Pandit Arjun Lal Sethi

Shri Arjun Lal Sethi (9 September 1880 – 22 December 1941) was a freedom fighter, revolutionary, and educator from Jaipur. He is sometimes termed the father of the freedom movement in Rajasthan.^[1] He was the founder of the Congress party in Rajasthan ^[2] and the Jaipur Praja Mandal^[3]

Background

Arjun Lai Sethi was born in a Jain family^[4] at Jaipur. He earned his B.A. in Persian in 1902.^{[citation needed]}

India's freedom movement

He worked as Kamdar in Jaipur State, but soon left the service, distressed with the behavior of the English with the Indian people. Independence-minded Arjun Lai Sethi answered the call of his heart to serve the country. He was an active participant in revolutionary movements between the years 1905–12. While serving as Head Master of Kalyanmal Mahavidyalaya at Indore, he was arrested and was kept in custody for six years, until 1922, at Jaipur and Vellore.^[5]

Daily newspapers from various provinces and senior leaders had initiated movements for his release. Annie Besant, met the Viceroy for this purpose. As he had taken a vow not to consume food without worshiping Jain Tirthankar's idol, he fasted in the jail for seventy days.^[6][7]

Death

He died at Ajmer on 22 December 1941, at the age of sixty-one,^[8] and was buried there.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Narayan Hari Apte
• Kesari Singh Barahath