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Kartar Singh Sarabha
About:
- Kartar Singh Sarabha was a prominent Indian revolutionary and a key figure in the Ghadar Party, which sought to liberate India from British colonial rule through armed struggle.
- Born on May 24, 1896, in Sarabha village near Ludhiana, Punjab, he became involved in revolutionary activities at a young age.
- By the time he was 15, he had joined the Ghadar Party, which was founded in 1913 by Indian expatriates in North America, with the aim of inciting rebellion against British rule in India.
Early Life and Education:
- Sarabha faced personal challenges early on, losing his father and being raised by his grandfather.
- He moved to Odisha for further education and later travelled to San Francisco in July 1912 to study electrical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.
- However, his experiences as an immigrant exposed him to the harsh realities of colonial oppression, igniting his passion for India’s independence.
Role in the Ghadar Party:
- Once he joined the Ghadar Party, Sarabha quickly became one of its most active members.
- He contributed significantly by assisting in the publication of the party’s revolutionary newspaper, Ghadar, which aimed to mobilise Indians against British rule. His involvement included editing and distributing literature that called for armed revolt against the British authorities.
- The Ghadar Party primarily targeted Indian soldiers in the British Army, hoping to incite mutiny during World War I when Britain was heavily reliant on its colonial troops.
Revolutionary Activities:
- In August 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, Sarabha and other Ghadar leaders planned an uprising.
- They aimed to exploit the war as an opportunity to rally support for their cause. Sarabha returned to India in September 1914 with plans to incite rebellion among Indian troops.
- He travelled across various military cantonments, including Lahore and Rawalpindi, attempting to galvanise support for an uprising scheduled for February 21, 1915.
- Unfortunately, their plans were thwarted by betrayal from an informer within their ranks. Many Ghadar leaders were arrested before they could execute their plans, leading to a crackdown on their activities by British authorities. Despite this setback, Sarabha remained committed to the cause and continued to inspire others.
Arrest and Execution:
- Kartar Singh Sarabha was ultimately arrested on March 2, 1915, near Sargodha.
- He was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code during the First Lahore Conspiracy Case trial.
- His trial highlighted his unwavering commitment to India’s freedom; he openly declared his actions as patriotic rather than criminal. On November 16, 1915, at just 19 years old, he was executed by hanging in Lahore Central Jail.
