Sundarlal Sharma

File:Sundarlal Sharma 1990 stamp of India.jpg in 1990]] Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (21 December 1881 — 28 December 1940){{Cite book |last=Hashmi |first=Amir |title=Johar Gandhi (The Journey of Mahatma Gandhi in Chhattisgarh) |publisher=Meer Publication |year=2021 |isbn=979-8778794061 |location=New Delhi, India |pages=144–146 |language=English}}{{cite web |title=Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Samman |url=https://cgculture.in/samman_front_list.aspx?id=b+BwWpMAMnob7ASQtTuUyg== |work=Directorate of Culture and Archaeology |publisher=Government of Chhattisgarh |access-date=17 April 2021 |archive-date=27 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127154017/http://cgculture.in/samman_front_list.aspx?id=b+BwWpMAMnob7ASQtTuUyg== |url-status=live }} was a key figure in the independence movement from Chhattisgarh.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/independence-day-special-know-chhattisgarhs-jal-satyagraha-1502673246.html |title=Independence Day Special: Did you know of Chhattisgarh's Jal Satyagraha? |author1=Ashish Singh |author2=Shruti Chakraborty |publisher=The Statesman |date=14 August 2018 |access-date=17 April 2021}} He was largely responsible for ushering in political and social consciousness to Chhattisgarh. In 1920, he started the canal satyagraha, also known as the Nahar satyagraha, at a village called Kandel in Dhamtari Tehsil. Chhattisgarh has a university in the name of Pandit Sundarlal Sharma.{{cite web |title=Pandit Sundarlal Sharma |url=http://pssou.ac.in/Pandit.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417000120/http://pssou.ac.in/Pandit.aspx |archive-date=17 April 2021 |access-date=17 April 2021 |publisher=Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University}}

Biography

Pt. Sundarlal Sharma was born in a village of Chandrasur near Raipur and spent most of his life in Raipur. He was under influence of Mahatma Gandhi, and, in particular, he organized Gandhi's visit to Raipur in 1920. At the time, he has already been active in the local level politics, with the goal of implementing social reforms such as abolition of castes and integrating untouchables into society. Later, he entered politics at the national level and represented Madhya Pradesh in the Indian independence movement. He was acquainted with the leading Indian reformers of the time, including Gandhi, Madan Mohan Malaviya, and Lala Lajpat Rai.{{fact|date=August 2024}}

In 1920, Sharma started the Kandel Nahar Satyagraha in Kandel, Dhamtari. This was an act of civil resistance against an irrigation tax by the British Raj.{{cite book |title=January 2019 Exams Exclusive |author=Dheeraj Sharma |year=2019 |page=39}}

In 1921-22 he was arrested by the authorities, which is considered to be the first arrest in Chhattisgarh related to the independence movement.

References

Category:Chhattisgarh politicians

Category:1881 births

Category:1940 deaths