Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh is considered to be one of the most influential revolutionaries of Indian Nationalist Movement. He became involved with numerous revolutionary organizations and played an important role in the Indian National movement. He died a martyr at the age of just 23 years. Following his execution, on March 23, 1931, the supporters and followers of Bhagat Singh regarded him as a "Shaheed" (martyr).

Childhood and Early Life

Bhagat Singh was born on September 28, 1907, at Banga in Lyallpur district (now Pakistan) to Kishan Singh and Vidyavati. At the time of his birth, his father Kishan Singh, uncles Ajit and Swaran Singh were in jail for demonstrations against the Colonization Bill implemented in 1906. His uncle, Sardar Ajit Singh, was a proponent of the movement and established the Indian Patriots' Association. He was well-supported by his friend Syed Haidar Raza in organizing the peasants against the Chenab Canal Colony Bill. Ajit Singh had 22 cases against him and was forced to flee to Iran. His family was the supporter of the Ghadar party and the politically aware environment at home helped incite a sense of patriotism in the heart of young Bhagat Singh.

Bhagat Singh studied till the fifth class in his village school, after which his father Kishan Singh got him enrolled at the Dayanand Anglo Vedic High School in Lahore. At a very young age, Bhagat Singh started following Non-Cooperation Movement, initiated by Mahatma Gandhi. Bhagat Singh had openly defied the British and had followed Gandhi's wishes by burning the government-sponsored books. He even left the school to enrol at the National College in Lahore. Two incidents during his teen days shaped his strong patriotic outlook - the Jallianwala Bagh Masacre in 1919 and killing of unarmed Akali protesters at the Nankana Sahib in 1921. His family believed in the Gandhian ideology of non-violent approach to attain Swaraj and for a while Bhagat Singh also supported the Indian National Congress and the causes behind the Non-Cooperation Movement. Following the Chauri Chaura Incident, Gandhi called for the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation movement. Unhappy with the decision, Bhagat Singh, isolated himself from Gandhi's nonviolent action and joined the Young Revolutionary Movement. Thus began his journey as the most prominent advocate of violent insurgency against the British Raj