Unsung Heroes Detail

Shrikisan Sarda was born in the year 1893 to a wealthy family of merchants. He was religious by nature and socially conscious. He was closely associated with Ramakrishna Jaju alias Marshall Jaju, Tulsidas Jadhav, and Mallappa Dhanshetti, who were active in the freedom movement. He also financially helped many religious functions, and social workers, and provided financial support to wrestlers and public servants as well. That is why the English authorities were angry with him. He used to go to public meetings and participated in Prabhat pheris (morning processions) as a citizen, but he never presided over any event. He maintained a fine balance between his social work and business.

Sarda was indicted in a Hindu-Muslim riot but was acquitted by a court whence Faujdar Imamsab was angry with Sarda. After the arrest of Mahatma Gandhi, Srikisan Sarda joined the huge protest march that started in Solapur on 8 May 1930. After the procession was dissolved, Sarda returned home. Sarda had nothing to do with the incident in which a police station and a court building (symbols of colonial rule) were set on fire by an angry mob after British police fired on the innocent public.

Shrikisan Sarda and three other freedom fighters were arrested on the night of 12 May 1930, when the army took control of Solapur. Many people saw the four of them in a bleeding state when they were driven around the city in an open truck with their backs tied together. They were brutally tortured by the police. Some traders tried to persuade Sarda to witness the apology, but he flatly refused. He preferred to go to the gallows smiling rather than betraying the country.

In Solapur, every year on the 12, 13, and 14 of January - Sankranti - Gaddyachi Yatra (Fair) is held in the region. This is a 400-year-old tradition. But this procession was not arranged in 1931 as on 12 January 1931, the British hanged the four martyrs. In this way, the people registered their silent protest!