‘Gold man of Bihar’ is the real khatron ke kheladi

Prem Kumar, the 'Golden Man of Bihar', defies criminals and flaunts his gold obsession

When it comes to Bihar resident Prem Kumar, all that glitters is definitely gold. Affectionately labelled the ‘Golden Man of Bihar’, he zooms through Patna’s roads on his gold-plated Royal Enfield motorcycle wearing crores worth of gold. He says wearing gold first became a passion and then turned an obsession. He also claims wearing gold “is always good for human body”.

But what is the golden rule for the Gold Man of Bihar?

“It’s all the wishes of Lord Hanuman ji. I have full faith on him and whatever he has fixed for me in my life happens. Nothing less, nothing more”, says Mr. Kumar, 46. A native of Basudeopur village in Bhojpur district of central Bihar, he runs a construction business, and lives in Patna with his wife, teenaged daughter, and the 5.4 kg of gold that adorns his body. “When one is sick, he thinks about his life but once he gets better, he thinks about his gold”, he quotes a proverb.

But is he not afraid of criminals in a place like Patna, who might want to relieve him of his beloved yellow metal reportedly worth over ₹5 crore? “Not at all. The law and order situation in Patna and the State has improved under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It is also because of the love and respect of the people and those in power I do not fear criminals,” says a smiling Mr. Kumar during a candid chat with The Hindu at a luxury hotel. But that hasn’t stopped him from employing two private armed bodyguards for his safety. Five years back, Mr. Kumar says, he was robbed of all his gold at gunpoint near his home in Patna. “The then Patna Superintendent of Police and other well-connected friends in the city came to my support and within a week all the looted jewellery was recovered and the criminals arrested”, he recalls while twirling his freshly dyed imperial moustache. “Pure gold does not fear the flame,” he says, recollecting a Chinese proverb.

Several heavy gold chains adorn Mr. Kumar’s thick neck, rings embellish all his 10 fingers, and several bracelets glitter on his hands. Recently, may be to tighten his grip on the “Gold Man of Bihar” title, he got his old Royal Enfield motorcycle plated with 200 grams of gold from Bangalore. “No one could have made this in Patna,” he says proudly. He sheepishly claims he never takes the keys out of his bike as “there is no use of it. No one can touch my bike as it looks so costly”, but appears quite particular that his bike never gets a “scratch” by anyone.

So, what next for the State’s Gold Man? May be a “Gold Man of India” title would be the next stop in the journey? Where does this obsession for wearing more and more gold stop?

“Only prabhu [God] knows where it will stop. I’m enjoying it: people’s love, respect, attention and care”, he says sipping a cup of coffee and obliging regular requests for selfie at the hotel. “It is only because of these people I do not fear anyone”, he adds quickly. He says Sunny Nanasaheb Waghchoure from Pune wears 8 kg of gold and is the “Gold Man of India”. “I have reached 5.4 kg but cannot beat him because he is quite wealthy and I want to remain the ‘Gold Man of Bihar’ as I was born and grew up here and this is my identity.”