LECTURES AND OTHER MEDIA ACTIVITIES DURING BHAGAT SINGH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY WEEK-2026 Post author

By Prof. Chaman.JNU Post date October 24, 2026 No Commentson LECTURES AND OTHER MEDIA ACTIVITIES DURING BHAGAT SINGH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY WEEK-2026 EVERY YEAR DURING BHAGAT SINGH BIRTH AND MARTYRDOM ANNIVERSARIES, A LARGE NO. OF PROGRAMS, FUNCTIONS, SONGS AND CULTURAL EVENINGS/PLAYS/FILM SCREENINGS ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY IN NORTH INDIA. THIS YEAR TOO, I TOOK PART IN MANY ONLINE AND OFFLINE ACTIVITIES. TWO ONLINE DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE IN REFERENCE TO URDU LOVE OF BHAGAT SINGH. IN 2024, I DELIVERED A LECTURE IN THE URDU DEPT OF PANJAB UNIVERSITY, CHANDIGARH, IN URDU LANGUAGE, TO THE EXTENT I COULD SPEAK URDU. THIS YEAR, FABEHA SYED, THE MOST POPULAR PODCASTER AT THE QUINT, HELD A SPECIAL DISCUSSION ON BHAGAT SINGH’S ANNIVERSARY ON 27TH SEPTEMBER, RELAYED FROM THE QUINT WITH HER NOTE. – Bhagat Singh, Urdu and Revolution: Understanding His Multilingual World Exploring Bhagat Singh’s Urdu connection and the language, literature and ideas that shaped his revolutionary world. Fabeha Syed Art and Culture Published: 26 Sep 2026, 9:00 AM IST

In this episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed speaks to Professor Chaman Lal about Bhagat Singh’s lesser-known relationship with Urdu, exploring how the language, poetry and literature around him shaped his intellectual and revolutionary world.

From early education to the language of resistance, discover the Urdu that was part of Bhagat Singh’s multilingual world.

iGet notified on latest news advertisementhttps://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=ISP8077674938#amp=1 Bhagat Singh is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of India’s revolutionary movement, often associated with his writings on revolution, freedom, socialism and colonialism. Yet, beyond his political activities and widely discussed ideas lies another important aspect of his intellectual life: his engagement with language and literature. Ahead of Bhagat Singh’s 119th birth anniversary, Urdunama explores this lesser-known dimension through a conversation between Fabeha Syed and Professor Chaman Lal, former Professor and Chairperson of the Centre of Indian Languages at Jawaharlal Nehru University and honorary advisor to the Bhagat Singh Archives & Resource Centre. Professor Lal, who has spent decades researching Bhagat Singh’s writings, reading and intellectual legacy, offers insights into the multilingual environment in which the revolutionary grew up and developed his political thought. Although Bhagat Singh did not write extensively in Urdu, he was not unfamiliar with the language. Urdu was part of his early education and embedded in the literary, cultural, and political environment of the Punjab of his time. For Bhagat Singh and his contemporaries, languages did not necessarily exist in rigid compartments. Literature, newspapers, political writing and poetry often moved across linguistic boundaries.https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?p=ISP1112733809#amp=1 The conversation also invites us to reconsider the way Bhagat Singh is remembered today. His image is often reduced to that of a revolutionary martyr, but his writings and reading habits reveal a more complex intellectual personality—one shaped by a diverse literary and linguistic milieu. By examining the place of Urdu in Bhagat Singh’s world, Urdunama brings attention to the connections between language, literature and political thought. It is a reminder that revolutionary ideas do not emerge in isolation; they are also shaped by the books people read, the languages they encounter and the cultural worlds they inhabit. This episode offers an opportunity to look at Bhagat Singh not only as a revolutionary, but also as a reader, writer and thinker shaped by a multilingual India. THE OTHER PODCAST WAS BY YOUNG STUDENT MOHD HAMEED ON THE SLOGAN OF INQLAB ZINDABAD- 🇮🇳 Bhagat Singh Aur Azaad Hindustan Bhagat Singh’s ideas, writings, and vision for an independent India—beyond the usual hero worship. Join us for a conversation with historian Prof. Chaman Lal. 🎙️ Host: Hamid Ja’afar 📚 Guest: Prof. Chaman Lal — Historian & Author 🎂 28 September — Bhagat Singh’s Birthday ▶️ Watch the full podcast on YouTube: link in bio [https://youtu.be/WyClI9IvQr8] APART FROM THESE TWO VERY INTERESTING PODCASTS, I DELIVERED ONE LECTURE AT AN AISF MEETING OF THE JNU UNIT IN SABARMATI HOSTEL ON 25TH SEPTEMBER, WHICH WAS NOT RECORDED; IT WAS ATTENDED BY ONLY FEW STUDENTS, NO PICTURE OF THE EVENT IN MY RECORD. THE NEXT AND QUITE IMPRESSIVE FUNCTION WAS HELD AT CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF PUNJAB, BATHIND, WHERE I TAUGHT IN THE YEAR 2014 POST-RETIREMENT FROM JNU. THE FUNCTION WAS HELD TO MARK FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF BHAGAT SINGH VICHAR MANCH-DISCUSSION FORUM, GATHERING AND INTERACTION WAS QUITE GOOD. IT WAS ALSMOST TWO HOUR LIVELY PROGRAM, SHILPA INTERACTED WITH ME IN ONE OT ONE DISCUSSION AND FTHEN WITH AUDIENCE. IT WAS RECORDED, BUT ITS RECORDING HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED YET. I HAD SPOKEN FROM MY HEART HERE.-SOME PICTURES ON 29TH SEPTEMBER NETAJI SUBHASH MANCH ORGANISED A MEETING TO MARK BHAGAT SINGH’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY BY HOLDING AN INTERACTIVE MEETING IN ITS SMALL OFFICE IN KUMBHRA VILLAGE IN MOHALI AREA. IT WAS MEETING OF GENUINE ACTIVISTS, THOUGH AT VERY DIFFICULT LOCATION TO REACH IT WAS PARTLY RECORDED-SOME CLICKKS OF THE EVENT- THE CULMINATION OF THIS YEAR’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY WAS A FUNCTION HELD ON 7TH OCTOBER AT PUNJABI UNIVERSITY, PATIALA. IT WAS TO AWARD TWO PUNJABI SCHOLARS THE FIRST PRINCIPAL CHHABIL DAS AWARD FOR WRITING PAPERS ON SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH’S ROLE IN THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE IN PUNJABI LANGUAGE, AS PER THE CONDITIONS OF THE AWARD. HERE I SPOKE ABOUT BHAGAT SINGH’S TEACHERS WITH PASSION, BUT DESPITE THE REQUEST, A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE FUNCTION WAS NOT MADE. THIS WAS MY UNIQUE LECTURE FROM 330 LECTURES ON BHAGAT SINGH DELIVERED SO FAR IN INDIAN AND ABROAD! SOME DETAILS ARE IN THE PREVIOUS POST, SOME PHOTOGRAPHS ARE HERE SOME Teachers of Bhagat Singh MENTIONED BY ME ARE- Teachers of Bhagat Singh Govt Primary School Chak No. 105-No. Record: 12-16 years DAV School Lahore-No reference of teachers, but class fellows- Pranath Mehta, Prem Bhatia-17-21 years National College Quami Vidyapeeth Punjab(University)- Chancellor Lala Lajpat Rai VC Bhai Parmanand and Prof. Western History Principal Acharya Jugal Kishore 1921-23 Prof Pol Sc Oxford return Principal Chhabil Das Registrar and Prof. English 1923-26 Prof Jaichander Vidyalankar, Ancient History PROF. UDAIVEER SHASTRI-HINDI AND SANSKRIT Prof Udai Shankar Bhatt, playwright, Prof Sanskrit and Hindi Acharya Chet Ram, Prof. in Hindi Prof Sondhi English PROF mEHTA GHULAM HASAN TAUGHT SOCIALISM Gurudutt Vidyarthi, Headmaster, National School and first President, NBS

