Top 10 Interesting Facts about Bhagat Singh

This work was created using a model and photos of Bhagat Singh the hero of the Indian Independence struggle. The work was commissioned by the son of AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu and belongs to Mr. Sandhu. It has been seen and a copy is owned by the great-niece of Bhagat Singh who now lives in Canada. The work aimed to capture a nuanced and gentle human image of Singh who was in his early 20s when executed by British occupying forces in India. It also includes text from Singh’s prison diary. Photo by Danielconnellartistsglobal – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh, one of India’s greatest revolutionary freedom fighters, was sentenced to death by British colonizers 89 years ago. Despite the fact that he died young, at the age of 23, his actions inspired the nation’s youth to fight for the country’s freedom.

His assassination inspired many to join the revolutionary cause, and he played a pivotal role in India’s independence struggle. Despite the fact that many people disagreed with his radical approach, Mohammad Ali Jinnah stood firm in his convictions.

Martyr’s Day (Shaheed Diwas) 2022 is observed on several occasions in India. Among them, one occasion is March 23. The day marks the death anniversary of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru. 

He was a brave freedom fighter. His feelings of patriotism were not only restricted against British rule but also towards the division of India on communal lines. He was a genius, mature, and always attracted to socialism. 

He was attracted to anarchist and Marxist ideologies which further bring revolutionary ideas to his mind. He was a bright student and a reader, and always actively participated in extra-curricular activities.

1. Bhagat Singh in his childhood always spoke about guns.

Original Photo of Bhagat Singh. Photo by Chamkor11 – Wikimedia Commons

He was born on 28 September 1907 in Punjab, India (now Pakistan), to a Sikh family. He was also known as Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. He is one of the youngest freedom fighters who was hanged at a young age. 

He was involved with several revolutionary organizations and set an example of patriotism in the country.

He wanted to grow guns in the fields using which he can fight with the British. When he was 8 years old, instead of talking about toys or games he always speaks about driving out British from India.

2. Singh’s school life was full of talent in the acting and theatre scene

Photograph of Bhagat Singh taken in 1929 – when he was 21 years old. Photo unattributed – Wikimedia Commons

He quit school at thirteen to devote his life to Indian Independence. Popularly he is known as Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh was a great actor and theatre artist in college. He appeared in a number of plays. ‘Rana Pratap,’ ‘Samrat Chandragupta,’ and ‘Bharata-durdasha’ were among the plays in which he appeared.

3. Bhagat Singh was so much disturbed by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre

Photograph of the staff and students of the National College, Lahore, founded in 1921 by Lala Lajpat Rai with a view to training students for the non-cooperation movement. Standing, fourth from the right, is Bhagat Singh, later to be executed by the British for his revolutionary activities. Photo from National College Website – Wikimedia Commons

He was at school when the Jalianwala Bagh incident occurred. He left the school right away and went straight to the scene of the tragedy.

He gathered the mud from that location, which was mixed with Indian blood, and worshipped the bottle every day. He was only 12 years old at the time.

This massacre led him to bunk the school to visit the site of the bloodbath. In college, he was a great actor and played several roles in plays like ‘Rana Pratap’ and ‘Bharat-Durdasha’.

4. When Bhagat Singh’s parents wanted him to marry but he was against marriage

The President, Smt. Pratibha Patil honors the renowned Sculptor, Shri Ram V. Sutar who prepared the statue of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, which is unveiled at Parliament House, in New Delhi on August 15, 2008. The Vice President, Shri Mohd. Hamid Ansari, the Speaker, Lok Sabha, Shri Somnath Chatterjee, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and other dignitaries are also seen. Photo by the President’s Secretariat – Wikimedia Commons

This led him to run away to Kanpur. He told his parents that “if I will marry in colonial India, where British Raj is there, then my bride will be my death.

Therefore, there is no rest or worldly desire that can lure me now. Then, after this, he joined the “Hindustan Socialist Republican Association”.

