OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Speed skating at the 1964 Winter Olympics – Men's 500 metres

The men's 500 metres in speed skating at the 1964 Winter Olympics took place on 4 February, at the Eisschnelllaufbahn Innsbruck.

## Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows:
| World record | Yevgeny Grishin (URS) | 39.5 | Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union | 28 January 1963 |
| Olympic record | Yevgeny Grishin (URS) Yevgeny Grishin (URS) | 40.2 | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy Squaw Valley, United States | 28 January 1956 24 February 1960 |
The following new Olympic record was set.
| Date | Athlete | Time | OR | WR |
| 4 February | Terry McDermott (USA) | 40.1 | OR | |

## Results

| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| | Terry McDermott | United States | 40.1 | OR |
| | Alv Gjestvang | Norway | 40.6 | |
| | Yevgeny Grishin | Soviet Union | 40.6 | |
| | Vladimir Orlov | Soviet Union | 40.6 | |
| 5 | Keiichi Suzuki | Japan | 40.7 | |
| 6 | Eddie Rudolph, Jr. | United States | 40.9 | |
| 7 | Heike Hedlund | Sweden | 41.0 | |
| 8 | Bill Disney | United States | 41.1 | |
| 8 | Villy Haugen | Norway | 41.1 | |
| 10 | Hroar Elvenes | Norway | 41.4 | |
| 10 | Raymond Fonvieille | France | 41.4 | |
| 10 | Rafael Grach | Soviet Union | 41.4 | |
| 10 | Simo Rinne | Finland | 41.4 | |
| 14 | Tom Gray | United States | 41.5 | |
| 15 | Boris Gulyayev | Soviet Union | 41.7 | |
| 16 | Helmut Kuhnert | United Team of Germany | 41.8 | |
| 16 | Pekka Lattunen | Finland | 41.8 | |
| 16 | Fumio Nagakubo | Japan | 41.8 | |
| 19 | Juhani Järvinen | Finland | 41.9 | |
| 19 | Kim Zin-hook | North Korea | 41.9 | |
| 21 | Magne Thomassen | Norway | 42.0 | |
| 22 | Björn Lekman | Sweden | 42.1 | |
| 23 | Toivo Salonen | Finland | 42.2 | |
| 24 | Herbert Höfl | United Team of Germany | 42.3 | |
| 24 | Günther Tilch | United Team of Germany | 42.3 | |
| 26 | André Kouprianoff | France | 42.5 | |
| 27 | Terry Malkin | Great Britain | 42.6 | |
| 27 | Bo Ollander | Sweden | 42.6 | |
| 29 | Manne Lavås | Sweden | 42.7 | |
| 30 | Ri Sung-ryool | North Korea | 43.0 | |
| 31 | Elio Locatelli | Italy | 43.1 | |
| 32 | Oldřich Teplý | Czechoslovakia | 43.2 | |
| 33 | François Brueren | Belgium | 43.4 | |
| 33 | Günter Traub | United Team of Germany | 43.4 | Ŕ |
| 35 | Manfred Zojer | Austria | 43.5 | |
| 36 | Peter Toyfl | Austria | 43.7 | |
| 37 | Mihály Martos | Hungary | 44.0 | |
| 38 | Luvsanlkhagvyn Dashnyam | Mongolia | 44.1 | |
| 39 | Ralf Olin | Canada | 44.2 | |
| 40 | György Ivánkai | Hungary | 44.3 | |
| 41 | Satoshi Shinpo | Japan | 44.4 | |
| 42 | Choi Yeong-Bae | South Korea | 44.8 | |
| 43 | Jean-Pierre Guéron | Switzerland | 44.9 | |
| 44 | Thomas Dawson | Great Britain | 45.2 | |
# Speed skating at the 1968 Winter Olympics – Men's 1500 metres

The men's 1500 metres in speed skating at the 1968 Winter Olympics took place on 16 February, at the L'Anneau de Vitesse.

## Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows:
| World record | Magne Thomassen (NOR) | 2:02.5 | Davos, Switzerland | 5 February 1968 |
| Olympic record | Yevgeny Grishin (URS) Yuri Mikhailov (URS) | 2:08.6 | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | 30 January 1956 |
The following new Olympic record was set.
| Date | Athlete | Time | OR | WR |
| 16 February | Kees Verkerk (NED) | 2:03.4 | OR | |

## Results

| Rank | Athlete | Country | Time | Notes |
| | Kees Verkerk | Netherlands | 2:03.4 | OR |
| | Ivar Eriksen | Norway | 2:05.0 | |
| | Ard Schenk | Netherlands | 2:05.0 | |
| 4 | Magne Thomassen | Norway | 2:05.1 | |
| 5 | Johnny Höglin | Sweden | 2:05.2 | |
| 5 | Bjørn Tveter | Norway | 2:05.2 | |
| 7 | Svein-Erik Stiansen | Norway | 2:05.5 | |
| 8 | Eduard Matusevich | Soviet Union | 2:06.1 | |
| 9 | Peter Nottet | Netherlands | 2:06.3 | |
| 10 | Örjan Sandler | Sweden | 2:07.0 | |
| 11 | Aleksandr Kerchenko | Soviet Union | 2:07.1 | |
| 12 | Ants Antson | Soviet Union | 2:07.2 | |
| 12 | Valery Kaplan | Soviet Union | 2:07.2 | |
| 14 | Jouko Launonen | Finland | 2:07.5 | |
| 15 | Günter Traub | West Germany | 2:07.7 | |
| 16 | Jan Bols | Netherlands | 2:07.8 | |
| 16 | Manne Lavås | Sweden | 2:07.8 | |
| 18 | Kimmo Koskinen | Finland | 2:07.9 | |
| 19 | Richard Wurster | United States | 2:08.4 | |
| 20 | Göran Claeson | Sweden | 2:08.6 | |
| 21 | Olavi Hjellman | Finland | 2:10.1 | |
| 22 | Jürgen Traub | West Germany | 2:10.2 | |
| 23 | Wayne LeBombard | United States | 2:11.2 | |
| 24 | Raimo Hietala | Finland | 2:11.7 | |
| 24 | Bill Lanigan | United States | 2:11.7 | |
| 26 | Bob Hodges | Canada | 2:12.0 | |
| 27 | György Martos | Hungary | 2:12.2 | |
| 28 | John Tipper | Great Britain | 2:12.4 | |
| 29 | György Ivánkai | Hungary | 2:12.6 | |
| 30 | Tadao Ishihata | Japan | 2:12.7 | |
| 31 | Keiichi Suzuki | Japan | 2:13.1 | |
| 32 | Giancarlo Gloder | Italy | 2:13.2 | |
| 33 | Elio Locatelli | Italy | 2:13.3 | |
| 34 | Roger Capan | United States | 2:13.6 | |
| 34 | Renato De Riva | Italy | 2:13.6 | |
| 36 | Michel Thépénier | France | 2:13.7 | |
| 37 | François Perrenoud | France | 2:14.0 | |
| 38 | Guido Gillarduzzi | Italy | 2:14.1 | |
| 39 | Otmar Braunecker | Austria | 2:14.4 | |
| 40 | Mutsuhiko Maeda | Japan | 2:14.8 | |
| 40 | Hermann Strutz | Austria | 2:14.8 | |
| 40 | Masaki Suzuki | Japan | 2:14.8 | |
| 43 | Geoff Stockdale | Great Britain | 2:15.6 | |
| 44 | Erich Korbel | Austria | 2:15.7 | |
| 45 | Mihály Martos | Hungary | 2:15.8 | |
| 46 | Pete Williamson | Canada | 2:16.0 | |
| 47 | Hansruedi Widmer | Switzerland | 2:16.1 | |
| 48 | Franz Krienbühl | Switzerland | 2:16.3 | |
| 49 | Colin Coates | Australia | 2:16.7 | |
| 49 | Luvsanlkhagvyn Dashnyam | Mongolia | 2:16.7 | |
| 51 | Lee Ik-hwan | South Korea | 2:17.5 | |
| 52 | Büjiin Jalbaa | Mongolia | 2:18.0 | |
| 53 | David Bodington | Great Britain | 2:19.1 | |
# Special Area No. 4

Special Area No. 4 is a special area in central Alberta, Canada. It is a rural municipality similar to a municipal district; however, the elected council is overseen by four representatives appointed by the province, the Special Areas Board.
Special Area 4 has one provincial park, Gooseberry Lake Provincial Park. Lakes include Grassy Island Lake and Sounding Lake.

