Sohan Singh Josh (1898–1982) was an Indian communist activist and freedom fighter. Meerut prisoners outside the jail

Life

Josh was born on 12 November 1898 at village Chetanpura in Amritsar district, Punjab Province, British India. His father, Lal Singh, wished for his son to be educated but there was no school nearby, so Sohan Singh entered school rather late. He passed the Middle standard examination from Church Mission School, Majitha, and the Matriculation examination from D.A.V. School, Amritsar. For his tertiary education, Josh joined the Khalsa College, Amritsar, but had to leave soon after owing to financial difficulties. Following his short tenure at Khalsa College, Josh went to Hubli in Bengal Presidency and later to Bombay where he worked up to 1918 in the Censor's office. He returned to Amritsar later to pursue a career as a school teacher. In 1921, Josh took an active interest in the Akali movement for the liberation of gurdwaras from mahants. Josh zealously opposed the British Raj in India, and as a result of his anti-British activities was arrested. He was tried and sentenced to three years imprisonment. At that time he became the member of the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee and the Shiromani Akali Dal. Josh was a prolific writer. In 1925 he helped to bring out a revolutionary paper, ''Kirti'', which was main vehicle for Bhagat Singh to propagate his ideas. Josh was a leader both of the Kirti Kisan Party and the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, being one of several people who were prominent in both organisations simultaneously. He was imprisoned for his role in the

Meerut Conspiracy Case The Meerut Conspiracy Case was a controversial court case that was initiated in British Raj in March 1929 and decided in 1933. Several trade unionists, including three Englishmen, were arrested for organizing an Indian railway strike. The Br ...

, was released in November 1933 and thereafter aligned himself with the

Communist Party of India Communist Party of India (CPI) is the oldest Marxist–Leninist communist party in India and one of the nine national parties in the country. The CPI was founded in modern-day Kanpur (formerly known as Cawnpore) on 26 December 1925. H ...

. In 1943 he became the editor of a newly founded communist paper, ''Jang-i-Azadi''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Josh, Sohan Singh Indian independence activists from Punjab (British India) History of Punjab People from Amritsar district Revolutionary movement for Indian independence 1898 births 1982 deaths Indian revolutionaries Communist Party of India politicians from Punjab, India Prisoners and detainees of British India