Kartar Singh Sarabha was a revolutionary from India and was born on May 24, 1896, in Sarabha, Punjab Province, British India. And, in 2023, this date marks his birth anniversary to remember his contributions, struggle, and sacrifice for the independence of India.
All you need to know about Kartar Singh Sarabha:
Born to a Grewal Jat Sikh family, he was raised by his grandfather and received his education at the Malwa Khalsa School until the 8th grade.
Sailed to San Francisco in 1912 to receive further education at The University of California, Berkeley but it is unclear whether he actually studied there and this claim could not be independently verified.
The hostility he witnessed towards immigrants in America, especially those coming from colonies, made him realise how humiliating it was coming from a colonised land.
While working in a steel mill in Oregon in 1913, he became a member of the newly-formed Ghadar Party and joined the Independence movement when he was just 17 years old.
One of the leading and most active members of the movement, he was instrumental in publishing the Ghadar newspaper which aimed to convince the Indians and Indian diaspora to fight for independence, more so after the outbreak of World War I.
He sailed for Calcutta in 1914 with a few Ghadar leaders and met with Rash Behari Bose in Benaras and told him to expect nearly 20000 more Ghadar freedom fighters to join them soon.
Eventually betrayed by Kirpal Singh, a police informer in the party, who informed the British about their plans to stage revolts in Punjab and Delhi.
Decided against fleeing to Afghanistan and returned to Punjab where he and his companions were arrested and eventually executed at Lahore Central Jail on November 16, 1915
His actions were the source of inspiration for Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who always carried the former’s photograph on him.