## Geography
### Communities and localities

The following localities are located within Special Area No. 4.

#### Localities
## Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Special Area No. 4 had a population of 1,236 living in 421 of its 489 total private dwellings, a change of -0.1% from its 2016 population of 1,237. With a land area of 4,299.8 km$^2$ (1,660.2 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.3/km$^2$ (0.7/sq mi) in 2021.
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Special Area No. 4 had a population of 1,237 living in 429 of its 471 total private dwellings, a change of -8.5% from its 2011 population of 1,352. With a land area of 4,402.64 km$^2$ (1,699.87 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.3/km$^2$ (0.7/sq mi) in 2016.
# Special Anti-terrorist Unit

Special Anti-terrorist Unit may refer to:
* Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (Greece), Greek counter-terrorism unit of the Hellenic Police
* Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (Serbia), special operations and police unit in Serbia
* Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (Republika Srpska)
# Special Area

Special Area may refer to:
* Special Area of Conservation, a protection area for fauna and flora designated by the European Union
* Special Areas Board, Alberta, Canada, which governs three rural municipalities
** Special Area No. 2
** Special Area No. 3
** Special Area No. 4
* Special areas in Hong Kong, also called country parks
** Lai Chi Wo Special Area
** Ma Shi Chau Special Area
** Tai Po Kau Special Area
** Tsiu Hang Special Area
** Tung Lung Fort Special Area
* Special Flight Rules Area, a region in the United States where the normal rules of flight do not apply
* Special Landscape Area, conservation designation used by local government in the United Kingdom
* Special Protection Area, a protection area for wild birds designated by the European Union
Special Areas Act may refer to:
* Special Areas Act 1934, Britain, to give aid to areas with high unemployment rates
* Special Areas (Amendment) Act of 1937, Britain, to encourage business after the Special Areas Act 1934
* Special Areas Act 1938, Alberta, Canada, to establish 3.2 million hectares of special areas
# Spathulina

Spathulina is a genus of tephritid or fruit flies in the family Tephritidae.

## Species

* Spathulina abyssinica Bezzi, 1924
* Spathulina acroleuca (Schiner, 1868)
* Spathulina arcucincta Bezzi, 1924
* Spathulina biseuarestina Bezzi, 1924
* Spathulina euryomma Bezzi, 1924
* Spathulina hessii (Wiedemann, 1818)
* Spathulina peringueyi Bezzi, 1924
* Spathulina sicula Rondani, 1856
# 1957 Swiss referendums

Four referendums were held in Switzerland during 1957. The first two were held on 3 March on a federal resolutions on introducing two new articles to the federal constitution; 22bis concerning civil protection and 36bis on radio and television. Both were rejected. The third and fourth were held on 24 November on introducing another article to the constitution (24 quinquies concerning nuclear power and protection from radiation) and a federal resolution on prolonging the federal breadstuffs law. Both were approved.

## Results
### March: Constitutional amendment on civil protection

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 361,028 | 48.1 | 12 | 4 | 14 |
| Against | 389,633 | 51.9 | 7 | 2 | 8 |
| Blank votes | 25,384 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,670 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 777,715 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,464,540 | 53.1 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### March: Constitutional amendment on radio and television

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 319,766 | 42.8 | 9 | 3 | 10.5 |
| Against | 428,080 | 57.2 | 10 | 3 | 11.5 |
| Blank votes | 26,199 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,418 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 775,463 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,464,540 | 52.9 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### November: Constitutional amendment on nuclear power

