Bhagat Singh: A Fighter For Indian Independence
Updated: Sep 26
Bhagat Singh (1907-1931) was an Indian revolutionary and socialist who played a significant role in India's struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He was born in Punjab province, which is now in Pakistan, and was deeply influenced by his father, Kishan Singh, who was a member of the Ghadar Party, a radical anti-colonial organization.
Bhagat Singh became politically active at a young age and was deeply committed to the cause of Indian independence. He joined the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), a revolutionary organization that sought to overthrow British rule through armed struggle.
In 1928 Bhagat Singh plotted with others to kill the police chief responsible for the death of Indian writer and politician Lala Lajpat Rai, one of the founders of National College, during a silent march opposing the Simon Commission. Instead, in a case of mistaken identity, junior officer J.P. Saunders was killed, and Bhagat Singh had to flee Lahore to escape the death penalty. In 1929 he and an associate lobbed a bomb at the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi to protest the implementation of the Defence of India Act and then surrendered.
During his time in prison, Bhagat Singh became an iconic figure in the Indian independence movement. He staged hunger strikes and wrote extensively on socialism, revolution, and the need for India to achieve complete independence from British rule. He was executed by hanging by the British authorities in 1931 at the age of 23, along with his fellow revolutionaries Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru.
Despite his young age, Bhagat Singh's ideas and actions had a profound impact on the Indian independence movement. He advocated for a socialist revolution that would not only end British colonialism but also address the deep-rooted social and economic inequalities within Indian society. He was a prolific writer and thinker, and his writings on socialism, revolution, and the need for India to achieve complete independence from British rule continue to inspire generations of Indians fighting for social justice and equality.
Today, Bhagat Singh is remembered as a hero and martyr of the Indian independence movement, and his legacy continues to inspire generations of Indians fighting for social justice and equality. His life and work are celebrated every year on his birth anniversary, which is observed as a national holiday in India.