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Chhotu Ram

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Sir
Chhotu Ram
Sir Chhotu Ram on a 1995 stamp of India
Born
Ram Richpal

(1881-11-24)24 November 1881
Garhi Sampla, Punjab, British India
(present-day Haryana, India)
Died9 January 1945(1945-01-09) (aged 63)
Lahore, Punjab, British India
(present-day Punjab, Pakistan)
Other namesDeenbandhu
Rahbar-e-Azam
Kisano ke Maseeha
Alma materUniversity of Delhi
TitleFor the honesty of social work, he was given the title of the Sir.
Political partyUnionist Party (Punjab)
SpouseGiano Devi
FamilyBirender Singh (grandson)

Ram Richpal Ohlyan (born 24 November 1881 – 9 January 1945), better known as Sir Chhotu Ram,[1] was a prominent Indian politician, agrarian reformer, and ideologue in British India's Punjab Province. He was known for his advocacy for the rights of farmers and oppressed rural communities. A co-founder of the National Unionist Party, he played a pivotal role in shaping agrarian policies that protected peasants from exploitative moneylenders and promoted agricultural development in pre-independent India.[2] Chhotu Ram is popularly known as "Deenbandhu", "Rahbar-e-Azam" and "Kisano ke Maseeha",[3] as he championed a secular, cross-communal alliance of Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh agriculturists, countering the rising influence of the Indian National Congress and Muslim League in Punjab.[4]

His legislative reforms, including the Punjab Restitution of Mortgage Land Act and the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, laid the foundation for modern agricultural market systems and farmer protections, earning him a knighthood in 1937 and the title of Rao Bahadur. He is widely regarded as father of Bakhra Dam.[5] He co-founded the Jat Mahasabha and started a weekly newspaper, Jat Gazette.[6][7][8]

Early life, education and personal life

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Ram Richpal Ohlyan was born on 24 November 1881, in Garhi Sampla, Rohtak district (then Punjab, now Haryana) in a poor Jat family to Chaudhary Sukhi Ram Singh and Sarla Devi.[9] Nicknamed Chhotu Ram as he was youngest of his brothers, he grew up amidst agrarian distress caused by British colonial policies. At age 12, he attended middle school in Rohtak. In 1897, he joined Christian Mission School in Delhi, mastering English, a key skill in colonial India. He earned scholarships and enrolled at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1905. During his studies, he emerged as a student leader, organising a strike against the hostel warden to protest poor living conditions and advocate for better facilities. His leadership in subsequent agitations earned him the nickname “General Robert” for his commanding presence.[10]

Parts of his education were funded by philanthropist Seth Chhaju Ram Lamba. He wored as a personal secretary and superintendent of education department in Kalakankar State of Raja Rampal Singh. He then shifted to Agra and pursued his degree in law from Law College, Agra in 1911 and practiced law firstly at Agra and then at Rohtak.[11] He was also influenced by the Arya Samaj and joined the Indian National Congress in 1916 and was president of district congress committee of Rohtak from 1917 to 1920. He severed his relations with the Congress party due to differences with the leadership over the Non-cooperation movement in 1920. He was around eleven years of age, when he married Giano Devi.[11] He had at least one daughter, Bhagwani Devi, whose son, Birender Singh, became a politician. Chhotu Ram lived simply, maintaining his Jat roots, dressing traditionally, and prioritising public service over personal leisure. His empathy for farmers earned him the title Deenbandhu (Friend of the Poor).[12]

Political career

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Chhotu Ram’s political career was defined by his commitment to the agrarian community and his pragmatic approach to navigating the complexities of colonial politics. His entry into politics began in 1916 when he joined the Indian National Congress, serving as the president of the Rohtak District Congress from 1917 to 1920. However, his tenure with the Congress was short-lived, because he perceived that Mahatma Gandhi neglected the issues of farmers during Non-cooperation movement.[13]

In 1920, Chhotu Ram co-founded the Zamindaran Party, which later became the Unionist Party alongside Fazl-i-Hussain and Sikandar Hayat Khan. Unionist Party was a cross-communal political organisation that sought to represent the interests of Punjab’s agrarian communities, and had the support of Hindus, Muslim Jats, and Sikh Jats.[14] The party’s ideology was rooted in agrarianism, advocating for policies that protected farmers from exploitative moneylenders, ensured fair land revenue systems, and promoted rural development.[15][16]