5. He was attracted to socialism and socialist revolutions

Bhagat Singh More / Burnpur More. G.T. Road, Asansol. Diversions towards Burnpur (Burnpur Road) and towards Bypass, Jubilee More, Sen Raleigh, Dumka, Chittaranjan, etc (Sen Raleigh Road). Photo by Srikant.c – Wikimedia Commons

The attraction to socialism was led by Lenin at an early age and this made Singh start reading about them. Bhagat Singh said ‘They may kill me, but not my ideas. They can crush my body, but will not be able to crush my spirit’.

Bhagat Singh took part in a protest against the killing of a large number of unarmed people at Gurudwara Nankana Sahib when he was only 14 years old.

 Bhagat Singh’s interest in socialism and Lenin’s socialist revolutions began at a young age

Bhagat Singh had told the British that “instead of hanging they should shoot him” but the British did not consider it. He mentioned this in his last letter.

Bhagat Singh wrote in this letter, “Since I was arrested during the war. Therefore, I cannot be punished for hanging. Let me be thrown into the mouth of a cannon. “This shows his braveness and his feeling for the nation.

6. Singh had an assassination plan which would risk his life nonetheless

Statues of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. India/Pakistan Border, near Amritsar. Photo by Alicia Nijdam from Cordoba, Argentina – Wikimedia Commons

Singh and Sukhdev plotted to assassinate Superintendent of Police James Scott in Lahore in order to avenge Lala Lajpat Rai’s death. However, John Saunders, the Assistant Superintendent of Police, was shot in a case of mistaken identity.

He and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs into the Central Assembly Hall in Delhi a year later, shouting “Inquilab Zindabad!”

Low-grade explosives were used in the bomb that Bhagat Singh and his associates detonated in the Central Assembly. They were thrown away from people in the building’s corridors and were only intended to startle rather than harm anyone.

Along with the associates, Bhagat Singh threw bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly. They don’t want to injure anyone. The bombs were made of low-grade explosives.

7. He went on a hunger strike during his stay in jail.

Bhagat Singh 1968 stamp of India.  Photo from India Post, Government of India – Wikimedia Commons

It was during the hunger strike, surprisingly he used to do all his work regularly, such as singing, reading writing books, visiting court every day, etc.

8. Singh came up with powerful slogans that later became the slogan of India’s armed struggle

Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Rewalsar, Himachal Pradesh.jpg
I took this photo on a trip to Rewalsar in 2010 (School wall art). Photo by John Hill – Wikimedia Commons

‘Inquilab Zindabad,’ a powerful slogan coined by Indian National Congress leader, Maulana Hasrat Mohani Bhagat Singh was popularized by Bhagat Singh and became the slogan of India’s armed struggle against British colonialism.

Bhagat Singh coined the powerful slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ which became the slogan of India’s armed struggle.

9. Singh had an endless determination

Bhagat Singh painting. Photo by Gurdish Singh Pannu – Wikimedia Commons

In prison, Bhagat Singh had fasted for 116 days. It’s surprising that he did all of his work on a daily basis during this time, such as singing, reading, writing books, and going to court every day.

“Instead of hanging me, they should shoot me,” Bhagat Singh told the British, but they ignored him. In his most recent letter, he mentioned this. “Since I was arrested during the war,” Bhagat Singh wrote in this letter. “As a result, I will not be punished if I am hanged.

Allow me to be thrown into a cannon’s mouth.” This demonstrates his bravery as well as his patriotism.

10. He was hanged an hour ahead of the official time on March 23, 1931.

Statue of Shaheed Bhagat Singh inside college premises. Photo by The Bigger – Wikimedia Commons

When his mother had come to visit him in jail, Bhagat Singh was laughing loudly. Seeing this, the jail officials were shocked to see how this person is who is laughing openly despite being so close to death.

He was found guilty of killing a British police officer and hanged on March 23, 1931. It is said that Bhagat Singh was smiling when he was hanged. In fact, this was done with a fearlessness to “lowered British imperialism”. 

 His legacy will continue to live in the hearts of many. These unknown facts will surely pave deep respect and also gives an idea about his life and its revolution.