Gulab Kaur

 Gulab Kaur had left her husband to fight for the country’s independence. She was born in the year 1890 in Bakshiwala village, Sangrur district in Punjab.

Very little information is available about her life. She had married to Mann Singh and after their marriage the couple left for the Philippines with the ultimate objective of migrating to the United States of America in search of a bright future.

During their journey, they came across members of the famous Ghadar Party which was an Indian revolutionary organisation. It was founded by Punjabi Sikh immigrants.

 Mann Singh had continued on his journey to America; whereas Gulab Kaur had decided to leave her husband to join the Ghadar movement and fight the British government and free India!

Alongside 50 other Ghadarites, Gulab Kaur voyaged for India from the Philippines on the SS Korea, before changing up to the Tosha Maru.

On reaching India, she became an active comrade in places like Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, and Jalandhar and mobilised masses for the armed revolution.

 She distributed literature linked to the freedom movement, maintaining a tight vigil on their revolutionary printing press.

 Thus she helped in educating the masses about the atrocities caused by the British regime. She also distributed arms and ammunition to members of the Ghadar Party, acting as a journalist. She also encouraged many others to join the Ghadar Party.

Unfortunately, the British authorities came to know about her and arrested her under sedition charges. She was imprisoned for two years at Lahore’s Shahi Qila, where she underwent serious abuse and torture. She eventually passed away sometime in 1931.

A Punjabi book titled Gadhar di dhee-Gulab Kaur (Gadar’s Daughter-Gulab Kaur) written by S Kesar Singh tells us about her indomitable courage and great patriotic fervour. Though being an woman of pre-independent period, she entered the male dominated region and fought for India's Independence. It is due to the sacrifice and courage of patriots like Gulab Kaur, it is possible today that we are free today from the tyranny of the Britishers.

Salute to breavehearts like Gulab Kaur who sacrificed their all for the country!

Jai Hind!