September 28 marks the 112th birth anniversary of one of India’s bravest freedom fighters - Bhagat Singh. 

Born into a politically active family in Lahore, Singh was enrolled into the Arya Samaj institution as his grandfather did not approve of the Khalsa High School in Lahore and its loyalty to the British government. 

It was when Bhagat Singh was in school, that the Jallianwala Bagh incident took place. Singh was so disturbed that he would often bunk school just to visit the site of the bloodbath.

Bhagat Singh had begun to dedicate his life for the country at a very young age. His love for the nation was such that he even left home when his parents pressured him to get married. He joined the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association thereafter. 

Heavily influenced by Marxist ideologies, Bhagat Singh came up with revolutionary ideas and it was he who coined the phrase ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ which means ‘long live the revolution’. 

Bhagat Singh anticipated the division of India on communal grounds and stressed on the importance of unity and oneness. 

Singh and his associates threw low-grade explosives in the Central Legislative Assembly with the intention of being arrested. However, Singh was convicted for shooting a British police officer and was sentenced to be hanged. 

Bhagat Singh had expressed his desire to be shot dead instead of being hanged. However his wish was not considered. 
On March 23, 1931, 11 hours ahead of his scheduled execution, India lost one of its bravest heroes. Singh was cremated secretly on the banks of the Sutlej river by jail authorities. 

On this day, the nation remembers its hero and pays tribute to one of the greatest freedom fighters.