Sultanpur Lodhi/ New Delhi: The Army Commander Western Command General KJ Singh, AVSM inaugurated the Shaheed Dr. Diwan Singh Kalepani Park in memory of the veteran freedom fighter Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani at his native village Sultanpur Lodhi in a function organized by Dr. Diwan Singh Kalepani Memorial Trust. He was received by Dr. (Capt.) G.S. Dhillon the General Secretary of the Trust and introduced to other members of the family and the trust. The Army band played the National Anthem at the unveiling of the statue of this great son of the soil freedom fighter. The General congratulated the members of the Trust for promoting the vision and ideas of this great martyr. Army Commander said that the youth of Punjab has to refocus itself towards the armed forces which provides a very clean and adventurous life. The first step in the direction is to get physically and mentally fit.
Dr. Diwan Singh Kalepani Memorial Trust has already set up state of the art museum in his memory which is actingas a light house to inspire the future generations for infusing a spirit of patriotism, secularism and nationalism. The museum was inaugurated by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Dec 2013 in Siswan Distt. Mohali near Chandigarh. Shaheed Dr. Diwan Singh Kalepani was born in a farming family in a small village called Galotian in Sialkot District now in Pakistan in the year 1897 and was brought up by his paternal uncle and grandmother as he became orphaned at an early age. After passing primary school education in his native villagehe joined Scotch middle School in nearby Daska town and passed his middle school examination from there. He passed high school examination from Khalsa High School in the year 1915. He passed his medical examination from Agra in the year 1919 and joined the medical department of Indian Army and served various military hospitals in Wazirastan and North West Frontier.
While serving in military in Dagshai in Himachal Pradesh he openly revolted against British rule by giving speeches against the visit of then Prince of Wales to India and was arrested and prosecuted by military court and was sent to Andaman and Nicobar Island as punishment posting. He formed Indian Independence League and raised a platoon of Indian National Army. He was arrested on 23rd Oct 1943 for taking part in independence movement and lodged in cellular jail where he was mercilessly beaten and given inhuman treatment. He was continuously tortured for incredibly long period of eighty two days. He died in the jail on 14th Jan 1944. He was a great poet, social worker and philanthropist.
Dr. Diwan Singh is one of those umpteen instances during the pre-independent India, who laid down their live for the cause of humanity. He wrote poetry in free verse and composed two volumes of poetry: Vagde Pani (‘Running Waters’) in 1938, and Antim Lehran (‘Winding Waves’) which was published posthumously in 1962. His poetry often revolved around criticism of the British Raj and of organized religion.