Unsung Heroes | History Corner | Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India

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Paying tribute to India’s freedom fighters

Ram Saran Dass Talwar

Kapurthala, Punjab

August 05, 2022

Ram Saran Dass, a poet and Ghadar Party revolutionary, was born in Kapurthala State. His father’s name was Sant Ram. In 1908, he became involved in political activities after being inspired by Bengali revolutionaries. He joined the Ghadar Party and maintained close ties with Ghadar leaders in Lahore and Amritsar. He was instrumental in bringing Ras Bihari Bose to Punjab to take command of the Ghadar Party and was active in the planning of the uprising on February 21, 1915. The tribunal in the first Lahore Conspiracy Case considered him one of the main revolutionaries working in the background and sentenced him to death. The sentence was later commuted to life in prison. He was imprisoned in Cellular Jail until 1921. He was released in September 1927, but his movements were restricted to his village for three years in exchange for a Rs. 3000 security deposit. On February 29, 1929, he attended the Naujawan Bharat Sabha meeting, read a poem, and delivered a lecture criticising British rule. Because of his nationalistic activities, authorities have ordered him to provide Rs. 5000 in security to remain silent for two years and refrain from leaving Kapurthala without permission. He was arrested and forced to become an approver in the Lahore Conspiracy Case, but he later recanted his statement. For this, on 13 March, 1933, he was charged under Section 193 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of Rs. 500. In Lahore, he was appointed Secretary of the Bhagat Singh Memorial Committee. Ram Saran Das was imprisoned for fourteen years in various jails. In prison, he wrote Dreamland, a collection of poems. His writings express the ideas of the Ghadar revolutionaries of 1914-15. Dreamland's introduction was written by Bhagat Singh. The book has historical significance. In his book, he expanded on his ideas about politics and the public's expectations from rulers.

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