A commemorative postage stamp on the Death Anniversary of Shivaram Rajguru, an Indian revolutionary from Maharashtra, member of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) :

Issued by India

Issued on Mar 22, 2013

Issued for : Department of Posts salutes the courage, dedication and sacrifice of the martyr, Shiv Ram Hari Rajguru by issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.31 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

Name : Shivaram Hari Rajguru

Born on Aug 24, 1908 at Rajgurunagar (Khed), Khed taluka, Pune district, Maharashtra, India

Died on Mar 23, 1931 at Lahore, Pakistan

About : 

• The history of India’s freedom struggle is replete with legends of valour, sacrifice and devotion to the cause of freedom. Shiv Ram Hari Rajguru, popularly known as Rajguru, was one such martyr whose name reverberates in the annals of our freedom movement.
• Rajguru was born on 24^th August, 1908 in Khed, a small village near Pune, Maharashtra. At a young age, Rajguru was mesmerized with Jagatguru Shankaracharya’s brilliance and eloquence and became his ardent follower. He was also inspired by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak who ignited the flame of rebellion against the British in his tender heart. The atrocities of the British rulers impacted the mind of young Rajguru, who decided to devote his life to the freedom struggle. He came in touch with the great revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad who inducted him in the National Movement. When Lala Lajpat Rai succumbed to the injuries inflicted on him during the peaceful protest against the Simon Commission in the year 1928, the anger seething in the hearts of the people led the revolutionaries to make a resolution to avenge the death of Lalaji. Chandra Shekhar Azad, Rajguru and other revolutionaries set out for Lahore with a motive to kill J. A. Scott, Superintendent of Police, Lahore who had ordered lathi charge against the peaceful crowd. Instead of Scott, due to an error in identification of the target by the informers, his Assistant Superintendent, Saunders, was killed by Rajguru on 17^th December, 1928. Lahore was cordoned off but these revolutionaries managed to escape.
• Rajguru was finally arrested in Pune in 1929 and taken to Lahore. The trial for Lahore conspiracy case began to be conducted in the court of special magistrate. Later, the Government set up a Tribunal by promulgation of an Ordinance to try the accused. The revolutionaries declared the Tribunal unlawful. Rajguru was in the forefront of this opposition. The proceedings continued during which the revolutionaries used to sing patriotic songs and raise ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ slogans.
• Finally on 7^th October, 1930 the decision came sealing the fate of Rajguru and fellow revolutionaries. Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were awarded death sentence while seven others were given life imprisonment. Rajguru and his accomplices were hanged on 23^rd March, 1931 amidst deafening sounds of patriotic slogans, both inside and outside the jail.
• Text : Based on the material furnished by the proponent.

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