For Shaheed Bhagat Singh God was Revolution-Principal Chhabil Das

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image.png This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-1.png This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-2.png An award was planned in memory of Principal Chhabil Das, who, apart from being his teacher at National College Lahore during his student days at the college-1921-23, was also a dear and close friend, who joined the Naujwan Bharat Sabha formed in college in 1924 and later spread to all over India. The award was first planned in 2020, as the above news in The Tribune suggests, but it remained in limbo for the next six years; it was revived in 2026! This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-3.png https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/punjab/punjabi-university-institutes-principal-chhabil-das-yadgari-award/article71277962.ece/amp Punjabi University institutes award in name of Bhagat Singh’s teacher Chhabil Das https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjabi-university-institutes-award-in-name-of-bhagat-singhs-teacher-chhabil-das-10808183/ Inaugural function of first award likely to be held on 28th September this month at Punjabi University Patiala✌️ Punjabi University institutes award in name of Bhagat Singh’s teacher Chhabil Das The Rs 5,000 award along with a certificate will be given to any young researcher of the Punjabi University for writing, presenting, or publishing any book or research paper on Bhagat Singh, his revolutionary associates or any aspect of the freedom struggle of India in the Punjabi language By:Express News Service 3 min readLudhianaJul 29, 2026 06:02 AM IST Punjabi University institutes award in name of Bhagat Singh’s teacher Chhabil DasChhabil Das was a teacher and principal at the National College, Lahore, — founded by Lala Lajpat Rai, when Bhagat Singh completed his Faculty of Arts (FA) studies in 1923. (Express Photo) Make us preferred source on Google 1Print The Punjabi University has instituted the ‘Principal Chhabil Das Yadgari Award’ for researchers, which will be given every year on the birth anniversary of revolutionary and legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Chhabil Das was a teacher and principal at the National College, Lahore, — founded by Lala Lajpat Rai, when Bhagat Singh completed his Faculty of Arts (FA) studies in 1923. The award, at the Patiala-based university, has been instituted with an endowment fund provided by Chhabil Das’s granddaughter, Saba Dewan, a gifted writer, Prof Chaman Lal, a retired professor from JNU with a long association with PU as a faculty member Image Drag and drop an image, upload, or choose from your library. Upload Select Image Generate Image Insert from URL   The first Principal Chhabil Das Memorial Award ceremony was finally held at Punjabi University. The event, organised by the Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha Chair and the Department of Youth Welfare established at the university, was presided over by Vice-Chancellor Dr Jagdeep Singh. The funds for this award were provided by Saba Dewan, the granddaughter of Principal Chhabil Das (who was a teacher of Shaheed Bhagat Singh), along with Prof. Chaman Lal. Pictures of the function are given below: Chhabil Das views on Bhagat Singh. Principal Chhabil Das article about Bhagat Singh views was distributed on that occasion, which is given here- HE WAS A DEVOTEE OF THE GOD OF REVOLUTION. CHHABIL DAS Sukhdev and Bhagwati Charan joined the National College Lahore in 1922-23. They remained at the College for about three to four years. The Naujawan Bharat Sabha was very popular in the College at that time. The Sabha encompassed two different trends of thought, because during those days, India used to get light either from Russia and the Russian Revolution of Lenin or from Ireland, that is, De Valera and the Sinn Féin movement. Naturally, the Naujawan Bharat Sabha was also, ideologically speaking, split into two factions: the emphasis of one was on the Irish revolution and the methods adopted by those people, that is, collecting arms, throwing bombs, etc. The other section liked the Russians, who wanted to create class consciousness amongst the masses, rural people, peasantry and factory workers. In the beginning, Bhagat Singh belonged to the Irish group. His favourite book was Dan Breen's My Fight for Irish Freedom. His other favourite book was Heroes and Heroines of Russia by Pre-Locker. It was a very important book. Sukhdev and Bhagwati were also there. They were members of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. They also belonged to the Irish faction. Sukhdev was a very mediocre student at the College. He was a quiet type of person. Bhagwati Charan was also a quiet type- nobody would ever hear him utter anything. Bhagat Singh was, however, a different man. Besides being my students, they had good personal (friendly) relations with me. In the evenings we would meet and talk informally on so many subjects. We would often go to the banks of the river Ravi and spend moonlit nights, boating and rowing there, giving expression to our innermost feelings.In 1928, when Bhagat Singh heard that I was going to be married, he approached me and asked me if it was true. I replied in the affirmative. He insisted that I should not marry. 1 aid, "Bhagat Singh, if I could get a really very good life companion who, instead of retarding my activities, invigorates them, what would be your view? In the same breath I quoted three concrete examples of Mrs Sun-Yat Sen, who was Private Secretary to her husband; Mrs Krupskaya, wife of Lenin; and Jenny Von Westphalen, a companion of Karl Marx. About t her, his colleague Engels wrote: "But for the cooperation of Mrs Jenny, Karl Marx would not have been Karl Marx". So when I talked like this, Bhagat Singh replied, "Gu- By that time Bhagat Singh had shifted to the Russian side. He had joined the Hindustan Republican Association, which later became Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. He asked me to join it.I said, "I have already signed a pledge as a life member of the Servants of the People Society. So how can I join your society without breaking that pledge? I have studied the full prospectus and aims and objects of your society. I know that your programme consists of three things: collecting arms and ammunition; using them on suitable occasions; and starting vigorous propaganda, anti-imperialist propaganda, in the country. I am doing the last thing. These days I am writing books and pamphlets and delivering lectures. " He said, "1 am more than satisfied". I, however, 135 ruji, who can vanquish you in argument". So he yielded. II A word on the sources of inspiration of Bhagat Singh may be a legitimate question here. He drew most of his inspiration from his family. His uncle Sardar Ajit Singh and his father Sardar Kishan Singh were great nationalists who sacrificed everything for the liberation of India and suffered for it. Bhagat Singh admired and eulogised the activities of his uncle Ajit Singh and had a great reverence for him. Also, he had reverence for his father, but he would not agree with him when he wanted to marry him. It was for this reason that he ran away from home. As for Bhagat Singh being an atheist, it is difficult to say anything, for he never talked about these things with us. As a revolutionary, to him revolution was the biggest goddess or god. He never believed in any other deity. When Bhagat Singh left Lahore and first went to Kanpur, and thereafter to Delhi to attend the meeting of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army, he met me many a time. He would not talk to me on the activities of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. Those were secret things to be shared only with their own inner men - I was not in the inner coterie of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. But we talked on other political subjects; for instance, we used to talk about the progress of the non- cooperation movement and Gandhi. Bhagat Singh had no admiration for Gandhi and his methods. The attitude of Bhagat Singh was like that of Subhas Chandra Bose. Subhas had said to Gandhi, "Bapu, let us learn to talk the language the British understand. The British will not understand the philosophy of suffering and non-violence; their mighty empire is based upon brutal force. So if we are equally equipped with similar weapons, there can be no doubt about our victory. They are four crores, and we are forty crores in number. The attitude of Bhagat Singh and his fraternity was like that. Bhagat Singh was a born artist. He was fond of dramatics. He used to play the role of Maharana Pratap in the drama (being staged at the college) depicting the life and times of that great hero. I do not remember that he ever played the role of Shivaji. That was by chance. He played many other roles. He was a good singer. The song of Banke Dayal, which he used to sing with his friends, was his great favourite: Kade too