Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, young revolutionary from Punjab, who was martyred during India’s freedom struggle on 16 November 1915, for alleged role in Lahore Controversy was born on 24 May 1896.

  When the Gadar movement, started by Baba Sohan Singh, was born in 1913, Kartar Singh became a key member. Gadar Party was formed by the Indians in Oregon on April 21, 1913 with the aim to oust the British from India, putting all they had at stake.

Kartar Singh was made in charge of bringing out the Pubjabi language edition of Gadar, the party mouthpiece. The newspaper highlighted the atrocities of the British and fuelled revolutionary ideas among the overseas Indians.

Sarabha like many Indians in the US keenly felt his enslavement, North America at that time was hostile to Asian immigrants and their presence caused much resentment, as an individual belonging to a subject race. Freeing India from the British yoke was felt to be a way out to restoring the honour and dignity of Indians as a people.

The date for armed revolt, by Gadar party, was set for 21 February 1915. This was leaked to the British authorities after which the date was changed to 19 February. 

He returned to India in 1914 to fight for his country’s independence. On November 16th, 1915, Sarabha was hanged at the tender age of 19.

A Punjabi novelist Nanak Singh wrote a novel titled “Ikk Miyan Do Talwaran” based on his life.