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In 1912, when he was just 16 years old, he travelled to San Francisco (U.S.A), and joined the University of California at Berkeley, and pursued a degree in chemistry.

Kartar’s patriotic sentiments were roused, after he was associated with Nalanda club of Indian students at Berkeley. He was moved by the bad treatment, Indian immigrants are getting, in the United States.

Political entry

In 1913, Ghadr (revolt) party was founded by Sohan Singh, a Sikh peasant from Bhakna village in Amritsar district. While Sohan was the president, and Hardyal was been the secretary, Kartar Singh stopped his university deals and joined hands with

Hardyal and supported him in running the revolutionary newspaper Ghadr (revolt).

Kartar undertook the responsibility for printing the Gurmukhi edition of the paper. He even composed patriotic poetry and wrote several articles. Not stopping there, he even reached out to the Sikh farmers, and inspired them for the united action against British.

One of the most revolutionary feet of Kartar was, in 1913, at a meeting at Sacremento, California, he jumped to the stage and began to sing: “chalo chaliye desh nu Yuddha karen, eho aakhiri vachan te farman ho gaye” (come! let us go and join the battle of freedom; the final call has come, let us go!”

Kartar Singh in India

Kartar Singh left the USA on 15th September 1914, and returned to India via Colombo. He resolved to set up a centre in his village, as per the model of Ghadr party’s ‘Yugantar Ashram in San Francisco.

In December 1914, Bhai Parmanand arrived in India to lead the movement and it was then, Kartar Singh was charged with spreading the network in Ludhiana district.

Regarding this connection, Kartar went to Bengal to secure the weapons, and made contacts with the revolutionaries like Rash Bihari Bose, Vishnu Ganesh Pingley and Sachindra Nath Sanyal.

Sikh revolutionary leader

Kartar Singh Sarabha

Kartar Singh Sarabha, an Indian Sikh revolutionary was one among the popular accused, in the Lahore

conspiracy trial.

Childhood and Education

Kartar Singh Sarabha, was born in 1896 in the Sarabha village, in Ludhiana district, Punjab. His father

Mangal Singh, was a farmer.Kartar’s primary education was completed in his

village and he then entered the Malwa Khalsa High school at Ludhiana, for pursuing the matriculation.

While Kartar was studying 10th class, he went to Orissa and stayed in his uncle’s house and he even

joined the college over there.

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FREEDOM FIGHTER

Kartar Singh visited cantonments in Meerut, Agra, Allahabad, Rawalpindi, Benaras, Ambala and Lahore, along with Pingley, to inspire the soldiers.

Kartar Singh and all his associates succeeded in manufacturing bombs on a small scale at Jhabeval and later at Lohtbaddi, both in Ludhiana district,

In order to procure funds for his party, in January

1915, Kartar Singh organized and participated in raids on Mansuran and Sahneval villages.

A police informer, Kirpal, joined Ghadr and disclosed all the issues of the party. Is was through his sketch, in February 1915, Ghadr leaders are rounded up by the police.

However, Kartar Singh, Jagat Singh of Sursingh, and Harnam Singh Tundilat, escaped to Kabul. After a gap, they again came back to Punjab and were seized on 2nd March 1915 at Wilsonpur, in Shahpur district.

The trial of the arrested leaders in the 1915-1916 Lahore conspiracy cases, highlighted Kartar Singh’s role in the movement.

Death sentence to Kartar Singh

Out of the 63 arrested Gadharites, 24 were sentenced to death, among whom Kartar was one.

Giving the judgment, the court said, “He is very proud of the crimes committed by him. He does not deserve mercy and should be sentenced to death”.

On 16th November 1915, when Kartar has been just 19 years old, he was hanged in the Lahore Central Jail.

Kartar Singh, Jagat Singh of Sursingh, and Harnam Singh

Tundilat, escaped to Kabul. After a gap, they again came back to

Punjab and were seized on 2nd March 1915 at Wilsonpur, in

Shahpur district.

In December 1914, Bhai Parmanand arrived in India to lead the movement and it was then, Kartar Singh was charged with spreading the network in Ludhiana district.