bhi Hindiya hosh sambhal ve Hosh sambhal ve, Tera lut gaya mall ve Hindu kahe main sab ton vada mera Hindustan thikana, Muslim kahe ae ghar han sada sanoo miliya hukm rabana, Sikh kahe sada vi sanjha asan pahla kadam jamana Banke, Banke Kahe yaar Firangi aakhe, koi hath lave mnain jana This was a good song and was used to be incorporated in every drama. Another popular song with Bhagat Singh was: Asan vasana ve vasana beeba ae sada ghar baar Tusan nasana ve nasana chhad ke akhirka. IV When Bhagat Singh was in jail (Lahore), I was also in jail (Multan). I had, therefore, no occasion of meeting him. My last meeting with him was, as far as I remember, about the first week of January 1 929 at Kolkata. Bhagat Singh had cut off his long hair, the symbol of Sikhism, at that time. He was dressed in a coat, pants, and a hat. The story of this meeting is interesting. I, too, had gone to Kolkata to attend the session of the Congress. Bhagat Singh was staying at a friend's house. This friend of Bhagat Singh was none other than Seth Chhaiu Ra.! He was not in the revolutionary movement. He was a very big merchant, a commercial magnate. He was from Haryana. So people from Punjab used to come to him. Some Punjabi friend informed me about Bhagat Singh's whereabouts. I went to the Seth's house and met Bhagat Singh there. During my meeting here with him, we didn't talk. We ex- changed glances. And then, after a brief Namaste, he disappeared. I also met Bhagwati Charan there. He said to me, "Guryji, you have seen Bhagat Singh; kindly don't divulge the secret that you saw him at Kolkata". V Bhagat Singh was a very loving soul, very sweet, and at his death I shed copious tears just as one would do at the demise of a sweet friend, sweet comrade. As for Sukhdev, he was lesser than Bhagat Singh, not only in his activities but in personality too. Their colleague Bhagwati Charan was, as noted above, a quiet, silent working man. His comrades and other people unfortunately suspected him to be a Police agent or an agent provocateur. Let me clear another point: Bhagwati Charan was, of course, a senior man; he did not inculcate a feeling of revolution among Sukhdev and Bhagat Singh. Our colleague at the National College, Pandit Jaichandra Vidyalankar, did. He inspired these people to go for Irish-type activities. Jaichandra was Professor of Indian History in the National College. He was a graduate of Gurukul Kangri He was a man of few words. He never talked to anybody; he was a silent man. He used to discuss revolutionary matters in his classes and maybe elsewhere too. In sum, I must say that Bhagat Singh was a loving personality of whom this 'Land of Five Rivers' shall be proud. Ideologically, he and his other colleagues were leftists. The very inclu- sion of the word 'Socialist in their party's name, Hindustan Socialist Republican Association indicates their leanings. During the College days, they did not give any inkling of this or any such leftist tendencies. Later, they did. They read a lot of literature on the subject at the Dwarkadas Library, Lahore. They also used to consult me sof all about the choice of books. I do not remember the names of the books they studied, but two important books, as indicated above, were Heroes and Heroines of Russia by Pre-Looker and Dan Breen's My Fight for Irish Freedom. They would also study The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte by Abbot. They would study one very important book by Upton Sinclair, Cry for Justice. During my English classes, I used to recite passages both in prose and poetry, and they would show great zest for those classes. NOTES: From his statement in the Oral History Section at the Jawaharlal Nehru Museum and Library, New Delhi. 1. A Jat businessman from village Alakhpura, dist. Hisar (Haryana); he was treasurer of Arya Samaj in Kolkata. 2. At Haridwar, UP, started by Swami Shraddhanand. (Courtesy M M Juneja book)  why-i-am-an-atheist.pdf https://share.google/pjDv9Se0Ct48rV6GR why-i-am-an-atheist.pdf https://share.google/pjDv9Se0Ct48rV6GR This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pu-patiala-chhabil-das-award-function-7-10-26-7.jpg This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pu-patiala-chhabil-das-award-function-7-10-26-5.jpg This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ocpa1706-1.jpg This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pu-patiala-chhabil-das-award-function-7-10-26-9.jpg  While Prof. Chaman Lal, one of the contributors to the endowment fund, delivered a lecture on-Bhagat Singh's Teachers, which could not be recorded, Saba Dewan, granddaughter of Principal Chhabil Das and the other contributor to the endowment fund, read a message at the function, while the family details of Principal Chhabil Das progeny were also given by Saba Dewan. On the occasion, Prof. Chaman Lal, presented the handwritten photocopy of the biography of Bhagat Singh authored by his younger brother Ranbir Singh in Urdu language to Vice Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala, to be displayed in any dept/Museum of the University. This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pup-7-10-26-1.jpg This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pup-7-10-26-2.jpg . Teachers of Bhagat Singh-Brief points of lecture delivered Govt Primary School Chak no 105-no record 12-16 years DAV School Lahore-No reference of teachers, but class fellows- Pranath Mehta, Prem Bhatia-17-21 years National College Quami Vidyapeeth Punjab(University)- Chancellor Lala Lajpat Rai VC Bhai Parmanand and Prof Western History Principal Acharya Jugal Kishore 1921-23 Prof Pol Sc Oxford return Principal Chhabil Das Registrar and Prof. English 1923-26 Prof Jaichander Vidyalankar, Ancient History Prof Udai Shankar Bhatt, playwright; Prof Sanskrit and Hindi Acharya Chet Ram Prof in Hindi Prof Sondhi English Gurudutt Vidyarthi, Headmaster, National School and first President, NBS Babu Singh, student, later President, Hind Naujwan Sabha- from Patiala -boating with Chhabil Das-talking about marriage.... Principal Chhabil Das and Sm.t Sita Devi's children - 1. Mrs Vijay Chauhan, professor of English at Delhi University and a well-known Hindi writer. She was married to Shivdan Singh Chauhan, renowned Hindi MARXIST critic and writer 2. Dr Santosh Sood, professor of Political Science, Punjab University, Chandigarh. Married to Mr Lalit Sood, lawyer, Punjab High Court. 3. Mrs Manorama Dewan, journalist and Hindi writer. Married to Dewan Berindranath, Zafar Payami, well-known journalist and Urdu writer. 4. Shri Ashok Kumar Ahuja, businessman. Married to Mrs Asha Ahuja, homemaker. 5. Dr Jyotsna Wig, retired Professor of anaesthesia, PGI, Chandigarh. Married to Dr Jaidev Wig, a widely respected Surgical Oncologist, PGI and later, upon retirement, at Fortis Hospital, Mohali. Only Dr Jyotsna Wig survives among all the sisters and brother and their spouses. MESSAGE FROM SABA DEWAN On behalf of Principal Chhabil Das's family - his surviving daughter, Dr Jyotsna Wig and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, I would like to thank Punjabi University, Patiala, for instituting the Principal Chhabil Das Yaadgari Award, and Prof Chaman Lal for his tireless efforts in conceptualising the award and advocating for it. He has dedicated his life to documenting the lives and struggles of Bhagat Singh and his associates, including Principal Chhabil Das. As his teacher and mentor at National College Lahore, Principal Chhabil Das played a critical role in shaping young Bhagat Singh's political beliefs and his vision of a socialist and secular India. His commitment to socialism prompted Principal Chhabil Das's to write extensively on socialist ideas in simple language that could be accessed by people at large. My sister, Samira Dewan Suri, and I grew up hearing from our mother, late Smt Manorama Dewan, about the contribution made by our grandfather, Principal Chhabil Das and grandmother Smt Devi, a women's rights advocate and labour leader, towards India's struggle for independence. Committed to the ideals of liberty, equality and social justice, they spent long years imprisoned in colonial prisons. Their commitment towards a progressive nationalism remains relevant even more so today and has been a guiding light for us. It is a proud moment for the entire family to see Principal Chhabil Das's political legacy being recognised in the form of the Principal Chhabil Das Yaadgari Award. Our congratulations and best wishes to the two award winners this year, Shri Jagtar Singh and Shri Manjeet Singh....  