Allen2502 at 10:56, 10 April 2026

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{{Short description|Indian soldier}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Chandra Singh Bhandari "Veer Chandra Garhwali"
| birth_date = December 25, 1891
| birth_place = [[Meason]], [[Garhwal Kingdom]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1979|10|1|1891|12|25}}
| occupation = Politician,
Freedom Fighter
| party = Communist Party of India
| movement = Indian Independence Movement
}}

'''Chandra Singh Bhandari''' (25 December 1891 – 1 October 1979)<ref name=":0" /> was a soldier and later in life a member of the Communist Party. On 23 April 1930, under the leadership of Bhandari, the soldiers of the [[Garhwal Rifles|Royal Garhwal Rifles]] refused to fire on unarmed Pathans fighting for India's independence in an incident that would later come to be known as the "Peshawar Kaand".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Architects of Modern India |url=https://newindiasamachar.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/story/2021/Oct/S202110012293.pdf |website=Press Information Bureau |page=3}}</ref> He lived with [[Mahatma Gandhi]] in [[Sabarmati Ashram]] for a short time.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chandola |first=Anoop |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ol23itTuS5sC&dq=chandra+singh+garhwali&pg=PA288 |title=Discovering Brides |date=2000 |publisher=Writers Club Press |isbn=978-0-595-09900-9 |language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali was born in Meason, Patti Chauthan.

On September 3, 1914, during the First World War, Chandra Singh was enlisted into the army at [[Lansdowne, India|Lansdowne]]. On August 1, 1915, Chandra Singh, along with other Garhwali soldiers, was sent to France by the British. He returned to Lansdowne on February 1, 1916. During the First World War, Chandra Singh participated in the [[Battle of Baghdad (1917)|Battle of Baghdad]] in 1917.

After the First World War ended, the British began dismissing many soldiers, reducing the ranks of those who had been promoted during the war. Chandra Singh was among them. He was demoted from a [[Havildar]] to a [[Sepoy]]. Consequently, he considered leaving the army. However, senior officers convinced him that his promotion would be taken care of and granted him some time off. During this time, Chandra Singh came into contact with [[Mahatma Gandhi]].

Garhwali also introduced [[Sri Dev Suman]] to Gandhi in Wardha. After his conversation with Gandhi Suman asked Garhwali what his dream for the people of Garhwal was. On this, Chandra Singh Garhwali narrated his dream to Shridev Suman and said, 'I imagine an independent Garhwal in independent India. Garhwali shared his dream of an independent Garhwal no longer politically and socially divided by the Ganges. He also emphasized a future with a classless and post-untouchability society with no capitalists and no landlords.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Sāṅkṛtyāyana |first=Rāhula |title=Vīr Candra Siṃha Gaḍhvālī |date=2006 |publisher=Kitāb Mahal |isbn=978-81-225-0195-7 |edition=Prastut Saṃskaraṇ |location=Ilāhābād}}</ref>

After some time, he was sent to Baziristan with his battalion in 1920, after which he was promoted again. After returning from there, he spent much time with Arya Samaj workers, and a sense of patriotism developed within him. However, the British did not approve of this and sent him to the Khyber Pass. By this time, Chandra Singh had attained the rank of Major Havildar.

== Peshawar Incident ==

On 20th April, 1930 [[Abdul Ghaffar Khan|Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan]] organized a civil disobedience movement in the North-West frontier and a Satyagrah was planned for 23rd April 1930 in Peshawar. Two platoons of the Garhwal Rifles regiment under Garhwali were deployed along with others. Garhwali refused to fire on the protestors. These soldiers tried for disobeying the British were represented by Barrister [[Mukandi Lal|Mukundi Lal]], who, after tireless efforts, had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment. Chandra Singh Garhwali's entire property was confiscated, and his uniform was torn from his body.<ref name=":1" />

In 1930, Chandra Singh Garhwali was sent to Abbottabad jail (now in [[Pakistan]]) for 14 years of imprisonment . His sentence was reduced and after 11 years of imprisonment, he was released on 26 September 1941. But his entry to Garhwal was restricted due to which he had to keep wandering here and there and finally he went to Wardha to meet Gandhi, who was deeply impressed by him. In the Quit India Movement of 8 August 1942, he stayed in Allahabad and took active part in this movement and was again arrested for three years. He was released in 1945.

