Chhotu Ram facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Chhotu Ram
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Sir Chhotu Ram on a 1995 stamp of India
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| Born |
Ram Richpal
24 November 1881 |
| Died | 9 January 1945 (aged 63) |
| Alma mater | University of Delhi |
| Title | For the honesty of Social work, he was given the title of the Sir. |
| Political party | Unionist Party |
| Spouse(s) | Giano Devi |
| Family | Bhagwani Devi (daughter), Ram Pyari (daughter), Ch. Birender Singh (grandson), Brijendra Singh (BJP politician) (great-grandson) |
Sir Chhotu Ram (born Ram Richpal; 24 November 1881 – 9 January 1945) was an important politician in British India. He was from the Jat community in the Punjab Province. Sir Chhotu Ram worked hard to help people who were struggling. Because of his honest social work, he was given the special title of "Sir" in 1937.
He also helped start the National Unionist Party. This party was very powerful in the United Punjab Province before India became independent. It helped keep other big political groups like the Congress and Muslim League from taking over completely. In 1916, he started a weekly newspaper called Jat Gazette, which is still published today.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Chhotu Ram was born as Ram Richpal in a Jat family. His village was Garhi Sampla, in the Rohtak district of the Punjab Province. His parents were Chaudhari Sukhiram Singh Ohlyan and Sarla Devi. He was the youngest of his brothers, which is why everyone called him "Chhotu Ram." "Chhotu" means "small" or "youngest" in Hindi.
He started primary school in January 1891. Four years later, he finished primary school. When he was about eleven years old, he married Giano Devi. He then went to study for his middle school exam in Jhajjar, which was 12 miles from his village. After that, he joined the Christian Mission School in Delhi.
In 1903, he passed his intermediate examination. He then went to St. Stephen's College, Delhi. He graduated from there in 1905. He did very well in Sanskrit during his studies. Some of his education was paid for by a kind person named Seth Chhaju Ram.
Political Work and Ideas
Sir Chhotu Ram was a very active politician. He believed in helping the common people, especially farmers. He worked hard to improve their lives.
As Punjab's Revenue Minister, he did many good things. He set aside a large part of his salary to help students. This money was used for scholarships and financial aid. It helped bright students who came from poor families. He also created the Peasants' Welfare Fund. This fund was specifically for farmers. Even Nobel Prize winner Abdus Salam received help from this fund.
Sir Chhotu Ram also played a key role in making two important laws. These laws were designed to help farmers who were in debt.
- The Punjab Relief Indebtedness Act of 1934
- The Punjab Debtor's Protection Act of 1936
These laws made it easier for farmers to manage their debts.
Sir Chhotu Ram passed away in Lahore on 9 January 1945. His body was brought back to his home in Rohtak city. He was cremated at the Jat Heroes Memorial Anglo Sanskrit Senior Secondary School. Thousands of people came to pay their respects.
Remembering Sir Chhotu Ram
Many people in Punjab felt a great loss when Sir Chhotu Ram died. Farmers from all over came to Rohtak to honor him.
His home in Rohtak was known as "Prem Nivas" and "Nili Kothi" (which means "Blue Bungalow"). The road square near his house is now called "Chhotu Ram Chowk." There is also a Dharamshala (a resting place for travelers) named after him. A special tomb, called a samadhi, was built in his memory. It is at the school where he was cremated. People visit this place every year on his birthday to honor him.
Many educational institutions are named after him:
- Chhotu Ram State College of Engineering College in Murthal (Sonepat District), Haryana. This college is now called Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology (DCRUST). It became a university in 2006.
- Sir Chhotu Ram College of Education in Kurukshetra.
- Sir Chhotu Ram Institute of Engineering & Technology in Meerut.
The Indian government also released a special stamp on 9 January 1995. This stamp honored Sir Chhotu Ram.
He started the Jat-Anglo Sanskrit School in Rohtak on 26 March 1913. A college for Bachelor of Education is also named after him at the same campus.
Sir Chhotu Ram's grandson, Ch. Birender Singh, helped build a very tall statue. It is 64 feet high and is the tallest in Haryana. This statue is located at his birthplace, Garhi Sampla. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled this statue on 9 October 2018.
Images for kids
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Panormic view of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology (DCRUST) at Murthal.
