Birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh today; holiday in Punjab

Today marks the birth anniversary of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, one of the great revolutionaries of India’s freedom struggle. The Punjab Government’s holiday calendar lists September 28 as a holiday for his birthday, and schools and educational institutions across the state are closed today.

Bhagat Singh was born on September 28, 1907, in the village of Banga in Lyallpur district, now in Pakistan. His ancestral village, Khatkar Kalan, lies in present-day Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.

On April 8, 1929, together with Batukeshwar Dutt, he threw bombs and leaflets in the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi, raised the slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and offered himself for arrest. Their aim was not to take lives but to make their voice heard by the British government.

On March 23, 1931, Bhagat Singh was hanged in Lahore jail along with his comrades Rajguru and Sukhdev. He was only 23 years old. The day is observed every year as Martyrs’ Day.

In his memory, Nawanshahr district was renamed Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, and the international airport at Mohali also bears his name. His sacrifice and ideas continue to inspire young people today.