Sukhdev Thapar

GS1 – Modern Indian History

Context:

Sukhdev Thapar emerged as a significant young revolutionary during India’s freedom movement.

Biography and Contributions:

• Birthplace and Background: Sukhdev was born on May 15, 1907, in Naughara, located in Punjab’s Ludhiana district.

• Revolutionary Affiliations: He was a dedicated member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), actively involved in setting up underground revolutionary networks across Punjab and northern India.
• Youth Engagement: In 1926, he co-founded the Naujawan Bharat Sabha in Lahore, aimed at awakening youth consciousness towards the struggle for independence and opposing communal divisions.
• Education and Inspiration: He served as a teacher at National College, Lahore, where he motivated students with tales of India’s historical glory and the ongoing liberation efforts.
• Key Revolutionary Actions:
  • Participated in the 1929 hunger strike launched by political detainees against the degrading conditions in British prisons.
  • Was deeply involved in the Lahore Conspiracy Case of 1928, which sought to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, who succumbed to injuries from a brutal lathi charge during Simon Commission protests. Along with Bhagat Singh and Rajguru, he aimed to eliminate James A. Scott, the officer responsible. However, due to mistaken identity, J.P. Saunders, a police officer, was assassinated instead.
• Trial and Martyrdom: Following his arrest and trial for the Saunders case, Sukhdev was executed on 23 March 1931 in Lahore Central Jail, alongside Bhagat Singh and Rajguru—a date now marked annually as Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day).
• Legacy: Despite being only 24 at the time of his death, Sukhdev remains a symbol of youthful courage, unwavering patriotism, and revolutionary zeal in India’s history.