Comrade Dhanwantri: The Unsung Revolutionary Hero of Duggar

A Tribute on His Birth Anniversary (7 March)

By Ravi Rohmetra

Comrade Dhanwantri remains one of the most remarkable yet largely unsung heroes of the Indian freedom struggle from the Duggar region. On the occasion of his birth anniversary, it is important to remember the sacrifices and revolutionary commitment of this great son of the soil, who fought alongside legendary revolutionaries such as Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Sukhdev Thapar, Shivaram Rajguru and many others for India’s freedom.

Legends never die. They remain etched in the memories of generations to come. Comrade Dhanwantri is one among such immortal revolutionary figures in the history of India’s freedom struggle. A great patriot and visionary, he continues to inspire millions who believe in human values, justice, and freedom.

Merely installing his statue or naming a university library after him is not enough to keep his memory alive. Comrade Dhanwantri was a brave freedom fighter, a progressive thinker, and perhaps the only revolutionary from Jammu and Kashmir who actively participated in the country’s armed revolutionary movement until India gained independence from British imperialism. He was also a close associate of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

Comrade Dhanwantri was the son of Dr. Durga Dutt Mahey, a Colonel in the British Army. He was born on 7 March 1902 in Kalijani, Jammu, and died on 13 July 1953 at the age of 51. He completed his matriculation from Sri Ranbir High School, Jammu, and later joined a college in Lahore to study Ayurveda. During his student days, he joined the revolutionary movement and dedicated his life to the cause of India’s freedom from British rule.

Endowed with remarkable revolutionary qualities, he soon became a close confidant of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. He was a co-founder of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha and an active member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.

He was arrested on 17 December 1929 following the assassination of British police officer J. P. Saunders by revolutionaries led by Bhagat Singh in retaliation for the death of nationalist leader Lala Lajpat Rai. After a month of interrogation and torture, he was released but later went underground.

On 4 December 1930 in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, he fired at a police officer who was investigating the case against Bhagat Singh. The officer was grievously injured, while his associate was killed. Comrade Dhanwantri was apprehended after a hot chase and exchange of fire.

He was tried in the famous Lahore Conspiracy Case and the Delhi Conspiracy Case (related to the bombing of a train carrying the Viceroy). He was sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment in the notorious Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands, popularly known as “Kala Pani”.

To protest against the inhumane treatment of political prisoners in the Andaman jail—where they were treated like hardened criminals—Dhanwantri led a historic hunger strike that lasted 61 days. Eventually, the British government was forced to yield, and the political prisoners were repatriated to the mainland.

Comrade Dhanwantri was released in 1939 after completing ten years of rigorous imprisonment. However, he was re-arrested during the outbreak of the Second World War and was finally released only in 1947 when India gained independence.

After returning to Jammu in 1947, he served as a political advisor to the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah. Throughout his life, he endured imprisonment, isolation, and torture for more than 17 years in British jails.

Through his sacrifices, Dhanwantri brought pride to Jammu and Kashmir and earned a place in the roll of honour of legendary Indian revolutionaries. He passed away on 13 July 1953 in Jammu.

After returning from prison in the early 1940s, Dhanwantri devoted himself to organizing farmers, youth, students, and writers. He played an important role in guiding political movements and was instrumental in shaping progressive initiatives in the state, including the formulation of the Naya Kashmir Programme. He also supported major reforms such as the abolition of large landed estates and other pro-people measures.

Many prominent leaders of Jammu and Kashmir—including Sheikh Abdullah, Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq, Lal Singh Dogra, Moti Ram Baigra, Ram Pyare Saraf and Krishan Dev Sethi—often sought his guidance during crucial political developments in the state.

During a visit to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, former Supreme Court judge R. P. Sethi paid tribute to Comrade Dhanwantri. He visited the very cell where the revolutionary had spent ten years of his life and placed a photograph of him there in honour of his sacrifices.

Citizens of Jammu therefore urge the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, to take steps to honour this great revolutionary by naming a park, road, school, university, college, airport, or installing a statue of Comrade Dhanwantri at an appropriate place in Jammu. Such a step would be a true tribute to this great leader.

As the country celebrates the spirit of independence and remembers the sacrifices of countless freedom fighters, it is equally important to recall the contributions of many unsung heroes. Among them stands Comrade Dhanwantri—perhaps the only revolutionary from Jammu and Kashmir who fought shoulder to shoulder with icons of India’s freedom movement.

More than seven decades have passed since his death, yet the question remains: have we done enough to honour the memory of a man who dedicated his entire life to the nation?

(The writer is a social worker and freelance writer.)