Veer Narayan Singh

Veer Narayan Singh
वीर नारायण सिंह
Born1796
Sonakhan, Central Provinces,
British India
(now in Baloda Bazar district, Chhattisgarh, India)
Died10 December 1857(1857-12-10) (aged 60–61)
Raipur, Central Provinces,
British India
(now Chhattisgarh, India)
Cause of deathExecution by hanging

Veer Narayan Singh (1795–1857)[1] was a landlord from Sonakhan, in the present-day Indian State of Chhattisgarh. He spearheaded the 1857 rebellion in Chhattisgarh.

Biography

He is also known and considered as "The 1st Chhattisgarhi freedom fighter". He belongs to the tribal binjhwar community, and his entire biography is described in veer udyan sonakhan. Among his relatives, Saheed Madho Singh Bariha from Ghess in Bargarh district of Odisha also fought against the British and was martyred in 1858. His great-grandfather was Deewan of Sonakhan and at the age of thirty five he took over the landlordship rights from his father Ram Rai. He was thirty-five years old when he became the landlord of Sonakhan, Youngest landlord in the region.[2]

The British arrested him in 1856 for looting a trader's grain stocks and distributing it amongst the poor in a severe famine year. In 1856 with the help of the soldiers of the British Army at Raipur, Veer Narayan Singh escaped from prison. He reached Sonakhan and formed an army of 500 men. Under the leadership of Smith, a powerful British army was dispatched to crush the Sonakhan army.

Execution

He was executed on 10 December 1857 at Jaistambh Chowk of Raipur (capital of present-day Chhattisgarh).[3] He became the first martyr from Chhattisgarh in the Rebellion.

Legacy

Veer Narayan Singh's martyrdom has been resurrected in the 1990s and he has become a potent symbol of Chhattisgarhi pride.[4] The Government of Chhattisgarh named a cricket stadium Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium after him.[5]

Postal Stamp : Veer Narayan Singh (issued in 1987)

Buildings named after him

S.No Name of Building, stadium constructed by
1 Shahid Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Parsada New Raipur CG Govt
2 Shahid Veer Narayan singh Commercial Complex, near Ghadi chowk RDA

3.School on His name

S No. Detail
1 Govt. Shahid Veer Narayan Singh College (GSVNSC) 
       Government Shahid Veer Narayan Singh College, Bilaigarh Chhattisgarh runs course(s) in Arts stream(s).
       Affiliated to : Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University
       Discipline : Arts
       Established Year : 1987
       Categories : Government,Co-Education
       Language of Instruction : Bengali
2 Sahid Veer Narayan Singh H.S. Vidayalya Bhilai School [6] 
  Address Vaishali Nagar Bhilai, Durg, Chhattisgarh, Postal Code: 490023 India
3 Shahid Govt. Ps Sahid Veer Narayan Singh School [7] 
  Address:-Veer Narayan Singh Nagar,Crc Khursipar, Durg, Chhattisgarh, Postal Code: 490011 India
4 SHAHID VEER NARAYAN SINGH Govt. Hr. Sec. School BHILAI BAZAR. Korba CG

MONUMENT

  • Shahid Veer Narayan Singh Smarak near Rajbhavan inaugurated by His Highness Giani Zail Singh (President, Republic of India) on 18 February 1984. This square is known as Shahid Veer narayan singh Chowk.

References

  1. ^ Chhattisgarh ke Senani Shahid Veer Narayan Singh. Rajkamal Prakashan.
  2. ^ Tribal Freedom Fighters of India. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. 30 August 2017. ISBN 9788123025216.
  3. ^ Execution Of Veer Narayan Singh. Indianpost.com. Retrieved on 10 December 2019.
  4. ^ History of Chhattisgarh. Locateindia.com. Retrieve on 10 December 2018.
  5. ^ Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium
  6. ^ Sahid Veer Narayan Singh H.S. Vidayalya Bhilai School, Vaishali Nagar Bhilai, Durg – Chhattisgarh. Icbse.com. Retrieved on 10 December 2018.
  7. ^ Govt. Ps Sahid Veer Narayan Singh School, Shahid Vir Narayan Singh Nagar, Durg – Chhattisgarh. Icbse.com. Retrieved on 10 December 2018.

8. Story of Saheed Veer Narayan Singh thebetterchhattisgarh.com