Image Drag and drop an image, upload, or choose from your library. Upload Select Image Generate Image Insert from URL  A well-known journalist herself, Manorma Diwan is the daughter of a great freedom fighter couple-Principal Chhabil Das and Sita Devi. Her husband Dewan Birendernath was also a well-known journalist and Urdu novelist with literary name of Zafar Pyami. Manorma Diwan wrote two books on his family’s role in freedom struggle in Hindi. One-Inqlabi Yatra-Revolutionary Journey was published by National Book Trust (NBT) in 2006. This book is biography of her both parents. In 2006 itself, Remadhav, a new publisher of Hindi published her memoirs of freedom struggle days under the title-Azadi ki Basti-Lane of Freedom. This biography is divided into fifteen small chapters and does not follow the normal pattern of biographies, it is based more on memoirs of those days and in scattered manner. First chapter-Bannu se Dehradun also does not fall in the normal pattern of chronology. It describes how the atmosphere of Lahore, where the family lived in Lajpat Rai Bhavan of Servants of People’s society. Servants of People’s Society was formed by Lala Lajpat Rai in November 1921, before the arrest of Lala Lajpat Rai on 3rd December of same year.Chhabil Das had become life member of the society and was paid one hundred rupees honorarium per month for working full time for the society and living in society house. Chhabil Das services were given to National College, set up by Lala Lajpat Rai in May 1921, where he was teaching before taking over as Principal in 1922. Only in passing reference author has referred that her father Chhabil Das belonged to District Bannu of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), now renamed as Khyber Pakhtunva in Pakistan, from where he came to Lahore. She refers to her mother Sita Devi belonging to Dehradun, where her father Acharya Ramdev was teacher in Gurukul Kangri. In the very first chapter author refers to Bhagat Singh, being the favourite student of Chhabil Das, who used to call him ‘Guru ji’, he was just six years younger to his teacher. Bhagat Singh had objected to Chhabil Das marriage as he thought that by marrying, he would not be able to teach the lesson of revolution to his students. Chhabil Das, along with Professor Brijnarain of Economics and BPL Bedi, father of actor Kabir Bedi, used to go to villages to hold schools for peasants and explain them meaning of socialism. Chhabil Das was also made editor of Lala Lajpat Rai’’s Urdu daily ‘Bande Matram’ from Lahore. Author’s mother had Vishard degree in Sanskrit and taught for some time in Dev Samaj College Lahore. In second chapter Jailon ke sathi-Comrades of jails-Sitadevi remained many times in jails, including during 1942 Quit India movement. Savitri Devi, wife of former Punjab Chief minister Comrade Ramkrishan, her daughter and author’s sister Vijya(Chauhan), Satyavati-mother of former Vice President of India Krishan Kant and more. Sita Devi learnt English during her jail stay and participated in many agitations inside jail itself, including putting up national flag on jail gate in the dead of night. Comrade BPL Bedi has mentioned in his memoirs that how they had organised peasant school in Bhagat Singh’s village chak no. 105 in Lyallpur district on 23rd March-martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh in 1935. These schools were held in different villages and sometimes leaders of Ghadar party like Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna and baba Karam Singh also used to join these schools. Author refers to Comrade Ramchand as Chacha ji(Uncle), who was close comrade of Bhagat Singh in forming Naujwan Bharat Sabha and who has written very important books on revolutionary movement. Chhabil Das has joined national movement, when he was doing his M.A. degree course in Dyal Singh College Lahore. Next chapter is focussed on Secularism-Nationalism and ideological commitment. In this chapter author has mentioned that while her father came from Sanatan Dharm background, but became atheist, her mother came from more rational background of Arya Samaj at that time. In this chapter author depicts some background of her father’s birth place, NWFP was formed by Lord Curzon in 1904-5 as separate state from Sindh. Author has also mentioned the sad killing of her Uncle Master Bhavani Das and Prof. Brijnarain-both of them has decided to stay back in post partition Lahore in Pakistan. In next chapter-Fearless fighters-author has depicted the personality features f her parents, both were fearless before British colonialists. One specific chapter is devoted to National College, Bhagat Singh and Naujwan Bharat Sabha. Chhabil das taught English in college and later he became Principal of college. Young students of his college including Bhagat Singh organised Naujwan Bharat Sabha and Chhabil Das wrote many booklets for them like- Chingaria, Inqlabi Sharare, Socialism, Inqlab Zindabad, Hum Swaraj kyon Chahte Hain in Urdu. In this chapter mention is made of Bhagat Singh’s reading habit, he devoured books in Dwarka Das library and one of his most favourit book was Carlyle’s ‘Cry for Justice’, his other favourite being Dan Breen’s-My fight for Irish freedom(Bhagat Singh translated this book in Hindi actually) and Heroes of Russia.Manorma Diwan refers to two groups in Naujwan Bharat Sabha at that time. One supporting Irish line and the other supporting Soviet model. Bhagat Singh was part of Irish group, but later he promoted Soviet model most and renamed HRA into HSRA. Author refers to last meeting of Bhagat Singh and Chhabil Das in January 1929 at Calcutta, where both had gone for 1928 Congress session. They met at the house of Seth Chhaju Ram, where Bhagat Singh was staying at that time. Naujwan Bharat Sabha was formed on Italy’s Young Italy of Gari Baldi and was called Young India Association first, later it got this name after discussing many more names-Tarun Bharat Sangh, Anjuman Naujwan-e-Hind etc. First meeting in this regard was held in National College itself in 1924, it was decided to use Hindustani language for its functioning. In next chapter author focuses on Lala Lajpat Rai and Servants of People’s Society. Chhabil Das was influenced most by Lala Lajpat Rai and remained in close contact with him. He preferred Urdu daily Bande Matram than English weekly The People, also brought out by Lalaji. Jamna Das Akhtar was his collegue in Bande Matram. Dwarka Das Library was another institution built by Lala Lajpat Rai, where he donated five thousand of his own books first. This was the place used most by revolutionaries. There is some contradiction in reference to Bhagat Singh’s admission to National college, it is written that he was only tenth and not Inter, yet he was given admission in BA Hons, at another place it is written that he was ninth pass and given admission in Inter/BA, but he passed Inter and than jumped into revolutionary activities. But his command over English is underlined in both references, he was interviewed for admission by Bhai Permanand and Chhabil Das and lot many questions were asked on History and Bhagat Singh replied in English, impressing the selectors. In chapter-Revolutionary Pen-author has listed some of Chhabil Das books and pamphlets, apart from mentioned earlier, he wrote-Bhukha Bahisht-Hungry Heaven-on Kangra’s beautiful place. Biggest sin of the wordl-Poverty, Few conversations with youth, Indian peasant, Greatest man of the world, Message of twentieth century, How India was enslaved, Wealth of nations, Blowing hot and cold and few more, all in Urdu. Chhabil Das was propaganda secretary of Punjab Congress party during 1926 to 1934. Comrade Sohan Singh Josh was general secretary of the party-Akalis, Communists and Congress-all three mixed in Congress partyin those days. Chhabil Das was arrested in June 1929, the last peasant school they organised was at Haripur village of Gurdaspur district. He was made part of ‘war council’ of Congress party after it declared 26th January as Independence day in 1930 at Lahore. Chhabil Das remained under strict police watch during 1926 to 1936. In police files of those days, Naujwan Bharat Sabha and its activists Bhagat Singh and Abdul Majeed were also mentioned in CID files. Author has mentioned the passing away of Chhabil Das on 11th December 1988 at Jalandhar and of Sita Devi on 20th March 1974 at Delhi, where she was living as Rajya Sabha member in those days. There has been reference to Chhabil Das’s school days and his talent, though he was considered a bit naughty. He stood second in Matriculation examination of Panjab University in 1917. He stood third in FA examination from same University at Dyal Singh College Lahore, where he studied during 1917-1920 after matriculation. He read most of classic English and world writers during his college days. From Shakespeare to Victor Hugo, Ruskin, Shelley, Milton, Keats, Tennyson, Tolstoy, Ibsen etc. Chhabil Das spent lot of time in Kangra valley and wrote Hungry Heaven book to depict the sufferings of hill people. In chapter-MLA, Parliamentarian and patriot, author has focused on the role played by her mother Sita Devi in Punjab Assembly from Lahore to Shimla, as MP in Delhi. She stayed on in Lahore after partition as she was then MLA there. Manorma Diwan’s film-maker daughter Saba Diwan has made a documentary for Doordarshan, ’ Sita’s Family’, which depicts her role as mother also. Manorma Diwan in one chapter-Progressive, Liberal and Modern has depicted both her parent’s life and views on life. They