Bhagat Singh was one of India’s greatest freedom fighters. He was born on September 28, 1907, in a small village called Banga, in present-day Pakistan. His family was deeply involved in the fight against British rule. This had a big impact on Bhagat Singh from a very young age. He grew up with strong feelings of patriotism and a desire to free India from British control.
Important Dates
Date
Event
September 28, 1907
Bhagat Singh was born in Banga, Punjab (now in Pakistan).
April 13, 1919
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, which deeply impacted Bhagat Singh.
1926
Bhagat Singh joined the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).
December 17, 1928
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev killed British officer John Saunders.
April 8, 1929
Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly.
June 1929
Bhagat Singh went on a hunger strike in jail for better treatment of Indian prisoners.
March 23, 1931
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were hanged in Lahore Central Jail.
Early Life and Education
Bhagat Singh was an intelligent and curious child. He did well in school and was interested in the history of India’s freedom struggle. At the age of 12, he visited the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. This visit left a lasting impression on him. In 1919, hundreds of Indians were killed in a massacre there by British forces. This tragedy made Bhagat Singh hate British rule even more.
He went to school in Lahore and joined the National College there. He became involved in political activities at an early age. At just 16, Bhagat Singh started to actively participate in India’s freedom movement. He began writing and speaking against the British and inspired many others to join the cause.
Influences and Revolutionary Ideals
Bhagat Singh was influenced by the works of freedom fighters like Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bhai Parmanand. He was also inspired by socialist ideas and read about revolutionaries like Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. Bhagat Singh believed that India needed a complete social and political revolution, not just freedom from British rule.
In 1928, British police brutally beat Lala Lajpat Rai during a peaceful protest against the Simon Commission. This incident angered Bhagat Singh and his fellow revolutionaries. They decided to take revenge for Lala Lajpat Rai’s death.
Role in the Freedom Struggle
On December 17, 1928, Bhagat Singh, along with his friends Rajguru and Sukhdev, shot and killed a British police officer named John Saunders. Saunders was responsible for the brutal attack on Lala Lajpat Rai. Bhagat Singh and his friends managed to escape after the attack.
In April 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw two bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. Their aim was not to kill anyone but to protest against unfair laws passed by the British government. After throwing the bombs, they shouted slogans like “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long live the revolution) and surrendered themselves to the police. Bhagat Singh wanted to use his trial as a platform to spread his revolutionary message.
One of his most famous quotes during this time was, “It is easy to kill individuals, but you cannot kill ideas. Great empires crumble, but ideas survive.” These words reflect his belief in the power of revolutionary thought and social change.
Imprisonment and Execution
While in jail, Bhagat Singh went on a hunger strike to demand better treatment for Indian prisoners. His hunger strike lasted for 116 days, gaining widespread attention across India. Many people began to see Bhagat Singh as a symbol of courage and resistance against British rule.
The British government charged Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev with the murder of John Saunders. After a long trial, all three were sentenced to death. Despite efforts by Indian leaders to save him, Bhagat Singh was hanged on March 23, 1931, at the age of 23. The execution took place in the Central Jail of Lahore.
Legacy
Bhagat Singh’s sacrifice made him a national hero. His courage and willingness to die for India’s freedom inspired millions of people. Even though his life was short, his ideas about revolution, equality, and justice continue to influence people to this day.
Today, Bhagat Singh is remembered as Shaheed Bhagat Singh (Shaheed means martyr) and is a symbol of bravery and patriotism. Schools, roads, and public places are named after him, and his life remains an inspiration to young Indians fighting for justice and equality.
List of some of the most famous quotes by Bhagat Singh
“It is easy to kill individuals, but you cannot kill ideas. Great empires crumble, but ideas survive.”
It is easy to kill individuals, but you cannot kill ideas. Great empires crumble, but ideas survive.
“They may kill me, but they cannot kill my ideas. They can crush my body, but they will not be able to crush my spirit.”
“Revolution is an inalienable right of mankind. Freedom is an imperishable birthright of all.”
“The sanctity of law can be maintained only so long as it is the expression of the will of the people.”
“I am full of ambition and hope and charm of life. But I can renounce everything at the time of need, and that is the real sacrifice.”
“Merciless criticism and independent thinking are the two necessary traits of revolutionary thinking.”
“Bombs and pistols do not make a revolution. The sword of revolution is sharpened on the whetting stone of ideas.”
“Life is lived on its own…other’s shoulders are used only at the time of funeral.”
“Lovers, lunatics, and poets are made of the same stuff.”
“Any man who stands for progress has to criticize, disbelieve, and challenge every item of the old faith.”
“The aim of life is no more to control mind, but to develop it harmoniously, not to achieve salvation hereafter, but to make the best use of it here below.”
“I am such a lunatic that I am free even in jail.”
“Inquilab Zindabad!” (Translation: Long live the revolution!)
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