ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SEV&#256 SI&#7748GH &#7788H&#298KR&#298V&#256L&#256 (1882-1935)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="SEV,SIDGH,lH*KR*VL,Person,Person"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279SEV&#256 SI&#7748GH &#7788H&#298KR&#298V&#256L&#256 (1882-1935), one of the founders of the Praj&#257 Ma&#7751&#7693al, a platform for ventilating the grievances of and for an open expression of the political opinion of the inhabitants of territories, mainly in the Punjab, ruled by Indian princes during British times, was born at &#7788h&#299kr&#299v&#257l&#257, a village now in the Sa&#7749gr&#363r district of the Punjab, on 24 August 1882. His father, Dev&#257 Si&#7749gh, was employed at the court of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 R&#257jinder Si&#7749gh, ruler of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 state. Sev&#257 Si&#7749gh had his schooling in Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 where he learnt Urdu, Persian, Punjabi and some English. In keeping with the family custom, he joined the personal staff of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 R&#257jinder Si&#7749gh of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 as an <i>aide-de-camp</i>, but soon retired to private life in his native village to devote himself to social work. Amelioration of the conditions of rural tenants was his principal concern. As one committed to the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 reform, he administered <i>p&#257hul</i> to a large number of young men, opened Gurmukh&#299 classes in the village <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i> and worked zealously for popularizing the Anand form of marriage among the Sikhs. Defying the state embargo on political activity, he joined the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal founded in Amritsar in December 1920, and became its vice-president. For supporting the <i>morch&#257</i> or agitation of the Ak&#257l&#299 activists at Jaito, he was arrested in October 1923, sent to Lahore Fort and detained there along with other Ak&#257l&#299 leaders. He was released in November 1926, but was soon rearrested by Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 police. The Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal protested against his detention and decided (23 July 1929) to start an agitation to secure his release. Ak&#257l&#299 leader B&#257b&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh addressed a series of meetings in the states of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, N&#257bh&#257 and J&#299nd, proclaiming that they would work together against the suppression of any political agitation within their borders.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In jail, Sev&#257 Si&#7749gh started a fast in June 1929 which, he declared, would only cease with his death. A deputation of Sikhs representing moderate political opinion presented a memorial to the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 at Ka&#7751&#7693&#257gh&#257&#7789, in the Siml&#257 hills, on 23 August 1929 seeking his release. Sev&#257 Si&#7749gh was let off, but was taken into custody again on 2 November 1930 for his continued association with the Praj&#257 Ma&#7751&#7693al, and was sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of Rs 10,000. The sentence was reduced and he was released on 12 March 1931, only to be re-arrested from his house in &#7788h&#299kr&#299v&#257l&#257 on 24 August 1933. In the court, Sev&#257 Si&#7749gh refused to defend himself and dissociated himself from the trial proceedings. Protesting against the ill-treatment he suffered in Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 jail, he went on a hunger strike on 18 April 1934. Forcible feeding was tried, but he died in the early hours of 20 January 1935. Intrigue and foul play were suspected and the Praj&#257 Ma&#7751&#7693al demanded an open inquiry into the cause of his death. The state authorities kept the ashes under police guard in Gurdw&#257r&#257 Niha&#7749g&#257&#7749 d&#299 Bagh&#299ch&#299 in Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 till 1938, when Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Bh&#363pinder Si&#7749gh's successor, Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Y&#257davinder Si&#7749gh, allowed these to be taken to &#7788h&#299kr&#299v&#257l&#257, with full military honours. On his death anniversary which is observed on January 20, Sev&#257 Si&#7749gh receives the honours of a martyr from the vast numbers of people who throng &#7788h&#299kr&#299v&#257l&#257 on the occasion.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Uj&#257gar Si&#7749gh Bhaur&#257, <i>Sard&#257r Sev&#257 Si&#7749gh &#7788h&#299kr&#299v&#257le d&#257 K&#257um&#299 J&#299van</i><BR> <li class="C1"> Gurcharan Si&#7749gh, <i>J&#299van Sard&#257r Si&#7749gh &#7788h&#299kr&#299v&#257l&#257</i>. Patiala, 1970<BR> <li class="C1"> T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, Master, <i>Mer&#299 Y&#257d</i>. Amritsar, 1945<BR> <li class="C1"> Nijjar, B.S., <i>Punjab Under the British Rule</i>, vol. III. Delhi, 1974<BR> <li class="C1"> Dard, H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Mer&#299&#257&#7749 Kujh Itih&#257sak Y&#257d&#257&#7749</i>. Jalandhar, 1955<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Gurcharan Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>