Shaheed Diwas is the death anniversary of one of India’s bravest son – Bhagat Singh who was hanged in the Lahore central jail on 23rd March 1931. A fierce revolutionary, Bhagat Singh was hanged along with two of his comrades – Rajguru and Sukhdev. At the time when the Indians were oppressed with the British rule, their opposition revolved around peaceful means against the establishment. A young crop of energetic men decided to opt for violence against the barbarism of the British soldiers. Though they often lacked the support of Indian leaders, these young men had made up their mind on what path they will follow.

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre had a huge impact on the mind of Bhagat Singh and he bunked school at the age of 12 to pay respects to the martyrs. The death of Lala Lajpat Rai turned him into a full-blown insurgent. Bhagat Singh and his associates vowed to avenge his death. Their target was James A Scott but in a case of mistaken identity, they murdered John P Saunders. After escaping the British Laws for some time, the young freedom fighter went ahead with the bombing of Central Legislative Assembly. He shouted “Inquilab Zindabad” after being caught and this proved to be his final act in India’s Freedom movement. Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar's 89th Death Anniversary: Interesting Facts About Indian Revolutionary Leader Who Sacrificed His Life For Freedom of The Nation.

On Martyr’s Day, people pay tributes to these three extraordinary men who laid down their lives for their nation. In India and Pakistan, candle march is carried out at the Shaheedi Mela and people pay homage to three men. The youth draw a lot of inspiration from them as they infuse a feeling of nationalism. At the Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Museum, exhibits belonging to him draw a lot of tourist attraction.

In a poll conducted by India Today in 2008, Bhagat Singh was voted the greatest Indian and till date, he lives in the hearts of every Indian for the legend that he is.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 23, 2020 08:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).