Biography of Shivaram Rajguru

Shivaram Hari Rajguru was born on August 24, 1908 in Maharashtra, India (British India) & died on March 23, 1931 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan (then part of British India), was an Indian revolutionist from Maharashtra. Rajguru was born at Khed near Pune. He was a colleague of Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev, and took part in the murder of a British police officer, J.P. Saunders, at Lahore) in 1928. The reasoning behind the murder was to revenge the death of veteran leader Lala Lajpat Rai who died due to injuries sustained during excessive police beating. All three were convicted of the crime and hanged on March 23, 1931. They were cremated at Hussainiwala at the banks of the Sutlej river in Ferozepur district of Punjab.

Rajguru was a learned scholar in various Indian scriptures. He was a sharp and accurate shooter and was regarded as the gunman of HSRA. He was the means of entertainment in the HSRA meetings due to his competition with Bhagat Singh. He always wanted to be one step ahead of Bhagat Singh in every occasion, which often led to comic situations. Writer Anil Verma, a judge, wrote a book on Rajguru titled Ajeya Krantikari Rajguru. It has been published by the Govt of India’s publication division and was released on 24 August 2008 on Birth centenary of Rajguru.

He was a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army, who wanted India to be freed from British rule by any means necessary. He believed that ferocity against oppression was far more effective against British rule than the gentle ways of Mahatma Gandhi. Rajguru Market, an important shopping complex at Hisar, Haryana, was named in his honour in 1953.