Bhagmal Sauhta (Aged 89) was born in 1899 in the village of Dhar of Jubbal (District Shimla), Himachal Pradesh, India. He was a civil engineer trained at Baroda and actively participated in the freedom movement from the beginning. He led people to shackle down monarchical autocracy of princes and tyranny of British.
In 1937, he organized the ‘Shri Dhami Prem Pracharni Sabha’ which focused on carrying out social and religious reforms and later converted itself into ‘Dhami Riyasati Praja Mandal’ on 13th July 1939. The Dhami Riyasati Praja Mandal, led by Shri Sita Ram, demanded the abolition of ‘Begar’, a reduction in land revenue, restoration of civil liberties and more. However, Rana Dalip Singh of Dhami rejected these demands outrightly.
Bhagmal Sauhta led a delegation of 7 members to present the charter of demands by hand to the Rana, which included the immediate grant of ‘full responsible government’ and the revocation of the ban on Riyasati Praja Mandal. On the way, the deputation was joined by a crowd of nearly 1500. However, at a place called Ghanahatti, police suddenly started a lathi charge, volleys of stones, and bullets upon the peaceful crowd, leading to two deaths and several injuries. This incident was known as the Dhami Firing tragedy. Sauhta was then arrested and lodged in a jail in Ambala.
Sauhta was also among the founding members of ‘Himalayan Riyasati Praja Mandal’ (HRPM), responsible for directing the activities of political and social workers in hill states. He played a pivotal role in the integration of Prajamandal under Himalayan Hill States Regional Council (HHSRC), established in 1946.
Bhagmal Sauhta had foreseen the importance of the integration of all Shimla hill states and its people, and later became the CM of the local representative government of Jubbal State. He was a prominent member of the committee which proposed the name ‘Himachal Pradesh’ for the state. He passed away in 1988.
Bhagmal Sauhta
(1899 – 1988) – Himachal Pradesh
Bhagmal Sauhta (Aged 89) was born in 1899 in the village of Dhar of Jubbal (District Shimla), Himachal Pradesh, India. He was a civil engineer trained at Baroda and actively participated in the freedom movement from the beginning. He led people to shackle down monarchical autocracy of princes and tyranny of British.
In 1937, he organized the ‘Shri Dhami Prem Pracharni Sabha’ which focused on carrying out social and religious reforms and later converted itself into ‘Dhami Riyasati Praja Mandal’ on 13th July 1939. The Dhami Riyasati Praja Mandal, led by Shri Sita Ram, demanded the abolition of ‘Begar’, a reduction in land revenue, restoration of civil liberties and more. However, Rana Dalip Singh of Dhami rejected these demands outrightly.
Bhagmal Sauhta led a delegation of 7 members to present the charter of demands by hand to the Rana, which included the immediate grant of ‘full responsible government’ and the revocation of the ban on Riyasati Praja Mandal. On the way, the deputation was joined by a crowd of nearly 1500. However, at a place called Ghanahatti, police suddenly started a lathi charge, volleys of stones, and bullets upon the peaceful crowd, leading to two deaths and several injuries. This incident was known as the Dhami Firing tragedy. Sauhta was then arrested and lodged in a jail in Ambala.
Sauhta was also among the founding members of ‘Himalayan Riyasati Praja Mandal’ (HRPM), responsible for directing the activities of political and social workers in hill states. He played a pivotal role in the integration of Prajamandal under Himalayan Hill States Regional Council (HHSRC), established in 1946.
Bhagmal Sauhta had foreseen the importance of the integration of all Shimla hill states and its people, and later became the CM of the local representative government of Jubbal State. He was a prominent member of the committee which proposed the name ‘Himachal Pradesh’ for the state. He passed away in 1988.
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