Rajguru

Rajguru

Shivaram Hari Rajguru (August 24, 1908 - March 23, 1931) was an Indian revolutionary from Maharashtra. Rajguru was born in a place named Khed near Pune. It was later renamed as Rajgurunagar in his honor. He is best known as a colleague of Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev in the murder of a British police officer J.P. Saunders at Lahore in 1928 in order to take revenge for the death of veteran leader Lala Lajpat Rai due to excessive police beating. All three were convicted of the crime and hanged on March 23, 1931. They were cremated at Hussainiwala at the banks of Sutlej river in today's Ferozepur district of Punjab.

He had immense potential in terms of memory and had learnt various scriptures by heart. He was a sharp and accurate shooter and was regarded as the gunman of HSRA.

He was the means of entertainment in the HSRA meetings due to his competition with Bhagat Singh. He always wanted to be one step ahead of Bhagat Singh in every case, which often led to comic situations.

Rajguru was hiding in Nagpur. He met Dr. K. B. Hedgewar and was hiding in one of the RSS worker's house. But after some days he went to Pune and later was arrested there.

Famous writer Anil Verma, a Judge, wrote a book on Rajguru titled "Ajeya Krantikari Rajguru. It has been published by Govt of India's publication divison & released on 24 August 2008 on Birth centenary of Rajguru.

He was a freedom fighter who sacrificed his life for the independence of India. He was a member of Hindustan socialist republican army who wanted India to become free by all means necessary. He believed that violence against oppression was far more effective against British rule than the non violent ways of Mahatma Gandhi.