In the 1937 provincial elections in Punjab, his Unionist party emerged victorious and Chhotu Ram became revenue minister on 1 April 1937, and held this position till his death in January 1945. Chhotu Ram was the driving force behind the Bhakra Dam project, a vision to transform the Sutlej River into a lifeline for farmers through irrigation and power. He signed an agreement with the Raja of Bilaspur in November 1944, finalised on 8 January 1945 and due to this reason he was regarded as father of Bakhra Dam.[17][18][19]

Chhotu Ram, founder of Bhakra Dam. He signed agreement with the Raja of Bilaspur in 1944

Chhotu Ram’s political views were shaped by his belief that the economic empowerment of farmers was essential for India’s progress. He argued that the british colonial system disproportionately burdened small farmers, who were trapped in cycles of debt and poverty. His advocacy for agrarian reforms was revolutionary for its time, as it challenged the entrenched power of moneylenders and urban elites. He also emphasised inter-community harmony, recognising that Punjab’s diverse population—comprising Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.[20] The Muslim Jats fondly called him Rehbar-i-Azam, while Hindus called him Deenbandhu, due to his advocacy for farmers.[21]

Chhotu Ram played an important role in agricultural reforms in India during the 1930s. He introduced the concept of compensating farmers for their farming expenses, which later developed into the ‘Minimum Support Price’ system. He was involved in enacting nine laws aimed at improving the financial and social conditions of farmers. Notable legislation included the Punjab Relief of Indebtedness Act, 1934, and the Punjab Debtors’ Protection Act, 1936. These laws introduced measures such as debt settlement boards, interest rate limits, and protections for tillers.[22]

As a member of the Punjab Legislative Council, Chhotu Ram held various portfolios, including agriculture and revenue, during the 1930s and 1940s. His significant legislative contributions included:

Punjab Land Alienation Act (1900): While Chhotu Ram did not draft this act, he was a staunch supporter of its principles, which restricted the transfer of agricultural land to non-agriculturists, protecting farmers from losing land to moneylenders.[23]

Punjab Restitution of Mortgaged Lands Act (1938): This legislation, championed by Chhotu Ram, allowed farmers to reclaim lands lost to moneylenders by repaying only the principal amount of their loans, without exorbitant interest.[24]

Mandi Samiti Act (1940): This act established regulated markets (mandis) to ensure fair prices for farmers’ produce, reducing exploitation by middlemen.[25]

His commitment to secularism and inter-community cooperation was evident in his leadership of the Unionist Party, which balanced the interests of Punjab’s diverse communities. However, the rise of communal politics in the 1940s, fueled by the Muslim League and the demand for Pakistan, challenged the Unionist Party’s cross-communal model, contributing to its decline after Chhotu Ram’s death.[26][27]

Writing career

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Chhotu Ram was also a writer in pre-independent India, using essays, pamphlets, articles, and poetry to advocate for farmers’ rights. His works, rooted in his Jat heritage, were clear, accessible, and empathetic, aimed at educating rural communities and influencing British colonial policy.

Jat Gazette (logo), started by Chhotu Ram in 1916

He established and edited the Jat Gazette, a Hindi weekly newspaper launched in 1916 in Rohtak, which championed agrarian interests. He edited this newspaper until 1924 and wrote influential columns, including the seventeen-part Bechara Zamindar, later compiled as a book, highlighting small farmers’ economic struggles. The Gazette, a tool for social change, unified Jat identity and drew colonial scrutiny.[28][29]

His essays in Bechara Zamindar blended economic analysis with emotional appeals, while pamphlets like those on the 1938 Act empowered farmers. Works like Thug Bazaar ki Sair criticised urban market exploitation. Under pseudonyms like ‘Bismil’, he wrote patriotic poetry from age 19, later compiled in volume, Sir Chhotu Ram: Writings and Speeches. His book The Crisis in India addressed broader socio-political issues.

Books

  • Ram, Sir Chhotu (2019). Sir Chhotu Ram: 1907-1932. Haryana Academy of History and Culture.
  • Ram, Sir Chhotu (1996). The Crisis in India: Reflections of Sir Chhotu Ram. Haryana Historical Society. ISBN 978-81-7871-132-4.
  • Ram, Sir Chhotu (2010). Government, Politics, and Society in Colonial India. Hope India Publications. ISBN 978-81-7871-178-2.
  • Ram, Sir Chhotu (2021). Wicārā kisāna (in Punjabi). Lokgeet Parkashan. ISBN 978-93-5205-336-0.
  • Ram, Sir Chhotu (1931). Need for Radical Retrenchment: A Collection of Articles Written : Dedicated to The Punjab National Unionist Party.

