WASHINGTON: The Gadar movement’s year-long centenary celebrations were launched in the US by a group of eminent Indian-Americans, remembering the 1913 rebellion in history as a testimony of the deep love the immigrants had for their motherland.
The year-long Gadar Centennial celebrations were formally launched in the presence of Ambassadors to the US from four countries, India, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
The celebrations would be held in more than two dozen cities across the United States.
An initiative of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), eminent Indian-Americans were behind the year-long celebrations as they hailed the Gadar movement for being a testimony of the deep love that the Indian immigrants had for their motherland.
Gadar was a newspaper published for the Hindustani Association of the Pacific Coast, founded at Portland in 1912.
The Gadar Party, built around the weekly paper, was formed in 1913 in the United States under the leadership of Har Dayal, with Sohan Singh Bhakna as its president.
The Gadarites wanted India freed from the British and did not hesitate to make any sacrifices for the cause of freedom, dignity and prosperity of their motherland, the Indian-Americans said.
“India and overseas Indians should pay fitting and well deserved tributes to Gadarites,” Inder Singh, Chairman of GOPIO, said.
“We owe them a debt of gratitude,” Rajen Anand, GOPIO member said.
Observing that the Gadar Movement is an integral part of the rich heritage in the United States for the Indian-Americans and of Indian history, Ashook Ramsaran, GOPIO president said that Gadarites left an extraordinary legacy for the future generations and a global centennial commemoration is a fitting and well deserved tribute.
Speaking on the occasion, Indian Ambassador to US Nirupama Rao said that the Indian Government would also commemorate the Gadar Movement.
The upcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Kochi next year would have a special session on the Gadar movement, besides an exhibition on the Gadar movement.
“Leaders like Bhagat Singh were truly inspired by Gadar Babas,” she said.
Besides India and the US, a series of events have also been planned in other parts of the world including London, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Sydney, Auckland, Durban and Suva, before it culminates in San Francisco, California on November 1, 2013.-PTI
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