-protest-mahendra-singh-tikait-rajiv-gandhi-7093241/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jain |first=Praveen |date=2020-12-09 |title=Farmers with tractors, hookahs & chaupar — rare photos of protests at Delhi’s Boat Club |url=https://theprint.in/in-pictures/farmers-with-tractors-hookahs-chaupar-rare-photos-of-protests-at-delhis-boat-club/562958/ |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref> Nicknamed as Baba Tikait, he played a noted role in [[Jats|Jat]] community leadership of northern India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=From Shamli protest in 1987 to Delhi borders now, Mahendra Singh Tikait’s legacy lives on with diya, hookah |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/from-shamli-protest-in-1987-to-delhi-borders-now-mahendra-singh-tikaits-legacy-lives-on-with-diya-hookah-960671.html |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}} “The agitation outside a powerhouse in Shamli soon became over-three-lakh-farmers strong and established ””Baba Tikait”'<nowiki/>’ as the most powerful farm leader of the region”</ref> He was also ”Chaudhary” (head) of the [[Baliyan (surname)|Baliyan Khap]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=2 powerful farmer families in west U.P. bury the hatchet after 20 yrs |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/2-powerful-farmer-families-in-west-u-p-bury-the-hatchet-after-20-yrs-101704825441488.html |access-date=28 May 2025 |work=Hindustan Times |quote=Naresh Tikait became chaudhary of Baliyan Khap after demise of his father Mahendra Singh Tikait in 2011.}}</ref> He died of bone cancer on 15 May 2011 in [[Muzaffarnagar|Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh]], leaving behind a legacy continued by his sons, including Naresh and [[Rakesh Tikait]], who remain active in the BKU.<ref name=”DmsTOI”>{{cite news |date=2011-05-16 |title=Tikait, farmer leader who laid siege to Delhi, dead |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tikait-farmer-leader-who-laid-siege-to-Delhi-dead/articleshow/8353773.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024233511/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-16/india/29548242_1_delhi-s-boat-club-sisauli-mahendra-singh-tikait |archive-date=2012-10-24 |accessdate=29 May 2015 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>