Legacy

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Chhotu Ram, known as Deenbandhu (Friend of the Poor), was a pivotal figure in colonial Punjab’s agrarian reform and social justice movements. A Jat leader and Unionist Party member, his work as a legislator, writer, and educator impacted rural India, especially in Punjab and Haryana.

As minister in Punjab government (1924–26, 1937–45), Chhotu Ram introduced key reforms like the Punjab Restitution of Mortgaged Lands Act of 1938 and the Punjab Debtors’ Protection Act, empowering farmers against moneylenders and supporting the Punjab Land Alienation Act of 1900. His leadership in the Unionist Party fostered Hindu-Muslim unity and rural stability.[30]

Chhotu Ram founded the Jat Education Society (1913) in Rohtak, now including Chhotu Ram Institute of Law, Chhotu Ram College of Education, Kurukshetra and supported educational institutions like Jat Heroes’ Memorial College. His Rohtak home was known as Prem Nivas or Nili Kothi, is near Chhotu Ram Chowk. A samadhi at his cremation site hosts annual tributes.[31]

Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology (DCRUST) at Murthal.

Institutions like Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology (DCRUST), Sir Chhotu Ram College of Education (Kurukshetra),[32] and Sir Chhotu Ram Institute of Engineering & Technology (Meerut), Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Station, Jat Anglo Sanskrit school and a 1995 commemorative stamp by the Government of India reflect his impact. A 64-foot statue at Sampla, Haryana, unveiled in 2018 by the prime minister Narendra Modi.[33][34]

Chhotu Ram allocated a significant portion of his ministerial salary to fund scholarships and stipends for talented students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. As Punjab’s Revenue Minister, he established the Peasants’ Welfare Fund, which notably supported future Nobel laureate Abdus Salam.[35] His efforts were instrumental in passing two key agrarian laws: the Punjab Relief of Indebtedness Act of 1934 and the Punjab Debtors’ Protection Act of 1936, which provided critical relief to farmers.[36]

Chhotu Ram died in Lahore on 9 January 1945. His body was carried back to his home in Rohtak city, where it was cremated at the Jat Heroes Memorial Anglo Sanskrit Senior Secondary School.[24]