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 491,745 | 77.3 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Against | 144,151 | 22.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blank votes | 30,487 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,459 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 667,842 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,469,328 | 45.5 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### November: Prolonging the federal breadstuffs law

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 401,768 | 62.7 | 19 | 5 | 21.5 |
| Against | 239,295 | 37.3 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 |
| Blank votes | 25,985 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,315 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 668,363 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,469,328 | 45.5 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||
# Bankend, Saskatchewan

Bankend is a locality in the central part of Saskatchewan, Canada. Other communities in the area include Foam Lake, Ituna, Leslie, Wishart, West Bend and Leross. Bankend is located between the Touchwood Hills and the Beaver Hills. Bankend was a booming agricultural community in 1928, HWY 35 arrived, and four grain elevators were built.

## Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Bankend had a population of 15 living in 10 of its 10 total private dwellings, a change of 0% from its 2016 population of 15. With a land area of 0.28 km$^2$ (0.11 sq mi), it had a population density of 53.6/km$^2$ (138.7/sq mi) in 2021.

## Transportation

Bankend is located on Highway 35 and near the junction of Highway 35 and Highway 743.

## Notable people

* Henry Dayday, Saskatoon mayor was born near Bankend.

## Education

* Cresswell School Division #2074 was a one-room school house which was built near Bankend, SK.
# Baldy Wittman

Julius "Baldy" Wittmann was an American professional football player in the Ohio League for the Massillon Tigers, as well as the Tigers 1907 spin-off team the "All-Massillions". When the Tigers were established in 1903, Wittmann was picked to start on the team at end, despite never playing the game before. Prior to his involvement with the Tigers, Wittman was the proprietor of a local cigar store and a spare-time police officer. His slogan for the cigar store was "our prices and the Massillon Tigers can't be beat".
Wittmann was a natural leader and an athlete who learned quickly. As a result, he was elected captain of the team during the 1903 season. During a December 5, 1903 game against the Akron East Ends, Wittman was reportedly assaulted by a gang of five men, until several Massillon fans came to his aid. During the 1904 season he was moved to the tackle position. In 1905, while Wittmann kept his title as team captain, Clark Schrontz was named as the team's "field captain".
In 1907, he was a member of the "All-Massillons". Wittmann and ex-Tiger, Frank Bast, were in the line-up for a 1911 version of the Massillon Tigers.
# Týnec

Týnec may refer to places in the Czech Republic:
* Týnec (Břeclav District), a municipality and village in the South Moravian Region
* Týnec (Klatovy District), a municipality and village in the Plzeň Region
* Týnec, a village and part of Chotěšov (Plzeň-South District) in the Plzeň Region
* Týnec, a village and part of Dobrovice in the Central Bohemian Region
* Týnec, a village and part of Koleč in the Central Bohemian Region
* Týnec, a village and part of Malý Bor in the Plzeň Region
* Týnec, a village and part of Planá (Tachov District) in the Plzeň Region
* Týnec nad Labem, a town in the Central Bohemian Region
* Týnec nad Sázavou, a town in the Central Bohemian Region
* Hrochův Týnec, a town in the Pardubice Region
* Panenský Týnec, a market town in the Ústí nad Labem Region
* Velký Týnec, a municipality and village in the Olomouc Region
# Spadaro

Spadaro is an Italian surname. This is an occupational surname for a professional soldier or, more specifically, a swordsman.
Notable people with the surname include:
* Antonio Spadaro (born 1966), Italian Jesuit priest
* Carlos Spadaro (1902–1985), Argentine football attacker
* Jack Spadaro (born 1948), American mining engineer
* Micco Spadaro, artistic name of Domenico Gargiulo (1609–1610 – ca. 1675), Italian painter of the Baroque period
* Odoardo Spadaro (1893–1965), Italian singer-songwriter and actor
* Pedro Spadaro (born 1977), Peruvian lawyer
* Peppino Spadaro (1898–1950), Italian actor; brother of Umberto Spadaro
* Umberto Spadaro (1904–1981), Italian film actor; brother of Peppino Spadaro

## Other

* Spadaro Airport, privately owned, public use airport in Suffolk County, New York, United States
# 1957 Sylvania Television Awards

