Sukhdev Thapar, a great freedom fighter of India was born on 15th May 1907 in Naughara Mohalla of Ludhiana in the state of Punjab to Ram Lal. Sukhdev had been a witness of the unkind aggression that the British Government did on Indians since his childhood and this motivated him to jump into the freedom movement of India and make the nation free from the violence that was carried out by the British on Indians.
Sukhdev met Bhagat Singh during their time in National College at Lahore and became the co-conspirator with Bhagat Singh. He joined the Hindustan Social Republican Association and enthusiastically took part in India’s freedom struggle. He also deliberated revolutionary groups in Punjab and other areas of Northern India. He was a fanatical leader and set off to teach the youth at the National College in Lahore, considerably motivating them about India's glorious past. He along with his companions started the 'Naujawan Bharat Sabha' at Lahore. The organization was involved in various activities, mainly cogging the youth for the freedom struggle, instructing a rational approach, fight communalism and end the practice of untouchability.
Sukhdev assisted Bhagat Singh in every revolutionary activity that was carried out by him. He followed the revolutionary ideologies stalwartly and was involved in killing of the Saunders, the Deputy Superintendent of Police. He was involved in the spirited attacks in the Lahore Conspiracy Case on 18th December, 1928, which shuddered the foundation of the British Government and enthusiastically participated in the 'Prison hunger strike' in 1929. However, together with Rajguru and Bhagat Singh, he was arrested after the bombing in the Central Legislative Assembly. The trio was sent for trial and was given death sentence by the British Government. Prior to their hanging, Sukhdev wrote a letter to Mahatma Gandhi saying that “The three prisoners of the Lahore conspiracy case who have been awarded capital punishment and who have incidentally gained greatest popularity in the country are not everything in the revolutionary party. In fact, the country will not gain as much by the change of their sentences as it would by their being hanged.” He also wrote in the letter that “Take the case of Saunders murder. When Lala receive lathi blows, there was unrest in the country. This was a good opportunity to draw people’s attention towards the party. That’s how the murder was planned. To run away after the murder was not our plot. We wished to enlighten people that it was a political murder and its perpetrators were revolutionaries. Our actions were always in response to people’s grievances. We wanted to infuse revolutionary ideals in the public and the expression of such ideals looks more glorified from the mouth of one who stands on the gallows for the cause.” Furthermore, he wrote in the letter which actually reflected his ideology that “The aim of revolutionaries is to establish a socialist republic in the country. There is no possibility of even a slight amendment to this goal. I think you believe the revolutionaries are irrational people who enjoy destructive actions. I want to tell you that the truth is quite the opposite. They know their responsibilities and they hold the constructive elements high in their revolutionary constitution even though in the present circumstances, they have to attend to their destructive side only.” The trio of Sukhdev, Bhagat Singh and Rajgur was hanged on 23rd March 1931, when he was only 24 years old.
Birth: 15th May 1907
Martyrdom: 23rd March 1931
Sukhdev met Bhagat Singh during their time in National College at Lahore and became the co-conspirator with Bhagat Singh. He joined the Hindustan Social Republican Association and enthusiastically took part in India’s freedom struggle. He also deliberated revolutionary groups in Punjab and other areas of Northern India. He was a fanatical leader and set off to teach the youth at the National College in Lahore, considerably motivating them about India's glorious past. He along with his companions started the 'Naujawan Bharat Sabha' at Lahore. The organization was involved in various activities, mainly cogging the youth for the freedom struggle, instructing a rational approach, fight communalism and end the practice of untouchability.
Sukhdev assisted Bhagat Singh in every revolutionary activity that was carried out by him. He followed the revolutionary ideologies stalwartly and was involved in killing of the Saunders, the Deputy Superintendent of Police. He was involved in the spirited attacks in the Lahore Conspiracy Case on 18th December, 1928, which shuddered the foundation of the British Government and enthusiastically participated in the 'Prison hunger strike' in 1929. However, together with Rajguru and Bhagat Singh, he was arrested after the bombing in the Central Legislative Assembly. The trio was sent for trial and was given death sentence by the British Government. Prior to their hanging, Sukhdev wrote a letter to Mahatma Gandhi saying that “The three prisoners of the Lahore conspiracy case who have been awarded capital punishment and who have incidentally gained greatest popularity in the country are not everything in the revolutionary party. In fact, the country will not gain as much by the change of their sentences as it would by their being hanged.” He also wrote in the letter that “Take the case of Saunders murder. When Lala receive lathi blows, there was unrest in the country. This was a good opportunity to draw people’s attention towards the party. That’s how the murder was planned. To run away after the murder was not our plot. We wished to enlighten people that it was a political murder and its perpetrators were revolutionaries. Our actions were always in response to people’s grievances. We wanted to infuse revolutionary ideals in the public and the expression of such ideals looks more glorified from the mouth of one who stands on the gallows for the cause.” Furthermore, he wrote in the letter which actually reflected his ideology that “The aim of revolutionaries is to establish a socialist republic in the country. There is no possibility of even a slight amendment to this goal. I think you believe the revolutionaries are irrational people who enjoy destructive actions. I want to tell you that the truth is quite the opposite. They know their responsibilities and they hold the constructive elements high in their revolutionary constitution even though in the present circumstances, they have to attend to their destructive side only.” The trio of Sukhdev, Bhagat Singh and Rajgur was hanged on 23rd March 1931, when he was only 24 years old.
Birth: 15th May 1907
Martyrdom: 23rd March 1931