Legendary revolutionary Bagha Jatin’s birth anniv today

Today marks the birth anniversary of legendary revolutionary Jatindranath Mukherjee, popularly known as Bagha Jatin, a key figure in India’s anti-British movement. He was born on this day in 1879 in Jhenaidah.

Jatin earned the title “Bagha” (Tiger) after killing a tiger with his bare hands, a testament to his courage and indomitable spirit.

Early in life, he worked as a stenographer for the Bengal Government, where he was recognized for his honesty, discipline, and strong sense of nationalism.

In 1908, he was implicated in the Alipur Conspiracy Case but later acquitted due to lack of evidence. Jatin continued his underground revolutionary activities and was later arrested in the Howrah-Shibpur Conspiracy Case, where his group came to be known as the “Jatin Gang.”

During his imprisonment, he, along with fellow revolutionaries, devised long-term plans for an armed struggle against British rule. He played a central role in mobilizing revolutionaries abroad, including the establishment of the Jugantar Ashram in San Francisco with support from the Sikh community.

At the outbreak of the First World War, Indian revolutionaries in Berlin formed the Indian Independence Party with German backing. Jatin, as commander-in-chief of the revolutionary forces, coordinated efforts to secure arms and aid.

He was eventually wounded in a gun battle with British forces in Balasore, Odisha, and died on September 10, 1915, at a local hospital.