Deshraj Verma alias Deshraj Parihar was born in Jarbo village, Baruasagar district Jhansi in 1896 in a Khangar Kshatriya family. His father Kamtaprasad Verma was an ordinary farmer. Due to the weak economic condition of the house and due to the lack of proper arrangements for education in the area, he was able to earn education only up to class three. Since childhood, he had a yearning for rural reform and patriotism.
Between 1930-1940, there was no proper transport system from Jarbo village to Baruasagar, so he used to travel on foot from Jarbo to Baruasagar (16 km approx) to read daily Hindi and English newspapers.
He became active in Congress in 1936 and started participating in the freedom movement under the leadership of Congress. He was imprisoned along with great freedom fighters and revolutionary leaders of the country in Naini Jail, Prayag Raj (Allahabad) during the British Quit India Movement in 1942-1943. Along with this, his revolutionary friend Roshan Singh Arya, a resident of Rajpura village, Bangra district Jhansi, was also imprisoned in Naini Jail.
After India's independence in 1947, he remained in exile for four years till 1950-54. During his stay in exile, his wife and children were maintained and brought up by his wife's brother Ramdayal Khangar, a resident of Jijaura village, Orchha district Niwari, Madhya Pradesh. In the year 1960, he laid the foundation for the construction of the Government Primary School of Jarbo village, and its construction was completed in the year 1962. In the year 1970, the state government started getting freedom fighters pension. He died on 1 July 1988 at Nijnivas Jarbo Gaon.
Name of Deshraj Vermaon Shaheed Stambh established in Veerangana Laxmibai Park, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
Source:Girjashankar Kushwaha, Contributor for CCRT