Ghadar Party (Ghadar Movement)

The Urdu word Ghadar means 'revolt' or 'rebellion'. A fitting name for the organization of brave men who took up arms for the freedom of their country! The name was taken from a weekly paper "The Ghadar". The first issue of 'The Ghadar' was published from San Francisco on 1st November 1913. The Ghadar Movement was started and organized by the Indian immigrants, to Canada and USA. The Ghadar Party was initially known as Pacific Coast Hindustan Association. This organization was founded in America in 1913. The goal was to mobilize Indians outside India to fight against Britain. The founders of the Ghadar Movement were Dr. Panduranga Sadashiva and Pandit Kashiram. Its headquarters was the 'Yugantar' ashram in San Francisco. When Britain's attention was diverted from India during the First World War, the Ghadar Party decided to launch an armed rebellion in India and make India independent.

The main leaders were Lala Hardayal, Bhai Paramanand, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Tarakanath Das and Ram Chandra. They attempted to bring about an armed revolt in India on February 21, 1915. They decided on February 21, 1915, as the Revolution Day. Before that, Rash Behari Bose, Vishnu Ganesh Pingle, Sachin Sanyal and others came to Punjab and camped there. But, in the meantime, the British got the secret information of revolution through spies. Before the revolutionaries had time to do anything, the British army captured all the leaders. Many were killed. Many were exiled. Thus, the move of the patriots was failed due to treachery. The rebellious regiments were disbanded and their leaders were either imprisoned or hanged.