5 Things To Learn From Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh, the name that epitomises revolution in the Indian Subcontinent, As a young revolutionary with Marxist leanings, Singh lived his short but fearless life during the heyday of the British Raj. In fact, the British imperialists couldn’t fathom how a young man in his early twenties could challenge their writ. That’s why they ensured to silence Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh through thick and thin. However, Singh was always one step ahead of the Raj. That’s why not only his creed and deeds became immortal in the annals of history. But, even after his death in March 1931, his actions inspired then, and even now, multitudes to serve the motherland in toto.

And in this article, we’ll discuss the five things that we can learn from the legendary Bhagat Singh. After reading a little bit about Sardar Bhagat Singh, I have listed these qualities which one can try to develop within himself or herself. Based on my experience, I’m writing this article. So, there are chances that some of you might differ from my interpretation of Singh. And I respect differences of opinion.

5 Qualities of Sardar Bhagat Singh

1. Questioning

2. Fearlessness

3. Patriotism

4. Humility

5. Voracious reading

5 lessons to take away from Bhagat Singh.

Questioning

In Latin there’s a phrase, Cogito, ergo sum. It literally means, I think, therefore I am. And Bhagat Singh lived his life like a thinking man. He never surrendered himself to the happenings of his surroundings. He always questioned the people around him. Whether they were his family members or the leading freedom fighters of India, including Mahatma Gandhi and his method of Swaraj.

Take this, for example. Bhagat Singh was an atheist. But, was he born as an atheist or something else? For this answer, we need to look at the family background of Singh and how he grew up. Bhagat Singh’s grandfather, Sardar Arjun Singh, was not only a  Sikh but also an arya samajist. He grew up in a family that believed in the idea of God. But, as Bhagat Singh started reading, his mind released waves of thoughts and too many questions.

In fact, one of the most famous Quotes by Bhagat Singh, where he said,

“Study” was the cry that reverberated in the corridors of my mind. Study to enable yourself to face the arguments advanced by the opposition. Study to arm yourself with arguments in favour of your cult. I began to study.

He questioned the existence of God itself. Singh posed several logical questions to those who believe in the concept of God in his essay, Why I Am An Atheist. He asked if there was a God, then why so much suffering? Why can’t God help the needy and downtrodden?

Singh even asked questions about the methods of none other than Mohandas Karamchandra Gandhi. But, he didn’t use any foul language while questioning those with whom he had differences of opinion. In a logical way, he put forward his views in front of the people. So that they can also respond in a sensible manner.

In fact, this is one of the rarest of the rare qualities which we seldom come across these days, i.e., questioning and accepting the difference of opinion in a cordial way. The majority of us love to wound others with words, which sometimes we also know are not good. But, we still do it time and again, isn’t it?

That’s why when you say you admire Bhagat Singh, make sure you follow at least half of what he did in his life and times. Ask questions. Don’t hesitate. It’s better to ask rather than stay mum throughout your life.

Fearlessness

Bhagat Singh died when he was only twenty-three years old. Yes, you heard it right. He sacrificed his precious life for the freedom of his beloved motherland, India. And only a person who is unafraid of death can think of such a thing, isn’t it? And Singh was one such gem of a person.

He came from a family of freedom fighters. His father, Sardar Kishan Singh, and his uncle, Sardar Ajit Singh, were Indian freedom fighters. So, he grew up in an environment where there was no place for cowardice. In fact, Bhagat Singh was born in Punjab, where people since eternity have fought against the tyranny of unjust rulers. So, its effects on Singh were quite visible throughout his life. That’s why, for Bhagat Singh, freedom of Hindustan at any cost was his top priority.

That’s why he didn’t hesitate to avenge the death of the great Lala Lajpat Rai when Bhagat Singh, along with Raj Guru and Sukh dev, shot dead British police officer J. P. Saunders. He even hurled bombs along with Batukeshwar Dutt at the Central Legislative Assembly Hall in New Delhi in 1929, to make the deaf British Raj hear that as long as people like him were alive, they couldn’t remain at peace. They had to free Hindustan from their clutches sooner rather than later.

So, if you are a Bhagat Singh fan, don’t stay silent. If you don’t raise your voice, then tyrants will become more powerful than ever. And we all know that, especially in a democracy, it won’t take long for a ruler to behave like an emperor. And in the land of Hindustan, there is no place for any self-proclaimed Badshah or Maharaja. People are supreme and will remain as such.

Patriotism

Sardar Bhagat Singh was a patriot, not a self-proclaimed nationalist. And there is a thin line that separates the former from the latter. A patriot makes sure that his nation and its people see the reality rather than a sugar coated image of his nation, unlike a nationalist who can go to any length and breadth to justify unjustified deeds.

For India to become the Vishwa Guru (world leader), it needs an infinite number of patriots who not only laud the good acts of the nation. However, they would also identify the shortcomings so that they could be addressed. Rather than believing in the Sab Changa See World, i.e., everything is fine!

Humility

At a time when after becoming a councillor, MLA, MP, IAS, IPS, and even a sarkari peon, people started behaving like demigods. But freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh worked in total humility. In Kanpur, Singh even worked as an assistant to the legendary Indian journalist Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. For people like Singh, serving the motherland is like oxygen. They serve selflessly while expecting nothing in return. That’s why even now, people love them and respect their courage and dedication to the matrabhumi.

So, remaining down-to-earth is another thing or lesson which one can also learn from Sardar Bhagat Singh.

Voracious Reading

Imagine a person going to be hanged within a few hours. So, what’s the mental condition of that human? There are a few possibilities. Like, maybe he became silent, or he cried his heart out, or he just laughed like an insane person. Bhagat Singh was reading a book prior to his hanging. Strange, isn’t it? He was reading The Revolutionary Lenin with utmost concentration. This shows how much Bhagat Singh loved books. Even during his college days in the majestic city of Lahore, his friends used to call him a “moving library”.

Books and Bhagat Singh were inseparable. He loved to read about Karl Marx, Lenin, Engles, and other leftist ideologues. Singh was well versed in English, Hindustani, Urdu and his mother tongue, Punjabi, which is written in the Guru Mukhi script. Books opened many new vistas for Sardar Bhagat Singh, and he enjoyed every part of it. He was a thinker and a good writer. And books not only widened his horizons but also polished his ideas, which we read in today’s time.

So, for all the lovers of Bhagat Singh, reading books is the best way in which one can pay tribute to him. And I recommend all the readers out there to read these three Books On Bhagat Singh These books will help you a lot in understanding the life and times of Sadar Bhagat Singh.

• Without Fear The Life And Trial Of Bhagat Singh by Kuldip Nayar

• Why I Am An Atheist by Bhagat Singh

• Understanding Bhagat Singh by Chaman Lal

I hope you like this article about the five things which we can learn from the great revolutionary Bhagat Singh. Thanks for reading. Jai Hind.

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