Bibliography

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References

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  1. ^ "'If farmers own land today, it's due to Chhotu Ram's efforts'". The Times of India. 25 November 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 25 January 2025. “Paying tribute to peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda on Sunday recalled his contribution in empowering the farmers and the working class”
  2. ^ Singh, Patwant; Malik, Harji (1985). Punjab, the Fatal Miscalculation. Patwant Singh.
  3. ^ "जानें- कौन थे सर छोटूराम, क्यों कहा जाता है उन्हें 'किसानों के मसीहा'". आज तक (in Hindi). 24 November 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  4. ^ Chatterjee, Chhanda (25 October 2018). The Sikh Minority and the Partition of the Punjab 1920-1947. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-65615-6.
  5. ^ Singh, Birender (9 October 2018). "Father of Bhakra Dam". BusinessLine. Retrieved 31 May 2025. The father of Bhakra Dam, Sir Chhotu Ram, has many firsts to his credit. He conceived of the Bhakhra Dam way back in 1923, to rid the farmers of the so-called economic plague-spots of erstwhile Punjab state.
  6. ^ Sethi, Chitleen K. (24 December 2020). "'Backing farmers not anti-party' — grandad's legacy drives Jat dynast from BJP to join protest". ThePrint. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  7. ^ Ram, Tika (1979). Sir Chhotu Ram: A Biography. Ritu.
  8. ^ Mazumder, Rajit K. (2003). The Indian Army and the Making of Punjab. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-7824-059-6.
  9. ^ Ram, Tika (1979). Sir Chhotu Ram: A Biography. Ritu.
  10. ^ Live, A. B. P. (9 January 2023). "जानें कौन हैं किसानों के मसीहा कहे जाने वाले सर छोटू राम, जिन्होंने अंग्रेजों को भी झुका दिया". www.abplive.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 19 May 2025. “सर छोटू राम ने 1905 में दिल्ली के सेंट स्टीफंस कॉलेज में दाखिल लिया. यहां से ग्रेजुएशन करने के दौरान उन्होंने पहली बार क्रांति की मशाल जलाई. सर छोटू राम ने अन्य छात्रों के साथ मिलकर हॉस्टल के वार्डन के खिलाफ हड़ताल का ऐलान कर दिया. इतना ही नहीं, कॉलेज में छात्रों की सुविधाओं के लिए अब वह हर हड़ताल में आगे से आगे नजर आने लगे. इसकी वजह से कॉलेज में वो 'जनरल रॉबर्ट' के नाम से भी मशहूर हो गए. 1910 में उन्होंने आगरा कॉलेज से एलएलबी की डिग्री हासिल की थी.”
  11. ^ a b SEN, S. P. (1972). DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY VOL.1. INSTITUTE OF HISTORICAL STUDIES,CALCUTTA. pp. 309–310. “His father, Chaudhary Sukhi Ram, owned a small piece of land and was a petty businessman. While he was nine years old, Chhotu Ram joined the primary school in a neighbouring village Sampla, completed his primary education in 1895 and went to Jhajjar where he won a merit scholarship in his middle school examination. He passed his matriculation from the Mission High School in 1899, and graduated from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, in 1905. He worked as an Assistant Private Secretary to Raja Ram Pal Singh of Kalakankar State (U.P.) for about six months, in 1905. Thereafter, he joined the Law College, Lahore, but also worked as a teacher in the Ragmahal High School, Lahore, simultaneously. He went to U.P. again and served Raja Ram Pal Singh as his Private Secretary, and Superintendent in the Education Department in Kalakankar State. He later shifted to Agra and worked as a teacher in St. John’s Mission High School about 1908. In 1911 he took the law degree from the Law College at Agra. He practised law first at Agra, and later at Rohtak. When he was about eleven years old, Chhotu Ram was married to Giano Devi. While young, Chhotu Ram was attracted to the Arya Samaj which had a powerful hold in his area. At school he had launched a strike against his school authorities, and earned the title of ‘General Roberts’ because of the qualities of leadership which he had demonstrated. He was drawn to the Indian National Congress in 1916 and was President of the District Congress Committee, Rohtak, in 1917-20. He severed his association with the Congress due to differences with the leadership over the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920. He rejected the ideas of non-payment of taxes and defiance of law. He was a moderate in politics, and supported only constitutional methods for the achievement of Dominion Status.”
  12. ^ "Deenbandhu Chhoturam Death Anniversary: जानें कौन हैं किसानों के मसीहा दीनबंधु छोटू राम?". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  13. ^ Gopal, Madan (2021). Sir Chhotu Ram: A Political Biography. B.R. Publishing Corporation. ISBN 978-93-91123-02-4.
  14. ^ Singh, K. Natwar (13 October 2018). "Who was Sir Chhotu Ram?". The Sunday Guardian Live. Retrieved 19 May 2025. “Chaudhary Chhotu Ram left the Congress because he came to the conclusion that Mahatma Gandhi’s non-co-operation movement neglected the farmers. Along with Sir Fazle-Hussein and Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan, he launched the Zamindaran Party, which later became the Unionist Party, which had the support of Hindu and Muslim Jats, Sikh Jats and a vast majority of zamindars of all communities.”
  15. ^ Miglani, D. C. (1993). Politics and Rural Power Struggle: Emerging Trends. Deep & Deep. ISBN 978-81-7100-578-9.
  16. ^ Panigrahi, Devendra (19 August 2004). India's Partition: The Story of Imperialism in Retreat. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-76812-6.
