Date/Time
Date(s) - 03/12/2025 - 04/12/2025
9:30 am - 6:30 pm
Location
Seminar Hall
Categories
Two days National Seminar
On
Forgotten Legends: Punjab’s Unsung Heroes in the Freedom Struggle
03-04 December 2025
CONCEPT NOTE
The national seminar will focus on the theme “Forgotten Legends: Punjab’s Unsung Heroes in the Freedom Struggle”. The theme for the national seminar was initially proposed by the ShoDH (Students for Holistic Development of Humanity) think tank. SHoDH is an effort to initiate a dialogue with the research community in India, bringing together researchers from all disciplines on a single platform for seamless exchange of ideas. This seminar is conceptualised and organised under the guidance of SHoDH, which aims to undertake a comprehensive discourse on the participation and sacrifices of the freedom fighters from Punjab during India’s struggle for freedom, reflecting and highlighting their invaluable contributions.
A profound and unique combination of ideological diversity, popular participation and deep-seated resistance against British rule outlined the freedom struggle in Punjab. The resistance in Punjab played a crucial role in shaping India’s struggle for independence. Punjab witnessed a confluence of revolutionary and militant fervour, agrarian protests and movements, and religious reforms, marking it as a distinct and indispensable site of resistance, in contrast to other regions where the Indian National Congress (INC) influenced resistance.
The earliest anti-colonial resistance in Punjab against the British is traced to the Anglo-Sikh wars (1846-1848). Soon after the annexation of Punjab in 1849, Sikh leaders such as Sher Singh Atariwala, Dewan Mulraj Chattar Singh Atariwala, and Bhai Maharaj Singh made strenuous efforts to reclaim the homeland from the British. Bhai Maharaj’s resistance laid the foundation for uprisings to come; he refused to surrender and planned a rebellion in Bist-Jalandhar Doab. Punjab continued to harbour resentment due to high land revenue demands, the disbandment of the Khalsa Army, and perceived religious interference through missionary activities. The British feared a Sikh uprising during the revolt of 1857, as revealed in Parliamentary Paper No. 238 of 1859, which noted that “universal revolt in Punjab would have broken out if Delhi had not fallen soon.”
Baba Ram Singh organised the Kuka Movement, one of the earliest religious reform movements, which soon turned into an anti-colonial struggle advocating non-cooperation with the British authorities and administration. They boycotted government institutions, maintained an independent communication network, and established local judicial systems. They launched armed attacks on British-supported establishments, including butcher shops in Malerkotla and Amritsar, in 1871-72, to which the British responded with extreme brutality. The British executed 75 Kukas by blowing them from cannons. Despite its suppression, the Kuka movement set a legacy of struggle and inspired future revolutionaries, including the Ghadar Party and Bhagat Singh.
The Ghadar Movement started with fervent resistance. Ghadar, led by Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, Lala Hardyal, and other unsung heroes, emerged from the struggle of the Punjabi diaspora in the US and Canada, driven by frustration with the British government’s discriminatory policies and its indifferent attitude. As a result, the Ghadar revolutionaries decided to wage an armed anti-colonial struggle for independence. In 1946, a ship carrying 376 Indian passengers was made to return to India after they were not allowed to get off the deck; those who returned were killed at the hands of the British authorities at Budge Budge Ghat, which fuelled resentment against colonial rule. An incident as widespread as the Komagata Maru incident further radicalised the Punjabis. The Ghadarites sought support from Russia and Germany to initiate an armed insurrection. However, their efforts were made futile by British Intelligence, which imprisoned and executed several leaders in the Lahore Conspiracy Trial.
The agrarian uprisings of Punjab also played a central role in the freedom struggle. The Punjab peasantry, encumbered by high land revenue, debt, and predatory policies, frequently challenged British rule. In 1907, Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh led an agrarian revolt against the Colonisation Bill, which restricted peasants’ rights over their land. The movement popularised the slogan “Pagri Sambhal Jatta,” invoking peasant pride and resistance. Later, in the 1920s, the Akali Movement emerged as both a religious and political struggle to liberate Sikh gurdwaras from corrupt Mahants backed by the British. The Guru Ka Bagh Morcha, Nankana Sahib Massacre, and Jaito Morcha became non-violent struggles, drawing insights from prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. In the interim, radical and revolutionary groups, known as Babar Akalis, advocated armed resistance. Leaders like Kishan Singh Gargaj launched attacks on British loyalists, showcasing a shift towards revolutionary action.
Perhaps the most celebrated figure of Punjab’s freedom struggle, Bhagat Singh, symbolised the rebellious spirit of young India. Inspired by the Ghadarites, Babar Akalis, and socialist ideologies, Bhagat Singh formed the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) along with Chandrasekhar Azad, Sukhdev, and Rajguru. In 1928, Bhagat Singh and his comrades assassinated British officer J.P. Saunders in retaliation for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai. In 1929, he and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs at the Central Assembly to protest British policies, leading to his arrest and the famous Lahore Conspiracy Case. Amid nationwide unrest, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were executed on March 23, 1931, a day now commemorated as Shaheed Diwas. His martyrdom enshrined his legacy as one of India’s prominent freedom fighters.
The Akali Movement endured as an inspiration against British rule. The agitation over the Nabha Affair and the Jaito Morcha became historical phases of the struggle, as peaceful protesters were ruthlessly subdued. Disillusioned by British rule, Sikh soldiers increasingly participated in revolutionary activities. The Babar Akali Movement, a radical faction of the Akali struggle, targeted British loyalists and fostered armed insurrection. Despite brutal repressions, the movement revealed that the revolutionary fervour had not faded in Punjab.
As the Indian freedom movement intensified, Punjab remained at the forefront of resistance against British Rule. The Kisan Sabha and Kirti Kisan Party, influenced by socialism, mobilised peasants and workers against British economic policies. The Quit India Movement of 1942 witnessed extensive participation from Punjabis despite the British ruthless oppression. In the interim, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) found strong support among Punjabi soldiers, many of whom parted ways from the British Indian Army to fight for India’s freedom.
India’s struggle for freedom was not just a fight against colonial rule but also a redefinition of national consciousness. Punjab significantly contributed to the struggle movement, encompassing agrarian protests, Sikh uprisings, non-violent Akali struggles, and radical revolutionary movements. While leaders like Bhagat Singh, Ajit Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Baba Ram Singh and Kishan Singh Gargaj are celebrated, the valour of countless freedom fighters remains relatively unsung. Recognising their sacrifices and contributions in the freedom struggle is crucial in understanding the multifaceted nature of India’s freedom movement. The legacy woven by the Freedom fighters, particularly in the very fabric and history of Punjab, continues to inspire movements for justice, equality, and national pride, making its heroes timeless.
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