had three daughters, Manorma Diwan being the third daughter and son Ashok, which was favoured more than daughters, author has shown weakness of her father for male child quite frankely, though daughters were not denied any facility in life, not overtly discriminated. In chapter-Struggle in independent India-first general elction of 1952 is described, in which Swarn Singh won for parliament from Jalandhar and Sita Devi for Punjab assembly with comfortable margin. Pandit Nehru also campaigned for her in that election. Lala Jagat Narain contesting on Jansangh ticket defeated Sita Devi in 1957 elections. Later she was elected to Punjab Vidhan Parishad and in 1971 to Rajya Sbha. She was part of Bhim Sen Sachar group of Congress which was opposed by Gopichand Bhargav group. Chhabil Das remained attached to Bhim Sen Sachar as his advisor during his Chief Minister and Governor days. In chapter In the eyes of Comrades and Revolutionaries, author has mentioned Jagjit Singh Anand, Press Asia International formed by Manorma and her husband Dewan Birendernath, mention is made of Manorma sister Dr. Santosh Sood, who taught in Panjab University Chandigarh’s Political science department. In chapter-Student and Inspirer, author has returned to Bhagat Singh again, who was Chhabil das student and inspirer as well, even in jail, he was asking for books, while seeing review of a book on Lenin in The Tribune in jail, he asked his lawyer Pranath Mehta, to being that book, which he was reading before being executed. His command over English is praised again. He is mentioned as most favourite student of Chabil Das and was very cheerful person as per his teacher. Chhabil Das was unhappy at Mahatma Gandhi attitude after his execution. Author has expressed her unhappiness at Bhagat Singh being projected as Sikh revolutionary. She has given reference to Comrade Ramchandra book-Ideology and Battle Cries of Indian Revolutionaries and said that pages 112-115 of that book Bhagat Singh’s own written two English poems have been reproduced. As per author’s father Bhagat Singh wrote very good poetry in English. He also wrote scripts and songs for Dramatic group of National College, in which he performed also. All teachers of National College agreed that they never saw such talented and all qualities holder student like Bhagat Singh. Author has given brief description of Chhabil das books in this chapter, who underlined Karl Marx, Fredrick Engels, Lenin as the greatest human beings of the world, apart from Rousseau and Voltaire. She has mentioned Comrade Ramkrishan, who used to add B.A.(National) title to his name and Hindi writer Yashpal as his favourite coleagues. In last chapter-Nice man and loving friend, author has refred to couple’s and other friends caring attitude, mention is made of Brijnarain, Giani Hira Singh Dard and Devdutt Atal, who formed Bal Bharat Sabha,Dhanwantri, Comrade Paras Ram, Ganpat Rai, are also mentioned. The concluding phrase of the book is-Their Revolutionary journey was successful! Five books have been refered in reference section, which include three by Comrade Ramchand, one by Satyaketu Vidyalankar’s History of Arya Samaj and one report on Servants of People’s society by Satyapal. Not written in much organised form, still the book is valuable for knowing the personalities of freedom struggle. 2. Azadi ki Basti(Hindi)-Freedom Residence, Manorma Diwan, 2006, Remadhav Ghaziabad, pages 172, price 100/ Rupees Image Drag and drop an image, upload, or choose from your library. Upload Select Image Generate Image Insert from URL IN 2006 EXPRESSING HER DISMAY AT INCREASING COMMUNALISM, Manorma DiwAN WROTE IN BRIEF introduction to this book that ‘her relation with Lahore is such that even after such long gap, it keeps getting more strengthed’! This is proper book of memoirs and her memoirs are jotted down in 15 chapters. While there are repetitions in both her books published in same year and on same theme, yet this book seems to be stylistically more appealing. First chapter is –in Lajpat Rai Bhavan-in Lahore, almost like first chapter of her book Inqlabi Yatra, additional information is former Vice President Krishan Kant mother Satyavati celebrating her 100th birthday on 23rd February 2005, she lived for few more years. Second chapter is on her –‘Revolutionary Parents’, discussed in detail in other book. Here 1942 arrests scene is created impressively. In chapter Inqlab Zindabad, focus is on National college set up on 16th May 1921, Lala Lajpat Rai, Chancellor, Bhai Permanand VC, Acharya Jugal Kishore-Principal, Chhabil Das-Registrar and Professor, later Principal after Jugal Kishore retired, Number of students 153, closed in 1926. Bhagat Singh admitted in 1922 at the age of 15 years without Matric, admitted in first year, he passed Inter-FA in 1923 and started doing BA. Bhagat Singh-Chhabil Das-Teacher-taught, but friends, family relations with BS family. Both brothers-Kultar-Kuljit(Kulbir) digressed, no memorial at Hussainiwala till 1967(1965-YB Chavan laid foundation). No film yet on Chandershekhar Azad/Aruan Asaf Ali, Lahore’s Ratan cinema showed KL Sehgal’s Shahjahan, Viplov Thakur, daughter of Comrade Paras Ram in HP? Toady-British touts were called. Manorma Diwan entered Lahore women’s jail to be with her mother due to young age. She met many women criminal cases convicts and even saw how a woman prisoner was hanged, affecting her mind condition for some time, she disclosed it to her mother much later. In chapter-Tiranga on British jail-author describes the valour of women prisoners, who put on Triclolour Congress flag on British jail in Lahore on 9th August 1943, to mark Quit India anniversary-a big event. One chapter is on Aruna Asaf Ali,Freda Bedi and Rameshwari Nehru, all great fighters in Lahore. Aruna remained Mayor of Delhi in 1958. Baba Pyare Lal Bedi was from famous Bedi clan of Dera Babab Nanakand his mother Phool Kaur was daughter of Kapurthla Diwan(Prime Minister) Harikishan Das. His brother Trilochan Bedi was ICS officer. Studyin in Oxford, he got involved with British girl Freda, whom he married and who took part in freedom struggle with Pyare Lal bedi. In last years Freda became Buddhist. Mention is made of Naujwan Bharat Sabha and Congress activist kedarnath Sehgal defeating RSS candidate Beliram. Freda died in 1977 and her last rites were performed in author hme in Delhi. Comrade Ramchand was from Nurpur kangra and organised NBS with Bhagat Singh, remained Punjab MLA, wrote three books on revolutionaries at the age of 80 years on his own expenses. Ashq couple, Hansraj Rehbar visits to home are mentioned. Women leader Shanno Devi, who remained Deputy Speaker of Punjab assembly is also here. Rameshwari Nehru was married to Jawahar cousin Brij Nehru and her relinquished Lahore MLA seat was offered to Sita Devi, mother of Manorma in 1945. In chapter revolutionary Bal sabha and Nanhe qaidi, Manorma and Santosh joined Bal Sabha, as Indira made in Anand Bhavan in Allahabad. But her sister Vijya even at 13 years of age was active with Communists and was even jailed young, but she was not bothered. In one chapter-Where these People have Gone-author remembers Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan, Iftarudin of Lahore, at whose house Nehru used to stay. Sarojini Naidu. One chapter is dedicated to Our Dede(Dadi-grandmother/paternal), who was conservative, but tolerated everything. On Hindu Code Bill, not only Ambedkar, Sita Devi also faced RSS wrath. In chapter-A big political family-author mentions Lala Achint Ram family-his wife Satyavati, son Krishan Kant, daughter Subhadra,Suman Krishan kant, Avtar-Pushpa-InderGujral family, Seth Radhakrishan in Amritsar, Comrade Ramkrishan, his wife Savitri died in 2004. Harikishan Premi etc. were all part of this big family. In chapter devoted to Kabir, Guru Nanak and Christ, author notes impact of these liberal saints. Mention is made of Bhagat Singh’s letter of 24th July 1930 to his friend Jaidev to bring many mentioned books from Dwarkadas library. In one chapter Anarkali, Noorjahan, Jindan and Pandei are depicted as great women from Lahore, but discriminated as women. Anarkali tomb made in 1604 by Salim(Jahangir), which took ten years to complete, now in Punjab archives, Pandei lived close to Anarkali tomb. Noorjahan tomb is in bad shape. Another chapter is Shalimar Bagh vs. Bulleshah-beauti of Shalimar garden and Bulle’s sufi poetry is mentioned and last chapter of these memoirs is- The tales of Tobha Tek Singhs-author blames Lord Mountbatten for partition of the country and thinks it to be his conspiracy. First communal riots in Baluchistan in 1946 finds reference, where ‘Chaman ke angoor’-Grapes of Chaman(a town) were famous.Partition and its fall out the migrated millions are mentioned and Manto story as symbol Family lived with Amarnath Sood after migration in Dharmshala, then in Amritsar before settling in Jalandhar. These are scattered memoirs but one can feel the touch of Lahore and days of freedom struggle, feel of revolutionaries and warmth of those days. Important books.