The 1957 Sylvania Television Awards were presented on January 15, 1958, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Don Ameche was the master of ceremonies. The Sylvania Awards were established by Sylvania Electric Products.
The committee presented the following awards:

## Special awards

* Face the Nation for its interview of Nikita Khrushchev
* See It Now for its program based on Marian Anderson's goodwill tour abroad
* Mary Martin and Richard Halliday for NBC's presentation of Annie Get Your Gun
* NBC Opera Theatre for "creative achievement in imaginative presentation of classical music"
* Wide Wide World for "outstanding creative coverage of educational subjects"

## Category awards

* Original teleplay - William Gibson for The Miracle Worker, Playhouse 90
* Television adaptation - James Lee for The Life of Samuel Johnson on Omnibus
* Actor - Lee J. Cobb in No Deadly Medicine on Studio One
* Actress - Kim Stanley in Traveling Lady on Studio One
* Supporting role actor - Torin Thatcher in Beyond This Place on DuPont Show of the Month
* Supporting role actress - Patty McCormack in The Miracle Worker
* Dramatic series - Hallmark Hall of Fame
* New series - The Twentieth Century
* Documentary series - See It Now
* Network news - NBC
* Public service series - U.N. in Action
* Variety series - The Steve Allen Show
* Comedy series - Jack Paar's Tonight
* Daytime series - Matinee Theater
* Light musical series - The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
* Children's series - Let's Take a Trip
* Religious series - Look Up and Live
* Educational series - Omnibus
# 258th (Canadien-Français) Battalion, CEF

The 258th Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Montreal, Quebec, the unit began recruiting in the spring of 1917 throughout the province of Quebec. After sailing to England in October 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 10th Reserve Battalion, CEF upon arrival. The 258th Battalion, CEF had one Officer Commanding: Lieut-Col. P. E. Blondin.
# Bang Rak (disambiguation)

Bang Rak may refer to:
* Bang Rak District, a district (khet) of Bangkok, Thailand
** Bang Rak Subdistrict, a subdistrict (khwaeng) and historic neighbourhood in Bang Rak District
* Bang Rak, Trang, a subdistrict (tambon) in Mueang Trang District, Trang Province
* Bang Rak Beach on the island of Ko Samui, Surat Thani
# Hocomonco Pond

Hocomonco Pond is a recreational pond located in Westborough, Massachusetts near Route 9. Also called Hobomoc Pond, it was named for Hobomok, a Wamesit Indian evil spirit. The pond and adjacent land are a Superfund site.

## Superfund site

A wood treatment and preservation plant operated on a 23-acre (9.3 ha) site near the pond during the 1930s and 1940s. The business saturated wood products (e.g. telephone poles, railroad ties, pilings and fence posts) with creosote to preserve them. During the treatment process, excess creosote and wastes where discharged to an unlined pit, the "former lagoon". The creosote, which contains carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, seeped into sediments, soil and groundwater. A storm drain built in the 1970s along the east side of the former lagoon transported liquid contaminants to the pond. The site was added to the National Priorities List on September 8, 1983.
A 1985 Record of Decision specified remedies for cleaning up the site. A landfill for the contaminants was constructed at the former lagoon. The storm drain was relocated. Contaminated soil, waste and sediments were excavated and dredged in operations completed in 1996. The former lagoon area was then capped. The groundwater remains contaminated.
# Homadaula albida

Homadaula albida is a moth in the family Galacticidae. It was described by Wolfram Mey in 2004. It is found in Namibia.
# Bangkinang

Bangkinang (Jawi: بغكينغ‎), is a town in Riau Province of Indonesia. It is the capital of Kampar Regency, in that province, and is 60 km (37 mi) from Pekanbaru, the Riau provincial capital. As the capital of the regency it is connected both to the provincial capital and to the area of West Sumatra. The majority of the population is Muslim.

