Lala Lajpat Rai: The Lion of Punjab

Lala Lajpat Rai believed in the consolidation of the masses at a moral level. In his writings, Lala Lajpat Rai emphasized the importance of a morally upright and responsible citizenry that is willing to make sacrifices for principles and causes. He believed that such a people can build strong institutions, whereas a morally degraded and compromising populace cannot effectively serve institutions in the long run.

Institutions cannot instill life, cannot be source of inspiration, unless led by men of life and spirit.”

About His Early Life and Career

Lala Lajpat Rai’s date of birth is 28 January 1865.

His birthplace was Jagraon, Ludhiana district, Punjab, British India.

Lala Lajpat Rai’s father was Munshi Radha Krishan Agarwal, an Urdu and Persian government School teacher. His mother’s name was Gulab Devi Agarwal.
In the late 1870s, his father moved to Rewari, where his early education was received at the Government Higher Secondary School in Rewari, Punjab province, where his father was employed as an Urdu teacher.
His liberal views and belief in Hinduism were influenced by his father and profoundly religious mother during his youth, which were successfully applied to a career reforming religion and Indian policy through politics and journalism.
Lala Lajpat Rai enrolled in Government College in Lahore to study law in 1880. At the college, he had the opportunity to meet future freedom fighters such as Lala Hans Raj and Pandit Gurudutt.
While studying in Lahore, he inspire by Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s Hindu reformist movement. As a result, he joined the existing Arya Samaj in Lahore.
He was the founding editor of the Arya Gazette in Lahore.
He became a strong believer in the belief that Hinduism, rather than nationality, was the pivotal point on which an Indian lifestyle must be based when studying law.
His association with Hindu Mahasabha leaders drew criticism from the Naujawan Bharat Sabha because the Mahasabha were non-secular and did not follow the Indian National Congress’s system.
This focus on Hindu rituals in the subcontinent would eventually lead him to continue nonviolent protests in support of Indian independence demonstrations.
His father moved to Rohtak in 1884, and Lala Lajpat Rai followed after finishing his studies in Lahore.
In 1886, he moved to Hisar, where his father had been relocated, and began practicing law. He and Babu Churamani were founding members of the Hisar Bar Council.
Since childhood, he had a strong desire to serve his country. Thus in 1886, he established the Hisar district branch of the Indian National Congress, taking a vow to free the country from foreign rule.
Along with Babu Churamani, Lala Chhabil Das, and Seth Gauri Shankar, he attended the annual session of the Congress in Allahabad in 1888 and 1889 as one of the four delegates from Hisar.
He relocated to Lahore in 1892 to practise before the Lahore High Court.
He pursued journalism and contributed regularly to many newspapers, including The Tribune, in order to shape India’s political policy in the run-up to independence.
He supported Mahatma Hansraj in founding the nationalistic Dayananda Anglo-Vedic School in Lahore in 1886.

Death

In 1928, a peaceful protest against the Simon Commission was being led by Lajpat Rai. Simon Commission was a British government commission for reviewing the political situation in India. The commission was led by Sir John Simon with other members

The protest turned violent, and Lajpat Rai was severely beaten by British police. He died from his injuries on November 17, 1928.

Read also: The Nightingale of India: Sarojini Naidu

Conclusion:

Lala Lajpat Rai, known as the Lion of Punjab, dedicated his life to the cause of Indian freedom. Serving the nation as a political activist, lawyer, and writer. He fought for the rights of Indians and worked relentlessly to end British rule in India. His legacy will remain a source of inspiration for Indians. He also will forever be remember as a hero of the Indian people.

Lajpat Rai’s death was a tragic loss for the Indian independence movement, but his sacrifice has not been in vain.

The legacy of Lala Lajpat Rai endures through the ongoing efforts of countless individuals who continue to advocate for the rights of the Indian people and work towards achieving Indian independence.

Lala Lajpat Rai will always be remember as a true leader and a symbol of resistance against British rule.

In the end, Lajpat Rai’s words still ring true, “The nation is greater than the individual. Service of the nation is the supreme duty of the individual.” He will always be remember as a true patriot who sacrificed his life for the freedom of his country.

Lala Lajpat Rai: The Lion of Punjab, Lala Lajpat Rai: The Lion of Punjab