This slogan was coined by the Islamic scholar, Urdu poet, Indian freedom fighter, prominent leader of Indian National Congress and one of the founders of communist party of India, Maulana Hasrat Mohani in 1921.[9][10][11]
It was popularized by Bhagat Singh (1907–1931) during the late 1920s through his speeches and writings.[12] It was also the official slogan of the
Hindustan Socialist Republican Association,[12][13] and the slogan of Communist Consolidation as well as a slogan of the All India Azad Muslim Conference.[14]
In April 1929, this slogan was raised by Bhagat Singh and his associate Batukeshwar Dutt who had shouted this after bombing the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi.[15]
Later, for the first time in an open court, this slogan was raised in June 1929 as part of their joint statement at the High Court in Delhi.[12][16]
Since then, it became one of the rallying cries of the Indian independence movement, with which the phrase has been most identified.[4][3] In Indian political novels chronicling the independence movement, a pro-independence sentiment is often characterized by characters shouting this slogan.[17]
References
^Solomon, John (31 March 2016). A Subaltern History of the Indian Diaspora in Singapore: The Gradual Disappearance of Untouchability 1872-1965. Routledge. ISBN978-1-317-35380-5. ... India newspaper in Singapore reported that at a Sunday parade, "the air was rent with lusty shouts of Hindustani phrases such as 'Inquilab Zindabad', 'Azad Hind Zindabad' and 'Netaji ki Jai'".
^Amitav Ghosh (2001). The Glass Palace. Random House Digital, Inc.This was followed by other shouts and slogans, all in Hindustani: "Inquilab zindabad" and Halla bol, halla bol!"
^ abMehmi, Vineet (1 April 2021). "Inquilab zindabad!: India's farmers protest deserves our attention". San Francisco Foghorn. Retrieved 8 January 2025. In Hindi, the phrase "Inquilab zindabad!" means "Long live the revolution!" This was the rallying cry shouted by Indian revolutionary Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh in 1929 in front of the high courts of Delhi during the Indian Independence Movement.
^ abSharma, Shikha (24 August 2023). Motivating Thoughts of Bhagat Singh. Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN978-93-5562-065-1. A beacon of inspiration and a founding member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, Bhagat Singh played a pivotal role in shaping the course of the Indian Independence Movement. His indomitable spirit and the resounding catchphrase "Inquilab zindabad" (Long live the revolution) became emblematic of the struggle for a free India.