On December 22, 1946, Chandra Singh was able to re-enter Garhwal with the support of the Communists. In 1957, he contested the elections as a candidate of the [[Communist Party of India]] but was unsuccessful. Chandra Singh Garhwali died on October 1, 1979, after a prolonged illness.
== Honors ==
In 1994, the Government of India issued a postage stamp in his honor. Several roads were also named after him.[[File:Stamp of India - 1994 - Colnect 163816 - Chandra Singh Garhwali Nationalist - 15th Death Anniversar.jpeg|thumb|'''Chandra Singh Garhwali''' at 1994 Stamp of India.]]
*In 23 April 1994, [[India Post]] honored him by issuing stamp on him.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS |url=https://www.indiapost.gov.in/VAS/Pages/News/Indian_Postage_Stamp_Catalogue_1947-2011.pdf |access-date=2022-11-29|work=India Post}}</ref>
*Government medical college [[Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Government Institute of Medical Science and Research]] is named after him.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://vcsgsrinagar.org/history/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Government Institute of Medical Science and Research |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Agricultural university [[Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry]] is named after him.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali |url=https://www.uuhf.ac.in/veer-chandra-singh-bhandari/ |website=Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry}}</ref>
*In 2022, Former [[Ministry of Education (India)|Union Minister of Education]] and [[Chief Minister of Uttarakhand]] [[Ramesh Pokhriyal|Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank"]] wrote biography on him which was published by [[National Book Trust]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PESHAWAR KE MAHANAYAK VEER CHANDRA SINGH GARHWALI |url=https://www.nbtindia.gov.in/books_detail__55__indian-75-series__3212__peshawar-ke-mahanayak-veer-chandra-singh-garhwali.nbt |website=National Book Trust}}</ref>
*In 2021, his statue was unveiled by [[Defence Minister of India]], [[Rajnath Singh]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=उत्तराखंड: एक अक्तूबर को पौड़ी आएंगे रक्षा मंत्री राजनाथ सिंह, वीर चंद्र सिंह गढ़वाली की प्रतिमा का करेंगे अनावरण |url=https://www.amarujala.com/dehradun/uttarakhand-news-defense-minister-rajnath-singh-will-visit-pauri-on-1-october-for-unveil-statue-of-veer-chandra-singh-garhwali |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Amar Ujala |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Defense Minister Rajnath Singh today unveils statue of freedom fighter & Peshawar revolt hero Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali in Pauri |url=https://newsonair.gov.in/News?title=Defense-Minister-Rajnath-Singh-today-unveils-statue-of-freedom-fighter-%26-Peshawar-revolt-hero-Veer-Chandra-Singh-Garhwali-in-Pauri&id=427232 |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=All India Radio}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rajnath Singh attends statue unveiling ceremony of freedom fighter Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/rajnath-singh-attends-statue-unveiling-140407808.html |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-SG}}</ref>
*In 2014, [[Kishore Upadhyaya]] demanded to [[Harish Rawat]] for installation of his statue in [[Dehradun]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Garhwali's statue sought |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/garhwali%E2%80%99s-statue-sought-22592 |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=The Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
*A scheme in [[Uttarakhand]] "Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Tourism Self Employment Scheme" is named after him.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Application for loan / subsidy under Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Tourism Self Employment Scheme |url=https://bageshwar.nic.in/form/application-for-loan-subsidy-under-veer-chandra-singh-garhwali-tourism-self-employment-scheme/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Government of Uttrakhand |language=en-US}}</ref>
*A school has been built in his name in the Saket area of Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About School {{!}} VCSG Library |url=https://www.vcsglibrary.com/about-school |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=VCSG Library |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garhwali, Chandra}}
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1979 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian military personnel]]

Chandra Singh Garhwali - Revision history

Allen2502 at 10:56, 10 April 2026