Comrade Dhanwantri: The Forgotten Revolutionary of Jammu & Kashmir'

Onthe 72nd death anniversary of Comrade Dhanwantri, who passed away on 13th July 1953, we remember the great revolutionary national hero, a son of the soil. He gave exemplary sacrifices, fighting alongside Shaheed-e-AzamBhagat Singh, ChanderShekhar Azad, Sukhdev, Raj Guru, and many others for India’s freedom. Legends never die; they remain etched in the memory of generations to come. Comrade Dhanwantri is one such immortal revolutionary character in the history of the Indian freedom struggle.

- BY RAVI ROHMETRA

A great son of the soil, Comrade Dhanwantri continues to inspire millions who believe in human values and freedom. Simply installing a statue or naming a university library after him is not enough to keep his memory alive. Comrade Dhanwantri was a visionary, a brave freedom fighter, and a progressive comrade. He was the only one from Jammu and Kashmir who actively participated in the country’s independence movement until India gained independence from British imperialism. He was a close associate of ShaheedBhagat Singh.

Born on 7th March 1922 in Kali Jani, Jammu, Comrade Dhanwantri was the son of Dr.DurgaDuttMahey, a colonel in the British Army. He passed his matriculation from Sri Ranbir High School in Jammu and then joined Lahore College to study Ayurveda. During his studies, he joined the revolutionary movement and dedicated his life to the cause of India's freedom. Endowed with striking revolutionary qualities, he quickly became a close confidant of ShaheedBhagat Singh and was a co-founder of the Bharat NaujawanSabha and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).