  17. ^ Singh, K. Natwar (13 October 2018). "Who was Sir Chhotu Ram?". The Sunday Guardian Live. Retrieved 19 May 2025. “Not even one per cent of Indians know that it was Chhotu Ram who conceived the idea of building the Bhakra Dam. He had the Punjab government to sign an agreement with the Raja of Bilaspur, who had the right to the waters of the river Sutlej. The agreement was signed a few months before he died.”
  18. ^ Singh, Birender (9 October 2018). "Father of Bhakra Dam". BusinessLine. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  19. ^ "The agrarian reformer". The Indian Express. 14 October 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2025. “The father of Bhakra Dam, Sir Chhotu Ram, has many firsts to his credit. He conceived of the Bhakra Dam way back in 1923, to rid the farmers of the so-called economic plague-spots of erstwhile Punjab state.”
  20. ^ Singh, Balbir (2009). Sir Chhotu Ram: A Saga of Inspirational Leadership. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. ISBN 978-81-230-1596-5.
  21. ^ डागर, निशा (24 November 2018). "मुसलमानों के रहबर-ए-आज़म और हिन्दुओं के दीनबंधु, जिनकी वजह से बने किसानों के हित में कानून!". The Better India - Hindi. Retrieved 19 May 2025. “मुसलमानों के रहबर-ए-आज़म और हिन्दुओं के दीनबंधु, सर छोटूराम का जन्म 24 नवम्बर 1881 में झज्जर के छोटे से गाँव गढ़ी सांपला में बहुत ही साधारण किसान परिवार में हुआ। उन्होंने वकालत की डीग्री ली। ताउम्र उन्होंने किसानों और गरीबों के लिए काम किया। 9 जनवरी 1945 को उनका निधन हुआ।”
  22. ^ "Father of Bhakra Dam". BusinessLine. Archived from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2025. He was also the originator of the concept of compensating the farmer for at least the expenses incurred by him on farming, the concept has now evolved into 'Minimum Support Price'.
  23. ^ Ahmad Awan, Maqbool (2019). "The Veracious Spokesman of Downtrodden Peasantry Class in the United Punjab: A Case Study of Sir Chhotu Ram" (PDF). Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan. 56.
  24. ^ a b "Chhotu Ram - Unsung Heroes Detail". amritmahotsav.nic.in. “The greatest act in his political career was to introduce the Punjab Restitution of Mortgaged Land Act. As a consequence, millions of acres of land were repossessed by paying a pittance.”
  25. ^ Yadav, Dr Atul (1 January 2013). "Sir Chhotu Ram: The Voice of Downtrodden in the United Punjab" (PDF). International Journal of Advance in Management, IT & Social Sciences. 3. ISSN 2231-4571.
  26. ^ Khan, Imran Ullah; Awan, Dr Maqbool Ahmad (1 April 2024). "UNIONIST PARTY AND PROVINCIAL MUSLIM LEAGUE IN COLONIAL PUNJAB: A STUDY OF COLLABORATION AND CONFRONTATION 1936-1947". International Journal of Contemporary Issues in Social Sciences. 3 (2): 3691–3699. ISSN 2959-2461.
  27. ^ Ali, Imran (1 December 1976). "Relations between the Muslim league and the Panjab national unionist party 1935–47". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 6: 51–65. doi:10.1080/00856407608730709.
  28. ^ "Jat Gazette by Chhotu Ram". INDIAN CULTURE. Archived from the original on 15 April 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  29. ^ "The Jat Gazette newspaper, which started before independence, is going to complete 106 years". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 19 May 2025. “The Jat Gazette, a weekly newspaper, was started in Rohtak in 1916. It was a part of the Zamindar League and was under the patronage of the Unionist Party. It was most prevalent in Rohtak district when the Unionist Party was in power in Punjab. For some time this letter was sent free of cost to the villagers. The newspaper supported the cause of the rural population, especially the farmers.”
  30. ^ Verma, Dip Chand (1981). Sir Chhotu Ram: Life and Times. Sterling.
  31. ^ Kumar, Manoj (9 January 2022). "देश ही नहीं लाहौर तक में मशहूर है किसानों के मसीहा छोटूराम का नाम, सांपला संग्रहालय में आज भी जिंदा है यादें". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 19 May 2025. “कुछ सामान तो ऐसा है, जो पाकिस्तान के लाहौर से तत्कालीन सांसद अजय सिंह चौटाला लेकर आए थे। फिलहाल छोटूराम संग्रहालय में सर छोटूराम के जीवन से संबंधित दो कुर्सी, दो मुड्डे, आठ बैनर, एक दरी, एक हुक्का, दो कोट, एक तलवार व एक पगड़ी बाक्स रखा हुआ है। वहीं, करीब साढ़े चार साल पहले लाया गया नौ नदियों का पानी व मिट्टी भी यहां रखी हुई है। वहीं, चौधरी छोटूराम की रोहतक स्थित नीली कोठी में दो ड्रेसिंग टेबल रखी हुई थीं। अब यह दोनों ही ड्रेसिंग टेबल म्यूजियम की शान होंगी। ऊचाना की पूर्व विधायक प्रेमलता ने दोनों ही ड्रेसिंग टेबल को म्यूजियम में रखवा दी हैं।”
  32. ^ "Sir Chhotu Ram". scrce.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  33. ^ "Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils statue of peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram". The Times of India. 9 October 2018. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  34. ^ "PM Modi unveils statue of peasant leader Chhotu Ram, compares with Patel". Hindustan Times. 9 October 2018. Archived from the original on 16 January 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  35. ^ Division, Publications. SIR CHHOTU RAM - A SAGA OF INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 978-81-230-2176-8. “Abdus Salam, became one of the greatest scientists of the present century and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1979, because of the prayer of his elders and Sir Chhotu Ram's Peasants' Welfare Fund”
  36. ^ Abhishek Kadyan (3 January 2009) UK Indymedia – Rahabar-i-Azam Sir Chhotu Ram – angel for farmer. Indymedia.org.uk. Retrieved on 30 November 2018.
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