Maulvi Barkatullah role in freedom Struggle and reprehnsible efforts to erase his name by colonial colloboraters

Reposting an old post in controversy over Maulvi Barkatullah, with some monumental photographs

                            

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/maulana-barkatullah-prime-minister-name-bhopal-university-10726132/

Only the traitors of the freedom struggle can try to erase Maulvi Barkatullah's name from the public gaze! Prime Minister of the first free Indian government in exile and Ghadar party major activist makes the heart burn for those who collaborated with the British colonial regime!

It was in May 2011, when I was invited to deliver the Ghadar party young hero Kartar Singh Sarabha memorial lecture at Yugantar Ashram(Ghadar Memorial Hall) at San Francisco, now under the Indian Govt. Kuldip Dhaliwal organisation hasd invited me.

Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal, now Punjab AAP leader and ex Minister and myself paying tributes to Maulvi Barkatullah at Sacramento historic graveyard, Curator Cemetery with us at the gate of the historic cemetery

It has been a hundred years since the Gadar party was launched in March 1913, in the United States by a band of fiery young Indian expatriates to wage an armed struggle against British rulers in India. To commemorate the party’s centennial, the author recommends that the Indian government take concrete steps to raise awareness of the party and the radical and revolutionary movement it unleashed.

Chaman Lal (Prof.chaman@gmail.com) retired professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

The Gadar party was formed in the United States in the early twentieth century by migrant Indians, mostly Punjabis. However, the party also included Indians from all parts of India, such as Darisi Chenchiah and Champak Raman Pillai from South, Vishnu Ganesh Pingle and Sadashiv Pandurang Khankhoje from West India, Jatinder Lahiri and Taraknath Das from East India, Maulvi Barkatullah and Pandit Permanand Jhansi from Central India and many more. In March 1913, in a meeting at St. Jones, the party was established as the “Hindi Association of Pacific Coast” under the leadership of Lala Har Dayal, with Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna as its president. However, it became popularly known as the Gadar Party after it launched its journal “Gadar” on 1 November 1913, in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Pashto and other Indian languages from its headquarters, the Yugantar Ashram in San Francisco. The building which housed the headquarters is now named the “Gadar Memorial”. The party took its name Gadar to consciously identify itself with the first war of Independence in 1857, which the British termed the “Gadar”(revolt). Though the party’s planned “Gadar” in India failed to take off in February 1915, more than a hundred Gadar activists paid with their lives, 41 being shot in Singapore alone on 15 February, 1915. Hundreds were imprisoned for long terms with many being sent to the “Kalapani”, as the jail in the Andamans was known. The Gadar Movement was the most advanced secular democratic movement of its time, whose tradition was upheld and appropriated by Bhagat Singh later, with further addition of socialist ideology.

I visited the Gadar memorial in San Francisco, where I had been invited to deliver a lecture on the Gadar party hero Kartar Singh Sarabha on 22 May, 2011, to commemorate his birth anniversary. In addition to visiting this historic site, I got an opportunity to visit the Stockton Gurdwara, where many meetings of the Gadar party were held, the Sacramento Cemetery, where not only the Gadar party senior activist Maulvi Barkatullah, but many other freedom fighters from Punjab have been buried as well, and the Holt farm of the Gadar party vice president Jawala Singh. These historic sites lie in a state of neglect, and I suggest that the Indian government should attempt to restore these sites and create awareness about the Gadar movement, particularly since this is the centenary year of the party.

The Gadar Memorial

The Gadar Memorial is located at 5 Wood Street in San Francisco. Having been reconstructed, it has lost its heritage character, and even its original name ‒Yugantar Ashram‒ finds no reference anywhere. The name was adopted to identify with the early revolutionary movement in Bengal called “Yugantar”. The original name of the building was written in Urdu, Punjabi and English. Now, only the changed name is painted on the front wall in English and Hindi with no Punjabi or Urdu version. The building was handed over to the government of India after the country attained independence, and the Gadar party was formally dissolved. Presently, it is under the administrative control of the Consulate General of India, San Francisco. There is no proper caretaker of the building, and important documents and items related to the Gadar movement, including the artificial arm of Gadarite Harnam Singh Tundilat (who lost his arm during the movement and became famous as “Tundilat” or “broken arm lord”) are displayed in glass cases without any lock and key. Most of the time, this historic building remains closed, and when someone wants to visit it they need special permission from the Consulate.

This building should be rebuilt on the lines of the original heritage building and named again as the Yugantar Ashram. It should be converted into a library-cum-research centre on the model of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in New Delhi, even if on a smaller scale. Further, the Berkeley campus of the University of California should be involved in this project, and the memorial building should be leased to the University for establishing the Gadar archives and research centre. The Bancroft Library of the University already has a Gadar archive with 20 boxes of documents and some digitised records. The Indian Government should also consider establishing the Kartar Singh Sarabha Chair at the University of California, Berkeley, where Sarabha was a student of science in 1912-13, and this Chair could well be linked with the Gadar memorial. Copies of all the documents relating to the Gadar movement, spread across countries where the Gadar party was either active, or had influence like the US, Canada, India, Singapore, Philippines, China, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, etc., should be brought to this research centre. This would be the best tribute to Sarabha and the Gadar party during its centenary celebrations.

The model of the ship Komagata Maru should also be displayed. A film ‘Continuous Journey’ made by Ali Kazmi on the Komagata Maru incident, beautifully captures the moments from that period. This documentary should be shown and distributed throughout Indian schools and colleges during the centenary year.

The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library should acquire photocopies or the digitised version of the Gadar Archives from the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. Copies of documents housed in New York Public Library and other places in USA, Canada and other countries too should also be acquired. At the Nehru Memorial, a special section on the Gadar movement and the movement led by Bhagat Singh should be created as the two are inseparable from each other.

Stockton Gurudwara and Other Historic Sites

Sacramento Cemetery, where Maulvi Barkatullah’s and other Punjabi Muslim freedom fighters’ graves are found, a plaque with details should be put up by the Indian government. The caretaker of this cemetery, Patricia Hutchings, is keen to know the details and willing to put them up. The Stockton Gurudwara, where meetings of the Gadar party activists took place and where a hall still stands in the name of Gadari Babas, has been taken over by Khalistani sympathisers. A big banner “Khalistan Zindabad” with the photograph of Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale is displayed at the entrance of the Gurdwara. The pictures of the Gadar party heroes have been replaced by those of gun-toting Khalistani “martyrs”, including the killers of Indira Gandhi and General Vaidya. Despite the existence of a prayer room, the Gadar hall has been converted into an additional prayer room with a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib residing there. The local Sikhs who run the Gurdwara are strongly influenced by the Khalistani movement and are ignorant of the glorious past of the Gadar movement. The Indian government can initiate an awareness campaign about the significance of the Gadar movement among local Sikhs/Punjabis and restore the image of the

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/bhagat-singh-martyrdom-satvinder-singh-juss-lahore-archives-10595

Beyond a martyr: British academic uncovers Lahore archive revealing Bhagat Singh as a global intellectual

Professor Satvinder Singh Juss's research revives calls to access the Lahore archive and revisit Bhagat Singh's ideas.

Written by: Manraj Grewal Sharma

4 min readChandigarhMar 22, 2026 04:48 PM IST

Prof Chaman Lal (left) with Prof Satvinder Singh Juss.

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On the eve of Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom anniversary, a renewed call to reclaim his intellectual and political legacy has emerged from an unlikely archive on the other side of the border.

Satvinder Singh Juss, a professor of law at King’s College London and a barrister at Gray’s Inn, has spent years examining a cache of documents in Lahore that remain largely inaccessible to Indian scholars. His work, carried out between 2017 and 2019, uncovered not 30 but 65 archival records linked to Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary contemporaries.

Juss’s journey into this forgotten archive began, as many good stories do, with a stray article. Nearly a decade ago, Prof Chaman Lal, a renowned Indian academic and leading authority on the life of Bhagat Singh, wrote about a parallel stream of the freedom struggle that was quietly fading from public memory. While the Congress movement under Mahatma Gandhi dominated the narrative, the revolutionary tradition, with its sharper, more radical edge, was being reduced to a footnote. Lal had pointed to about 30 documents lying in Pakistan, out of reach for Indian scholars.

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Complete works of Bhagat Singh in Urdu Translation

You can read Shaheed Bhagat Singh: Dastaezon ke Aaine Mein in Urdu here.

