The Young Revolutionary
One cold December morning in 1928, a sixteen-year-old boy named Bhagat Singh sat in his classroom in Lahore, his mind far from the lesson being taught. He had just learned about the death of the great freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai, who had succumbed to injuries sustained during a peaceful protest against the Simon Commission. The news had shaken young Bhagat Singh deeply, as Lala Lajpat Rai had been not just a leader but also his inspiration.
Bhagat Singh had always been different from other children his age. While they played games during breaks, he would gather his classmates and tell them stories of India’s brave freedom fighters. His teachers noticed how he would spend hours in the school library, reading about revolutionaries from around the world. At home, his family supported his patriotic spirit, sharing tales of their own participation in the freedom movement.
One particular incident changed young Bhagat Singh’s life forever. During a school event, British officials were invited as chief guests. As was customary, everyone was expected to stand and sing “God Save the King,” the British national anthem. However, Bhagat Singh remained seated. When his teacher angrily demanded an explanation, he replied with remarkable composure, “My conscience doesn’t allow me to sing praises of those who have enslaved my motherland.”
This act of defiance earned him both admirers and critics. His principal, though secretly proud of the boy’s courage, had to publicly reprimand him to appease the British officials. However, this incident sparked a movement among other students, who began questioning the colonial rules they were expected to follow. Bhagat Singh’s peaceful protest that day became a talking point in Lahore’s revolutionary circles.
As he grew older, Bhagat Singh’s commitment to India’s freedom only strengthened. He would often say, “Freedom is not something that can be begged for; it must be fought for.” His early experiences in school laid the foundation for his future role in India’s struggle for independence, proving that even young hearts could harbor the deepest love for their nation.
