Chander Singh Garhwali (Aged 88) was born on 25 December 1891 in Meason, Patti Chauthan, Tehsil Thalisain in the Garhwal district of today’s Uttarakhand, India. He served in the British army after enlisting in 2/36 Garhwal Rifles in 1914. He served in France and Mesopotamia during the First World War. In 1926, he met Mahatma Gandhi at Bageshwar, Almora, and was inspired by his patriotism. In 1930, while his unit was stationed in Peshawar, he participated in a mass demonstration and Satyagraha led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan as part of the civil disobedience movement.
On April 23, 1930, thousands of protesters had gathered in front of the Kissakhani Bazar Police Chowki in Peshawar, and Chander Singh refused to fire on unarmed protesters when commanded to do so. He was court-martialed and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, during which he was imprisoned in Abottabad jail. He was eventually released after 11 years, on September 26, 1941.
Even after his release, Chander Singh continued to actively participate in the freedom movement. He passed away on October 1, 1979. Mahatma Gandhi had once remarked about him, “If I had one more Chandra Singh Garhwali, then India would have become independent much earlier.”
Chander Singh Garhwali
(1891 – 1979) – (Uttarakhand)
Chander Singh Garhwali (Aged 88) was born on 25 December 1891 in Meason, Patti Chauthan, Tehsil Thalisain in the Garhwal district of today’s Uttarakhand, India. He served in the British army after enlisting in 2/36 Garhwal Rifles in 1914. He served in France and Mesopotamia during the First World War. In 1926, he met Mahatma Gandhi at Bageshwar, Almora, and was inspired by his patriotism. In 1930, while his unit was stationed in Peshawar, he participated in a mass demonstration and Satyagraha led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan as part of the civil disobedience movement.
On April 23, 1930, thousands of protesters had gathered in front of the Kissakhani Bazar Police Chowki in Peshawar, and Chander Singh refused to fire on unarmed protesters when commanded to do so. He was court-martialed and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, during which he was imprisoned in Abottabad jail. He was eventually released after 11 years, on September 26, 1941.
Even after his release, Chander Singh continued to actively participate in the freedom movement. He passed away on October 1, 1979. Mahatma Gandhi had once remarked about him, “If I had one more Chandra Singh Garhwali, then India would have become independent much earlier.”
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