Shaheed Diwas

• 24 Mar 2026

Source: PIB

Why in News? 

Every year, 23rd March is observed as Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs' Day) across India to honor the supreme sacrifice made by three extraordinary young revolutionaries of the Indian freedom struggle: Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar. 

• They were hanged to death by the British colonial government on this day in 1931 in the Lahore Central Jail.

Note: India also observes Martyrs' Day on 30th January to mark the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

What is the History behind Shaheed Diwas?

• Shaheed Diwas: In 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai led a protest against the Simon Commission, during which he was fatally injured in a brutal lathi charge by the police, sparking nationwide outrage. 
  • In response, revolutionaries of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) including Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev resolved to avenge his death and planned to assassinate James A. Scott, the police officer responsible. 
  • However, in a case of mistaken identity, they killed J.P. Saunders, an incident that came to be known as the Lahore Conspiracy Case (1929). 
  • The subsequent trial resulted in death sentences, and on 23 March 1931, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were executed, after which they were cremated at Hussainiwala national martyrs memorial (Punjab), marking one of the most significant moments in India’s freedom struggle.

Bhagat Singh (1907-1931)

• Bhagat Singh born on 28th September 1907 in Banga, Punjab (now in Pakistan), came from a revolutionary Sikh family, with his father Kishan Singh and uncle Ajit Singh actively involved in the freedom struggle. 
  
  • Deeply influenced by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which he witnessed at a young age, and his education at National College, Lahore (founded by Lala Lajpat Rai), he developed strong nationalist and revolutionary ideals. 
    • He joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) in 1924, later reorganized as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) in 1928, and founded the Naujawan Bharat Sabha (1926) to mobilize youth. 
  • In 1929, along with Batukeshwar Dutt, he threw low-intensity bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly to protest the Public Safety Bill and Trade Dispute Bill, aiming to “make the deaf hear.” 
  • His writings, such as “Why I Am an Atheist”, reflect his belief in rationalism, equality, and social justice. 
  • Revered as “Shaheed-e-Azam”, he popularized the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”.
    • Writing under pseudonyms like Balwant, Ranjit, and Vidhrohi, he contributed to journals like Kirti. 

Sukhdev Thapar (1907-1931)

• A core member of the HSRA, he was instrumental in organizing revolutionary networks and mobilizing youth in the Punjab region. He was a key strategist and participant in the Lahore Conspiracy Case.

Shivaram Rajguru (1908–1931)

• Hailing from Maharashtra, he was a staunch advocate of armed resistance and a prominent member of the HSRA. He was highly respected as a skilled gunman among revolutionaries and played a crucial role in the freedom struggle.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Shaheed Diwas?
   It is observed on 23 March to commemorate the execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev (1931).
2. What was the Lahore Conspiracy Case?
   It was a trial related to the killing of J.P. Saunders (1928) by HSRA revolutionaries to avenge Lala Lajpat Rai’s death.
3. What was the objective of the Central Legislative Assembly bombing (1929)?
   To protest repressive laws (Public Safety Bill, Trade Dispute Bill) and symbolically “make the deaf hear.”
4. What was the HSRA?
   The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association was a revolutionary organization aiming for armed struggle and socialist transformation.
5. What were Bhagat Singh’s key ideological influences?
   He was influenced by Marxism, socialism, and rationalism, reflected in works like “Why I Am an Atheist.”