Surya Sen is a Bangladeshi freedom fighter. He was a revolutionary who fought against British rule in Bengal and the Indian subcontinent during the Indian Independence Movement. In 1918, he served as chairman of the Chittagong branch of the Indian National Congress. In 1930 he was appointed leader of the Chittagong Armory Raid.
Wiki/Biography
Surya Sen was born on Thursday, March 22, 1894, in Noapara village, Thana Raojan, Chittagong (age 39 years at the time of death). His zodiac sign is Aries. He received his primary education at Dayamoy Primary School. He received his secondary education at Noapara Higher English School. In 1912, he started studying for BA at Berhampore College (now Krishnath College) in Murshidabad.
appearance
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
Statue of Surya Sen in front of Calcutta High Court
family
Surya Sen was born in the Baidya family of Noapara in Chittagong and belonged to the Raozan Upazila.
Parents and siblings
His father’s name is Rajmoni Sen and he is a teacher. His mother’s name was Sheela Bala Devi. Surya is the fourth child among six siblings. His parents died at an early age. All the children were raised by their uncle “Guromoni”.
wife
In 1919, Surya Sen married Poshpo Kontola Dutta.
early life
In 1916, while pursuing his Bachelor of Arts degree at Berhampur College (now Krishnath College) in Murshidabad, West Bengal, Surya Sen learned about India through a teacher freedom struggle movement. Therefore, he was attracted to the ideals of India. The revolutionary freedom fighters, soon, started joining a revolutionary organization called Anushilan Samity. In 1918, he returned to Chittagong and began teaching mathematics at Nandankanan National School. He is generally called “Master Da” in the school. Later, he resigned from his teaching career and joined the Indian independence movement. The Indian National Congress was the main political party in Bangladesh at that time. He began to serve as the chairman of the Indian National Congress in 1918.
Participate in the non-cooperation movement
Surya Sen actively participated in the non-cooperation movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi. Later, Surya Sen was arrested for participating in the Indian independence movement and was imprisoned for two years from 1926 to 1928. During his revolutionary activities, Surya Sen liked to repeat his own words:
Humanism is the special virtue of revolutionaries. “
Chittagong Armory Raid
Surya Sen was released by the British government in 1928, and he once again began to participate in revolutionary activities in Chittagong. In 1930, he joined a group of revolutionaries in the Chittagong branch and formed an organization called the Indian Republican Army (IRA) with like-minded people such as Nirmal Sen and Ambika Chakraborty. On 18 April 1930, he planned a raid on the police armory and reinforcements at the Chittagong Armory. According to the plan, the revolutionaries were divided into five groups and seized weapons from the armory by dismantling the city’s telephone, telegraph, railway and other communication systems. The communications system isolated the British government from the city of Chittagong. After the raid, the weapons were confiscated by the revolutionaries; however, they failed to seize the ammunition. Soon after the attack, they unfurled the Indian flag at the scene and fled. British police captured a large number of revolutionaries days after the attack on Jalalabad Hill. Clashes between police and revolutionaries resulted in the deaths of twelve revolutionaries and eighty policemen. Many of them were arrested by the police and some managed to escape, including Senator Surya. The fleeing revolutionaries hid in local villages, split into small groups, and continued to attack government coffers and property.
Young man captured by British troops during Chittagong raid
Surya Sen was the head of recruitment of revolutionaries and young people involved in the Chittagong attack. Some of the prominent freedom fighters who participated in the raid include Ananta Singh, Ganesh Ghosh and Lokenath Bal. They all fought against the British Empire in Chittagong.
Fragments from newspaper articles shortly after the Chittagong Armory Raid
Soon after the raid, Surya Sen kept running from the police. During this time, he worked in a variety of jobs, including as a laborer, farmer, pastor, and domestic worker to earn a living. He also lived as a Muslim. During this period, he hid in a friend’s house. One of Surya Sen’s relatives named Netra Sen lived near Surya Sen’s friend’s house. Soon, Netra Sen informed the police about Surya Sen’s whereabouts, and soon after receiving information about Surya, the police arrived and arrested him in February 1933. After the incident, Netra Sen was beheaded by a sharp knife. Surya Sen was among his companions before he was honored by the British government. The entire incident was witnessed by Netra Sen’s wife, but she did not reveal the name of the revolutionaries who killed her husband because she was a supporter of Senator Surya. Tarakeswar Dastidar was another revolutionary who was hanged along with Senator Surya.
die
On February 16, 1933, Surya Sen was arrested by the British police and hanged on January 12, 1934. Several of his companions were also arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. Surya Sen was reportedly brutally tortured and hanged by the British government. His bones, limbs, joints and teeth were smashed with hammers by the jailers and his fingernails were pulled out so that he could not say “Vande Mataram”. In his last letter to a friend, Surya Sen wrote:
Death is knocking on my door. My thoughts flew to eternity. What should I leave you on such a joyful occasion, in such a tomb, in such a solemn moment? There is only one thing and that is my dream, a golden dream – the dream of free India. Never forget that date, April 18, 1930, the day of the Chittagong East Rebellion. Write in red letters in your hearts the names of those patriots who laid down their lives on the altar of Indian freedom. “
Facts/Trivia
- His full name is Surya Kumar Sen. He is also known as Surjya Sen.
- The gallows where Surya Sen was hanged has been designated as a historical monument by the Bangladesh government.
Suspended Platform by Surya Sen
View of the suspended platform from the front
Side suspended platform
- “Masterda Surjo Sen Metro Station” is a metro station in Kolkata, India, built in the memory of Surya Sen.
- The movement started by Surya Sen in 1930 was inspired by the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland. After Surya Sen was sentenced to death, the movement he led died.
- During the arms raid on April 18, 1930, two pamphlets were distributed throughout Chittagong town. A pamphlet reading “Violation of Treason Act” declared Chittagong’s independence after Mahatma Gandhi launched a civil disobedience movement. Another pamphlet appealed to young Indians to join India’s revolutionary movement against British rule.
- In 1928, Surya Sen built a gymnasium for young Indian revolutionaries in Chittagong. He asked comrades to strengthen physical exercise and improve their physical fitness and mental endurance. The sports he focuses on include swimming, rowing, tree climbing, stick playing, knife throwing, boxing, etc.
- Surya Sen and his revolutionary comrades carried out a raid on the armory on April 18, 1930, during the Good Friday holiday. Most Europeans, including police officers, were at home that day. The raid succeeded in capturing the European club’s headquarters.
- In 1932, soon after the Chittagong attack, the Inspector General of Chittagong Police distributed a wanted poster. The reward amount for informants is Tk 10,000.
Surya Sen’s 10,000 taka wanted poster, distributed by the Inspector General of Chittagong Police in 1932
- In 1978, the Indian government issued a stamp in honor of Surya Sen’s fight for India’s freedom during the 1930 Chittagong attack.
Stamp commemorating the life and legacy of Surya Sen
- In 1949, a Bengali film titled Chattagram Astragar Lunthan was made based on the life of Surya Sen.
Chattagram Astragar Lunthan is a Bengali film based on the life of Surya Sen
- The 2010 Bollywood film Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar, was based on the life story of Surya Sen. Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan plays the lead role.
Poster of the movie Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey
- In 2012, Bedabrata Pain directed a film called “Chittagong”, in which Indian actor Manoj Bajpayee played the protagonist. The film is based on the 1930 armory raid carried out by Surya Sen and his fellow revolutionaries.
Movie “Chittagong” poster
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education