Page 42 - NIS English 01-15 November 2022
P. 42
Nation Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
Shaheed Ram Singh Damodar Menon
HEROIC SON OF HIMACHAL WHO HE FOUGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE
FOUGHT AGAINST THE BRITISH WITH FEARLESS JOURNALISM
Born: 10 April 1824, Death: 11 November 1849 Born: 10 June 1906, Died: 1 November 1980
he name of Ram Singh Pathania, a brave A Damodar Menon was
Tson of Himachal Pradesh, is counted among Kone of the prominent
those great sons of Maa freedom fighters of India who
Bharati, who heralded used the medium of fearless
struggle against the British journalism to fight against
rule 11 years before the first the British rule. He was born
war of independence i.e. on 10 June 1906 at Karmalur,
1857. At that time he was Kerala. Damodar Menon was
only 21 years old. Upthania, educated at Maharaja College, Trivandrum
name became 'immortal and Rangoon University, Burma (present day
at the age of 24, by sacrificing his life in the Myanmar). He completed his law degree from
freedom struggle movement for Maa Bharati. It Trivandrum. Despite having a law degree,
is said that during the war he used to twist his he was more interested in public work and
'Chandi' Talwar so fierecely that it was not even journalism. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he
visible to the enemy. This brave son was born joined the freedom struggle. He also actively
on 10 April 1824 in the house of Wazir Shyam participated in the 'Salt Satyagraha' and 'Civil
Singh of Nurpur PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER Disobedience
princely state. It ALONG WITH JOURNALISM, Movement'
is said that due HIM THROUGH THE EVEN AFTER INDIA'S run by
to the Anglo-Sikh FOLK SONG 'KOI KILHA INDEPENDENCE, HE Mahatma
treaty in 1846, PATHANIA JOR LADEYA'... ALWAYS WORKED FOR THE Gandhi and
most of the 'KOI BETA WAZIR DA KHUB NATIONAL INTEREST. went to jail.
princely states LADEYA' He also
of Himachal participated in
Pradesh had come under the British Empire. At the 'Quit India Movement' and was imprisoned
the same time Raja Veer Singh died. His son from 1942 to 1945. Damodar Menon was
Jaswant Singh was the heir to the throne. The counted among the best journalists of the
British took all the rights of Jaswant Singh for country. He did important work for public
five thousand rupees and announced the merger awareness in the country as the editor of the
of the princely state with their empire. In such a famous Malayalam daily 'Mathrubhumi' till
situation, Ram Singh Pathania formed an army 1948. Not only this, he also edited the papers
with the Katoch Rajputs and attacked the British. 'Samdarshi', 'Swatantrata', 'Kahalam' and
The British fled from this attack. Pleased with 'Power Shakti'. He was also elected to Lok
this, Jaswant Singh appointed himself as the Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. He also became a
king and made Ram Singh his Wazir. After this minister in the state government after being
he made a plan to overthrow all the British from elected a member of the Kerala Legislative
Himachal and won. The British knew that they Assembly. It is said that his economic views
could not easily arrest or kill Ram Singh. In such were very liberal. He died on 1 November
a situation, they hatched a plan and while Ram 1980.
Singh was performing the puja, he was arrested
fraudulently. He was sent to Kalapani after being
sentenced to life imprisonment. He was later
sent to Rangoon, where he died on 11 November
1849 at the age of 24.
40 New India Samachar November 1-15, 2022