## History

Based on the decree of the Military Governor of Central Sumatra Number: 10/GM/STE/49 dated 9 November 1949, Kampar Regency was one area in Riau Province of which the capital was Pekanbaru. Then, based on Law No. 12 of 1956, the capital was moved to Bangkinang, a change which was implemented on 6 June 1967. The factors that supported the transfer of the capital to Bangkinang included:
1. Pekanbaru is the capital of Riau province. 2. Pekanbaru, besides being the capital of the province, had also become an independent city. 3. Given the extent of Kampar Regency, moving the Capital to Bangkinang increased efficiency and improved the management of government services to the public. 4. The future prospects Kampar Regency may no longer be developed well from Pekanbaru.
Bangkinang is located in the middle of Kampar Regency, which made it easier to implement services to all districts.

## Climate

Bangkinang has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy rainfall all year round.
Climate data for Bangkinang :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.7 (89.1) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.4 (90.3) | 32.6 (90.7) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.0 (89.6) | 32.0 (89.6) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31.7 (89.1) | 31.5 (88.7) | 31.1 (88.0) | 31.9 (89.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.6 (79.9) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.4 (81.3) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.0 (80.6) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.8 (80.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 21.6 (70.9) | 21.6 (70.9) | 22.0 (71.6) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.4 (72.3) | 21.8 (71.2) | 21.5 (70.7) | 21.6 (70.9) | 21.8 (71.2) | 21.8 (71.2) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.8 (71.2) | 21.9 (71.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 304 (12.0) | 237 (9.3) | 294 (11.6) | 290 (11.4) | 218 (8.6) | 150 (5.9) | 177 (7.0) | 187 (7.4) | 214 (8.4) | 266 (10.5) | 321 (12.6) | 339 (13.3) | 2,997 (118) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org ||||||||||||||

## Tourism

Some interesting place in Bangkinang, among others:
* Muara Takus Temple (± 80 km (50 mi) from Bangkinang)
* STANUM Recreational Park
* Bukit Naang Recreational Park
* Merangin Waterfall
* Kandil Kemilau Emas Museum
* Siabu Hill (Bukit Siabu)
* Koto Panjang Dam (PLTA Koto Panjang)
* Cadika Hill Recreational Park (Taman Rekereasi Bukit Cadika)
* Lontiok House (Rumah Asli Lontiok)
# Bant Singh

Bant Singh is a Sikh labourer and singer from the Jhabhar village in Mansa district, Punjab, India, who has emerged as an agricultural labour activist, fighting against the power of the landowner. Described by Amit Sengupta as "an icon of Dalit resistance he has been active in organizing poor, agricultural workers, activism that continues despite a 2006 attack that cost him both of his lower arms and his left leg."
After his minor daughter was raped by some powerful men in 2000, he dared take them to court, braving threats of violence and attempted bribes. The trial culminated in life sentences for three of the culprits in 2004, "the first time that a Dalit from the region who had complained against upper-caste violence had managed to secure a conviction."
On the evening of 7 January 2006, Bant Singh was returning home through some wheat fields. He had just been campaigning for a national agricultural labour rally to be held in Andhra Pradesh in January. He was suddenly waylaid by a gang of seven men, suspected to be sent by Jaswant and Niranjan Singh, the current and former headmen of his village who have links with the Indian National Congress party. One of them brandished a revolver to prevent any resistance while the other six set upon him with iron rods and axes beating him to a pulp.
He was left for dead, and a phone call was made to Beant Singh, a leading man in Jhabhar, to pick up the dead body. However, Bant Singh was alive, though barely.
He was first taken to civil hospital in Mansa but was not given proper treatment there. Then he was taken to the PGI at Chandigarh, where both lower arms and one leg had to be amputated since gangrene had set in by then, and his kidneys had collapsed due to blood loss. The doctor was eventually suspended for his conduct.
His biography titled The Ballad of Bant Singh: A Qissa of Courage, written by Nirupama Dutt was published in 2016.
The story of Bant Singh was dramatised and featured on the hit TV show Savdhaan India in its special edition of 100 Days 100 Fightbacks.
Bant Singh was featured in 'Chords of Change' TV series and in a 2020 Tamil film 'Gypsy'.