Born on 18th September 1883 to a well-to-do Hindu family of doctors in Amritsar, Madan Lal Dhingra was one of the unsung heroes of India’s freedom movement, who sacrificed their lives for their motherland. Although, his entire family was devoted towards the British Government, he desisted himself from it and was a patriot by birth. He went against his family and participated in the freedom struggle wholeheartedly.
Madan Lal Dhingra was renounced by his family as he was expelled from his college for carrying out radical activity against the British Government and for his participation in the freedom movement against them. He believed in revolutionary ideologies and did not like his family’s involvement with the British Government. Even though he belonged to a well-heeled family, he worked as clerk, a Tonga (rickshaw) puller, and a factory labourer. While working as a factory labourer, he tried to form a group of extremists there; however, he was sacked from his jobs. Owing to this, his elder brother advised him to go to England for higher education and he followed the instruction and in 1906, he went to England. There he studied Diploma in Engineering in the University College of London. As he was a person who loved to enjoy life, he led a happy-go-lucky-life. During his stay in London, he came in contact with one of the prominent revolutionary of India, Veer Savarkar. He was highly motivated by him and attended every meeting that was organised by Savarkar in the India House in London. There he met with other important revolutionaries like Shyamji Krishna Verma, Har Dayal, Gian Chand and Kore Gakar. He was further influenced after he attended the lecture of Lala Lajpat Rai, another prominent leader of India’s Freedom movement on his visit to London. He was closely associated with both Indian Home Rule Society and the Abhinava Bharat Society and these societies made him understand the violence of British over Indian and encouraged him to get involved in the revolutionary activities.
He was actively involved in Indian student’s politics that was carried out in London, where India House was the base of it. After the execution of Khudiram Bose and some other revolutionaries, Savarkar, Dhingra and other student members of the group were highly disturbed and this made them make plans to take vengeance from the British. During that period, an organization named National Indian Association in London tried to magnetize the Indian youths who went to England for higher studies. Miss Emma Josephine Beck was its secretary and Dhingra visited the office of the National Indian Association in the month of March 1909 and he became friends with Emma Beck. He showed a desire to become a member and was given membership in the next month. After becoming the member, he bought a revolver in London and another Belgian pistol from a private person and started regular shooting practice and recorded his practice everyday.
On 1st July 1909, the National Indian Association was scheduled to celebrate their annual day and he collected all the information from Miss Emma Josephine Beck and made a plan, which he discussed with Savarkar. To give result to their plan, he left for the party, well dressed and filled his pockets with a revolver, two pistols and two knifes, all set for the mission of killing Lord Curzon. After he reached the party, he spent some time talking to people and finally shot him on his face with five bullets and along with him Cowasji Lalkaka, a Parsee doctor who tried to save Sir Curzon was also killed. He was immediately arrested and was tried in the Old Bailey Court. However, there were several eyewitness of the incident and following the evidence, he was found accused and his crime was established of killing both Lord Curzon and Cowasji Lalkaka and was given death sentence. He was hanged in London on 17th August 1909.
Madan Lal Dhingra was renounced by his family as he was expelled from his college for carrying out radical activity against the British Government and for his participation in the freedom movement against them. He believed in revolutionary ideologies and did not like his family’s involvement with the British Government. Even though he belonged to a well-heeled family, he worked as clerk, a Tonga (rickshaw) puller, and a factory labourer. While working as a factory labourer, he tried to form a group of extremists there; however, he was sacked from his jobs. Owing to this, his elder brother advised him to go to England for higher education and he followed the instruction and in 1906, he went to England. There he studied Diploma in Engineering in the University College of London. As he was a person who loved to enjoy life, he led a happy-go-lucky-life. During his stay in London, he came in contact with one of the prominent revolutionary of India, Veer Savarkar. He was highly motivated by him and attended every meeting that was organised by Savarkar in the India House in London. There he met with other important revolutionaries like Shyamji Krishna Verma, Har Dayal, Gian Chand and Kore Gakar. He was further influenced after he attended the lecture of Lala Lajpat Rai, another prominent leader of India’s Freedom movement on his visit to London. He was closely associated with both Indian Home Rule Society and the Abhinava Bharat Society and these societies made him understand the violence of British over Indian and encouraged him to get involved in the revolutionary activities.
He was actively involved in Indian student’s politics that was carried out in London, where India House was the base of it. After the execution of Khudiram Bose and some other revolutionaries, Savarkar, Dhingra and other student members of the group were highly disturbed and this made them make plans to take vengeance from the British. During that period, an organization named National Indian Association in London tried to magnetize the Indian youths who went to England for higher studies. Miss Emma Josephine Beck was its secretary and Dhingra visited the office of the National Indian Association in the month of March 1909 and he became friends with Emma Beck. He showed a desire to become a member and was given membership in the next month. After becoming the member, he bought a revolver in London and another Belgian pistol from a private person and started regular shooting practice and recorded his practice everyday.
On 1st July 1909, the National Indian Association was scheduled to celebrate their annual day and he collected all the information from Miss Emma Josephine Beck and made a plan, which he discussed with Savarkar. To give result to their plan, he left for the party, well dressed and filled his pockets with a revolver, two pistols and two knifes, all set for the mission of killing Lord Curzon. After he reached the party, he spent some time talking to people and finally shot him on his face with five bullets and along with him Cowasji Lalkaka, a Parsee doctor who tried to save Sir Curzon was also killed. He was immediately arrested and was tried in the Old Bailey Court. However, there were several eyewitness of the incident and following the evidence, he was found accused and his crime was established of killing both Lord Curzon and Cowasji Lalkaka and was given death sentence. He was hanged in London on 17th August 1909.