Lala Lajpat Rai

• The 159^th birth anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai was observed recently on January 28^th.

ABOUT LALA LAJPAT RAI

• Born on January 28, 1865, in Dhudike, Punjab, Lala Lajpat Rai created a legacy of nationalism, unity and strength as he was a freedom fighter who was a firm believer in India’s independence.
• In 1880, Rai joined the Government College at Lahore to major in law, where he was influenced by the Hindu reformist movement of Swami Dayanand Saraswati and became a member of existing Arya Samaj Lahore (founded 1877) and Founder-Editor of Lahore-based Arya Gazette.
• Popularly known as Punjab Kesari, Lala Lajpat Rai was one-third of the triumvirate ‘Lal Bal Pal’, which included Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal.
• As part of Indian National Congress, he took part in political agitations in Punjab and was subsequently deported to Mandalay without trial in May 1907.
• Lala Lajpat Rai was elected President of the Indian National Congress in the Calcutta Special Session of 1920.
• In 1921, he founded Servants of the People Society, a non-profit welfare organization.
• He is best known for leading the non-violent march in protest of the Simon Commission.
  • He was assaulted and was extremely injured during the protest.
  • He subsequently addressed the crowd with his now famous words and said, “I declare that the blows struck at me today will be the last nails in the coffin of British rule in India”.
• He did not fully recover from his injuries and died on November 17, 1928 of a heart attack.