Bhagat Singh – Dastaveezon Ke Aine Men – Academy of the Punjab in North America

Remembering B K Dutt on Birth Anniversary

Remembering Batukeshwar Dutt, the forgotten comrade of Bhagat Singh - The Hindu

 Azad, Chaman Lal, Bhagat Singh aur Dutt ki Amar Kahani (Urdu), Hindi unpublished Translation by Naresh Nadeem, !965, Delhi pages 278

                 On 8th April 1929, Hindustan Times, New Delhi, brought out a special evening edition, and Statesman Calcutta filed a story to its London correspondent to ensure that it is not censored or stopped by the British colonial regime! The Central Assembly Hall, now called Parliament of India, whose building had come up in 1927(now reshaped into Central Vista, ignoring its historicity)); before it, it functioned from what is now Delhi Vidhan Sabha, and was bombed around 12 0 o'clock by two young men. The hall was resonating with slogans of Inqilab Zindabad (Long live Revolution) and Samrajyavad ka Nash ho(Down with Imperialism), both international slogans but popularised by these two young men in the whole of South Asia. Red posters-“To Make the Deaf Hear’,  were thrown inside the hall, one picked up by an HT reporter, which got publicised by its special evening edition!

 

   These two names Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwdr(BK) Dutt instantly became renowned in whole of the whole world as at least ten newspapers from England, Canada, Australia and the USA, apart from innumerable Indian languages newspapers throughout India, carried the news, one Indian and another international paper headlining it as “Reds Storm the Assembly!

 

     While Bhagat Singh in times to come became an iconic hero of the revolutionary movement, his comrade and close friend BK Dutt remained in the news but not to the extent that he deserved. After release from British jail, the post-independence Bihar Government allotted him a coal depot, in which Dutt lost more money than he earned. President Rajender Prasad had to draw the attention of Bihar Government to give respect to the revolutionary, so he was nominated as a member of Bihar Legislative Council, but for the residue six-month term of a member!

 

    Ignored by Bureaucracy moulded in British colonial mode, but respected by political leaders of his contemporary times, BK Dutt, when fell seriously ill in 1964-65, he had to be rescued to Delhi to be admitted in AIIMS by political leadership and for a short while, at least during his last days and sometime after his death, he got the respect of the nation as he deserved. This story of revolutionary/ies neglect was penned down by another revolutionary comrade of Bhagat Singh and Dutt in Urdu by Chaman Lal Azad, who had become a journalist in post-revolutionary free India and served as news editor of Daily Urdu Pratap founded in Lahore earlier, whose one editor Virender was part of the revolutionary movement and had noted down exact time of Bhagat Singh and Rajguru execution in Lahore jail as 7.33 pm. Virender’s son and granddaughter, Chander Mohan and Jyotsna Mohan, have recently come out with Pratap's story as Pratap: A Defiant Newspaper, though they have missed this part of story. Chaman Lal Azad, while taking care of Dutt in AIIMS, started writing simultaneously series of stories in Pratap, while sitting with Dutt for hours. Those serialised stories took the shape of 358 pages, book-‘Bhagat Singh aur Dutt ki Amar Kahani’! Published in 1966, after few months of Dutt’s death on 20th July 1965, the book carried on the first page the note that this book’s Hindi and English translations are being published shortly! Though this is one of most authentic accounts of the revolutionary movement and its political organisation-HSRA and mass organisation- Naujwan Bharat Sabha , both of which Azad himself was part. The original Urdu book, which had the Punjab Govt. support of dept of Historic Documents at that time, it is almost impossible to find its copy! Its copies in libraries are not found, leaving aside a few individuals, who might have its copy! Even Dutt family does not have its copy, which was checked by this author with Dutt daughter Bharti Bagchi, who retired from Patna college as Professor of Economics! She said that they had its copy which because she could not read, so she gifted to Khuda Baksh Library Patna, this library itself is an iconic library. She also told that she has its Hindi translation copy, done by the author himself, but she has misplaced in her papers. The author himself has mentioned that book is a collection of his serialised 29 articles in Pratap and Veer Arjun. The book is not written in academic manner and it is not chronicled account of events, but though written in scattered manner and few chapters include author dated diaries from 1st January 1965 to 20th July 1965, in its contents, it is mine of authentic information, from which many books can be further written.

 

  BK Dutt was born on 18th November 1910 in Burdwan district lies close to Bhagat Singh in eternity cremated at Hussaini Wala in Ferozepur district of Punjab on 21st July 1965. The place which was part of Pakistan till 1965 and was acquired and memorial to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev was being built, when Batukeshwar Dutt passed away and as per his desire, he was cremated at the same place, where Bhagat Singh was cremated on 24th March 1931 after the trio were hanged secretively in Lahore jail on 23rd March evening!

 

      The contents of Chaman Lal Azad book are as follows briefly-

 

1.Major writings of Bhagat Singh, including 1.2nd February 1931-Letter to young Political Workers, 2. 6th June 1929 Session court statement of Bhagat Singh and BK Dutt3. Post cards of Bhagat Singh to father, brothers and BK Dutt sister Pramila, who died prior to Dutt and from her papers, he found the letter. Perhaps these were first publication of Bhagat Singh writings in a book, and the process of collecting his writings got pace after the publication of this book.

 

Mahatma Gandhi's letter to BK Dutt

 

2. Photographs of BK Dutt with Prime Minister Nehru in 1963 meeting. In one picture Indira Gandhi is with Nehru, and in another Congress leader and old revolutionary S M Ghosh is standing. S M Ghosh rendered maximum help during Dutt's illness and treatment in AIIMS Delhi.

 

3. The book contains a scattered history of the freedom struggle, especially of revolutionaries’ role at different times in the movement has been jotted down, like that of Beena Das, who had shot a British official in Bengal. Harikishan, who of Galladher near Mardan in NWFP at that time, now called Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Interesting information, seen first time, that Harikishan's whole family suffered a lot. Harikishan was hanged for shooting Punjab Lieutenant Governor on 23rd December 1930 during Panjab University Lahore convocation. His father Rai Bahadur  Lala Gurdas Ram Talwar died of heart attack, when police were harassing him for signing security terms from him, who refused to comply. Harikishan other brother Bhagat Ram Talwar, helped Subhash Bose escape to Kabul. Yet another brother Jamuna Das suffered 11 years jail, which was condemned by Nehru in his autobiography. I saw the first mention of Talwar family ancestors from Patiala district in Punjab and migrated to Mardan few generations before to Mardan. This is also narrated in the book that Harikishan went on nine days hunger strike in Lahore jail to meet Bhagat Singh, which was not being allowed by jail officials, they finally met. Harikishan was hanged on 9th June 1931, two and a half months after Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged. Punjab legislative council President Durga Das Khanna, Milap editor Ranbir and Chaman Lal of Mardan were also sentenced to death in this case, but were acquitted later after Harikishan was hanged.

 

   Bhagat Singh wrote two letters from jail to Harikishan lawyer Asaf Ali, who was also BK Dutt lawyer. Bhagat Singh had questioned Asaf Ali's approach of denying the act of bravery. One of these letters was lost and was found by this author 75 years later and was retranslated in English, which was published in The Hindu in 2014.. Chaman Lal Azad has mentioned that BK Dutt told him Asaf Ali has changed the term-‘Dictatorship of the Proletariat’ in joint session court statement of Bhagat Singh and BK Dutt in Delhi Assembly bomb case, to ‘Sovereignty the People’! V N Datta in his book-Gandhi and Bhagat Singh had imagined that the joint statement for the court was drafted by Pt. Nehru.

 

    The large part of this long book is devoted to the physical suffering of BK Dutt during his eight-month hospitalisation in Delhi due to bone cancer as per orthopaedic expert doctors. One of the top-level Doctors, Doctor Vig had clarified to Dutt comrades and political leaders that they are just trying for ‘painless death’ of Dutt, as his cancer was beyond recovery. Govt of India had tried to send Dutt abroad too, but High Commissioner in London had sent a report to the effect that the Delhi treatment was on the correct lines and Europe had no better treatment facilities than Delhi.

