Baba Kanshi Ram, the most prominent freedom fighter of Kanga Hills, now forming part of Himachal Pradesh, was born on 11th July, 1882 at village Dada Siba in Tehsil Dehra of Dist. Kanga. He went to the village school but could not follow up his studies beyond the school stages his father died in 1895 when he was only 13. As he was fond of music and poetry he started to write songs and poetry in 'Pahari' language from an early age. But equally important was the need to earn his livelihood. So he went to Lahore for employment. Before he could do anything tangible, young Kanshi came into contact with freedom fighters and Congress leaders of those days. He had witnessed the famous Delhi Darbar held in December, 1911, when the capital of India was shifted to Delhi from Calcutta. As a sharp blow to this glittering show of glory and power came the famous bomb attack on the Viceroy, which surcharged the entire atmosphere with national fervour. Young Kanshi came back to Lahore and within the next 5 to 7 years developed good relations with well known Congress leaders and freedom fighters of those days including Sardar Ajit Singh, uncle of Sardar Bhagat Singh, Lala Hardayal and Lal Lajpat Rai. He witnessed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, jumped into the freedom struggle and left for home. He started preaching the message of Mahatma Gandhi to the Nation and composed songs and poems in 'Pahari' language to inspire them to join the freedom struggle.

The British Govt. took note of his activities and he was arrested in his village Dada Siba on 5th May 1920, and was lodged in Dharamshala jail with Lala Lajpat Rai. He was released on 11th November, 1922. He moved again to Lahore and participated in the session of the Indian National Congress at Lahore in 1929 which declared Independence to be the goal of Indian struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi. Shri Jawaharlal Nehru presided over this session.

Swinging between his love of independence and his passion for the promotion of 'Pahari language', Baba Kanshi Ram continued writing for the people of the hills in their mother language. His famous poem, 'Agrez Sarkar Da Tigha Par Dhiare'- The British Government is on her last legs, brought him into the jail again but he was acquitted as the Government could not prove the charge of sedition on him. He was again arrested on 16th April, 1930 for participating in the struggle. Between 1930 and 1942 he was arrested 9 times. Smt. Sarojini Naidu called him the Bulbul-e-Pahar (The Nightingale of the hills) at a conference at Daulatpur now the part of Una Distt. (HP). Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru called him 'Pahari Gandhi' at Garhdiwala, in 1937, at a political conference organised by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. During the last days of his life, he undertook the vow to wear black clothes till India attained freedom. The black clothes remained with him till the last day of his life on 15th October, 1943. (Text courtesy: Prof. Narain Chand Parashar, MP).

The Indian Posts & Telegraphs Department is privileged to issue a commemorative stamp on this freedom fighter of India.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India