.

The Gadar Movement Centenary Celebration at Los Angeles

The Gadar Movement Centenary Celebration held on June 16 at the Sheraton Cerritos, CA, was a celebration to remember the Gadar heroes who started the Indian Independence movement in a century ago, many of whom gave their lives. It was a befitting event attended by the family members of some of the heroes, dignitaries and the Indian American community.

 It is very important to celebrate, educate and commemorate the lives of the heroes who are integral part of Indian history especially the Freedom movement. In this case we all have to note that the Gadar leaders started the movement from America, Canada and other countries long before it started in India.  Thousands of the overseas Indians left their adopted countries to go back and start an armed revolution. They were caught and given extremely hard sentences, many sentenced to death.

_

 It is a matter of pride today to know that the Gadar Memorial Hall in San Francisco will become a fully functional library and museum. 

 The notable speakers and contributors were the Counsel General of India in San Francisco, Ambassador Parthasarathi, Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Foreign Relations Committee and Co-Chairman of the India Caucus and Professor of History, Stanley Wolpert of UCLA, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Lala Hardayal, Prof. Sudarshan Kapoor, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Deeksjha Goyal, Bhai Bhagwan Singh, S.P. Singh, Kartar Singh Dukki, Jagdish Khangura, Baljeet Toor, Dr. Jasbair Singh Mann, Jevan Zutshi and the main organizer, Inder Singh had lot of praise for Dr. Karan Singh for his help and for Mr. Parthasarathi. Dr. Kailash Dhamija and Sheela Bhandari and company entertained the audience. The organizing team members, Inder Singh, Ashok Madan, Kewal Khanda, Abdulgani Shaikh, Dilip Butani, Amrit Bhandari, Deepi Singh, Ajmer Singh, Yash Singh, Prof. Keshav Patel, Mallappa Yerasi and Aparna Hande worked hard to make the event successful.

 Kashmir Singh of Bakersfield presented a book containing poems which were published in Gadar magazine. The function started and then ended with the singing of patriotic songs and recitation of Gadar poems. The Organizing Committee recognized grandsons of Gadarites by presenting GOPIO shawl to S.P Singh of Atlanta, grandson of Bhai Bhagwan Singh, 2nd president of Gadar Party and Jagdish Khangura grandson of Kartar Singh Dukki who was in-charge of the Gadar Press at the Gadar headquarters in San Francisco. The organizers presented a GOPIO shawl to Ambassador Parthasarathi for his relentless promotion of the centenary celebration of Gadar Movement. They also presented GOPIO shawls to Jagdish Khangura and Bhupinder Singh Mac for their financial support for the publication of The Gadar Heroics. GOPIO and all the partner organizations have committed to hold the centenary celebration in many states across USA.

 "It was a historical event which highlighted the incredible contribution of the Sikh community," a well known strategist, economist and educator KV Kumar said. " I am very proud of the Sikh community and praise their achievements."                 

Dr. Karan Singh, MP, titular Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, senior member of the ruling Indian National Congress Party, ex-Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and served as Indian Ambassador to the US, was invited as chief Guest of this event...but did not come from India for some unknown reasons.

.

.

.

CLICK FOR CELEBRATION PHOTOss