107 Years On: Gambhir Pays Tribute to Jallianwala Shaheeds

Team India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir marked the 107th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre with a solemn post on X, affirming ‘Shaheed hamesha amar rahte hain.’ The 1919 bloodbath in Amritsar stands as a grim testament to colonial oppression, forever etched in India’s history.

Picture Baisakhi festivities: thousands packed into Jallianwala Bagh, unaware of martial law or assembly bans. The diverse crowd – men, women, kids, seniors – sought only peace and prayer.

Then, Dyer’s troops stormed in: armored vehicles with mounted guns, rifle-wielding Gurkhas and Baluchis. The command was ruthless – fire at will. For over ten minutes, 1,650 rounds tore through flesh in the confined space. Official tallies: 379 dead, 1,200 hurt. Reality: likely over 1,000 perished.

No escape from the walled enclosure; the lone exit jammed with panic. Dubbed the Amritsar Massacre, it sparked national fury, propelling Gandhi’s non-cooperation and the broader fight against the Raj.

In evoking the martyrs’ eternal legacy, Gambhir calls for reflection. Their blood watered the seeds of azadi, a legacy that demands we safeguard democracy and unity against all odds.