 

       BK Dutt spent nine years in different prisons after being convicted on 12th June 1929 in Delhi Assembly bomb case and was not released in 1937 when many revolutionaries were released, after 1937 elections and Congress governments coming to power in seven out of eleven provinces. Dutt spent years in Multan, Jhelum, Trichinopoly, Salem in Madras and Andaman jails and at in every jail, he had to resort to hunger strike for better treatment, twice he went through one and half months’ hunger strike. At the time of Bhagat Singh execution on 23rd March 1931, Dutt was in Salem jail in Madras, and he had a nightmare seeing Bhagat Singh in chains! After release in 1938, he was again imprisoned during 1942 Quit India movement for four years. After first release Dutt married Anjali, a school teacher and had a daughter Bharti, both mother and daughter were with him in last months of his illness. Bharti Bagchi retired as Professor of Economics from Patna college, where Dutt family settled after his entry to Punjab and Delhi was banned. Dutt has passed away on early hours of 20th July 1965 and his body was taken to Hussaini Wala in Punjab in a funeral prodession, where earlier his soulmate Bhagat Singh and his comrades were cremated on 24th March morning. After his death, Dutt was given such honour by Central Govt. In Delhi and Punjab Govt, that today’s power holding all powerful leaders will envy. Apart from People in lakhs, President, Prime Minister, the Central ministers, the Speaker of Lok Sabha and the Punjab Chief Minister paid him so emotional tributes, and his funeral procession was so huge, yet no one now even remembers that the last journey of the great hero, pictures included in the book speak of those days! Ironically Bhagat Singh or Dutt never found their portrait put up in Central Assembly (Parliament) gallery hall of portraits, whereas Savarkar’s portrait, who was an accused but acquitted in the Mahatma Gandhi assassination case, was put up just opposite the Mahatma Gandhi portrait in that Gallery. Despite Dr. Dharamver Gandhi MP and some other leftist MPs, including late Sita Ram Yechuri, protesting for it in 2014, the BS portrait was never put up, whereas a number of lesser-known persons' portraits are put up in that gallery!

 

    Author Azad had met Dutt for the first time in 1941, when Dutt had come to Delhi for treatment in Joshi hospital and remained in touch with him afterwards. Azad has also mentioned that Ehsan Ilahi ( like Mubark Sagar and few more), their Naujwan Bharat Sabha activist comrade had migrated to Pakistan after partition and with reference of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Azad has mentioned, Elahi became a well-known musician of Lahore, but then he got paralyzed with no one to help. Azad collected 1300/ rupees fund and requested Pakistan High commission in Delhi to forward the money to Ehsan, which took four months to reach, by the time Ehsan Elahi has passed away!

 

    Another interesting observation is made by Dutt in conversation about films made on Bhagat Singh in fifties about which only Sree Rajyam Sinha wife of  revolutionary Bejoy Kumar Sinha has mentioned later in her 1993 book on her husband Bejoy Kumar Sinha that how Bhagat Singh family and revolutionaries including Dutt had protested and demanded a ban on those earlier films. Only Manoj Kumar made Shaheed was approved by the family and Manoj Kumar has mentioned that he had met BK Dutt also.

 

   The relationship between Bhagat Singh and BK Dutt families is described in great detail, especially Mata Vidyawati's attachment of Dutt, who stayed with Dutt much time during his last days. Interestingly Dutt did not know about BS Family whereabouts till very late and when he came to know, he went to Khatkar Kalan  in 1963 and spent many days there, that was the time, when he had met Pt Nehru also, who was surprised to see Dutt and he also did not know about Vidyawati. After meeting Dutt, probably Pt. Nehru also met Mata Vidyawati at some occasion. During Dutt illness, most members of Bhagat Singh family kept on visiting or staying. Vidyawati was accompanied many times by youngest son Rajinder Singh or 2nd youngest Ranbir Singh, both lived in Bazpur, terai area of UP. Ranbir Singh wife Leela Rani accompanied Vidyawati many times to Ujjain, where poet and freedom fighter Sri Krishan Saral honoured her and he gifted his Hindi epic on Bhagat Singh to her. Vidyawati sold that epic to collect fund for BK treatment and got more than 3400/ rupees, 1100/ rupees more were gifted to her, which she gave to BK Dutt for medical expenses. With Leela Rani, Mata Vidyawati visited Mirzapur Shaheed Park also, where she unveiled young revolutionary Khudi Ram Bose statue, the park with a number of revolutionaries statues was built by Batuknath Aggarwal and is one of the best parks in the country in memory of young revolutionary martyrs!

 

  Those central leaders who took interest and visited BK Dutt in the hospital included Home Minister  Gulzari Lan Nanda, Défense minister Y B Chavan, Health minister Dr. Sushila Nayyar, ministers Jagjivan Ram, Swarn Singh, D Sanjivya and many more. Almost all living revolutionaries at that time Shiv Verma <Kundan Lal Gupt, des Raj Bharti, Jatin Das brother Kiran Das, Vaishampayan, Sadashiv Malkapurkar, Bhagwan Das Mahaur remained in or visited Delhi during Dutt hospitalisation. Interestingly, Shiv Verma was incarcerated due to the CPI-CPM split, and he, being part of CPM, was jailed; he came on  8-hour parole to meet his old comrade. But Shiv Verma was not allowed parole to attend BK Dutt cremation at Hussaini Wala in Punjab. Delhi Congress President Mir Mushtaq Ahmad made arrangements at Delhi Corporation office for the body to be kept for people to pay tributes. Speaker Hukam Singh paid tributes on behalf of Parliament. Punjab Chief minister Comrade Ramkishan, who himself remained with Naujwan Bharat Sabha, once remained concerned throughout and visited many times. One cannot find among today’s leaders such respect for revolutionary freedom fighters.

 

  There are some errors in the dates of historic events. Azad wrote that Gandhi-Irwin talks started on 17th February and ten days later, Chander Shekhar Azad was killed on 27th February in Allahabad. Gandhi Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed on 14th March, and Bhagat Singh and comrades were hanged nine days later! Gandhi Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed on 5th March. Mention is made of Chander Singh Garhwali also, whose refusal to fire at freedom fighters  in Peshawar was criticised by Mahatma Gandhi and was offered a pension of 14/rupees by Congress Government at that time, which Garhwali rejected with contempt it deserved!

 

     One chapter author Azad has devoted to ‘The Significance of Bhagat Singh’ where he has rightly underlined that Bhagat Singh’s significance lied in making a revolutionary movement to rise up over religion and with his intellectual mind made it yearn for building socialism. Dutt also mentioned in conversation that Bhagat Singh was a much farsighted person; he always had a book with him and started reading anywhere he went.

 

    The book is so huge with so many more details of revolutionaries, that it is not possible to summarise in a short article, for which readers need to go through the book. It was translated at that time in Savera of Marathi and one Malayalam paper from Kerala, and in Hindi.

 

 Two more notable books-Justice Anil Verma’s Bhagat Singh ke Sahyogi : Batukeshwar Dutt and Bharab Lal Das’s Viplvi Batukeshwar Dutt in Hindi were p published after 2007, but Azad book is from the core of the heart of a living revolutionary and ironically its new Hindi translation, which this author has impressed Publication Division, Govt of India to get done, is lying without publication, as the descendants of Azad are not traceable for purpose of copyrights permission! The Hindi translator of the book has already been paid more than one lakh rupees for translation! Probably Azad has no child and I last heard from old UNI press agency sources was that Azad’s wife lived in Gulmohar Park New Delhi residence, which he might have got allotted from journalists’ quota, as many other old journalists like Dewan Birendra Nath(Zafar Pyami) family once lived there. Present Urdu Pratap management and editor in Delhi, has no clue either of their retired news editor!

 

       It is a bit reflection on History writing as well. Urdu, Persian or Arabic are used for medieval history writing by eminent historians of Mediaeval India, but for modern History writing, even the authentic books/memoirs etc are not taken into account. Students of Medieval Indian History perhaps learn Urdu/Persian for consulting source material, but for modern Indian history, mostly English language sources are depended upon, to some extent in different linguistic states, the region’s languages-Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Punjabi etc may be taken into account, but rarely Urdu books are treated as source material for modern Indian history, whereas till at least two decades after independence many of freedom fighters like Z A Ahmed etc penned down their memoirs in Urdu language. But to think of using the Urdu language as source material for the history writing of modern India might be like ‘red rag to the bull’ under the present political dispensation!