13 April – Jallianwala Bagh: Honouring the Martyrs, Remembering C. Sankaran Nair, and Reflecting on History’s Truths

Today, 13 April, 2025, we solemnly mark the 106th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, a wound that remains in India’s heart. It was on this day - April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Brigadier General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire indiscriminately on a peaceful, unarmed gathering who had assembled to celebrate Baisakhi at the Jallianwala Bagh. The occasion was also used by some to protest against the British oppression. Under the watch of Punjab’s Lieutenant Governor, General, Michael O’Dwyer, tens of hundreds—perhaps thousands—of men, women, and children perished in minutes, trapped in a merciless barrage of bullets that were fired on the orders of Reginald Dyer. This brutal act remains a stark symbol of colonial atrocities in India’s struggle for freedom. 

Today, while we remember those who perished in the barbaric act of Dyer and O’Dwyer, it is also an occasion remember and honour a forgotten hero of this tragedy: C. Sankaran Nair, one of the founding member of the Indian National Congress and perhaps the only Indian to resign from the Viceroy’s Executive Council in protest against the barbaric act of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It is ironical that C Shankaran Nair finds no place in the history of Indian independence struggle or at best a foot note reference here and there.It is only courtesy the makers of the film “Kesari, Chapter 2” and the role played by Akshay Kumar as C Shankaran Nair, a brilliant and forceful lawyer that the untold story of Nair been presented to the people. 

Chettur Sankaran Nair was providentially born in 1857, the year which we now mark as the first wars of Independence. He came from a well off family, his father was a Tehsildar and his uncles also worked in administrative positions of British local governance. The young Nair living in a structured family rose rapidly through his brilliance through the rank and files in the British system to occupy positions of great power never held by another Indian. He had a brilliant career as a lawyer, which was recognised by the British resulting in his appointment to the coveted position of the Advocate General. While appointing him to this position the British made it clear that he was the ablest man the British can ever find in all of India. He later became a member of the Viceroys Council. Interestingly, Nair also served as the President of the Indian National Congress, an occurrence which is lost in history, or may be made to be lost. Nair was not afraid to express his disagreement and angst on events which he felt were wrong, and called out the British or Mahatma Gandhi, when he felt what they were doing was wrong and not in the interest of the people of India. He was against Gandhian methods of non-cooperation. Coming from Kerala, he had learnt from his elders the barbarity of Tipu Sultan against the Hindus and therefore he strongly opposed the support that Gandhi had extended to the Khilafat movement. His opposition to Gandhi on this issue alienated him not only from Gandhi but unfortunately he was also kept away in the upper echelons of a soon to-be independent India thus obliterating his name from history of Indian National Congress and Indian independence, notwithstanding the fact that he served as the President of Congress. In his book ‘Gandhi and Anarchy’ Mr Nair articulates his thoughts against Gandhi and his methods of non-cooperation. 

 A fierce lawyer, Nair exposed O’Dwyer’s role as an accomplice in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, exposing British injustices. He fought the case against the mighty O’Dwyer who was supported by the entire British establishment. Although he lost his case and had to pay a huge personal price for exposing British atrocities, he remained steadfast in his stand. Therefore, no wonder that many are now suggesting that this was one of the events which hastened Indian independence and that the contributions of Nair, which was overshadowed until now deserves to be remembered. The film Kesari Chapter 2, with Akshay Kumar as Nair, aims to revive his legacy. 

History also reminds us of Udham Singh, who avenged the massacre of Jallianwala Bagh by assassinating O’Dwyer in London on 13 March 1940. For this, Udham Singh paid with his life, and was sentenced to death in July 1940 by a system that shielded their own, the Britishers and their atrocities. Reginald Dyer, dubbed the ‘Butcher of Amritsar,’ faced no punishment, his actions were even defended by eminent figures like Rudyard Kipling. Known for The Jungle Book, Kipling’s support for the massacre reveals his anti-Indian bias—a truth obscured by his literary fame. Rudyard Kipling publicly supported General Dyer's actions at Jallianwala Bagh, referring to Dyer as "the man who saved India".

To mark this occasion in 2021, I shared my thoughts on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on my blog, which explores the massacre’s causes, impact, and enduring lessons. I invite you to read it for a deeper dive into Jallianwala Bagh’s role in galvanizing India’s freedom fight: https://khened.blogspot.com/2021/04/13th-april-jallianwala-bagh-massacre.html.

Please share the blog link to keep these stories alive. 

As we commemorate this dark chapter in our history, let us honor the martyrs, celebrate unsung heroes like Nair, and confront uncomfortable truths about figures like Kipling. May we pledge to uphold justice, unity, and dignity—values forged in the sacrifices of our ancestors, including many unsung heroes like Nair, whose stories are resurrecting. 

 Jai Hind! Images: Courtesy Wikipedia.