KARACHI: Sindh has always been blessed with thousands of heroic characters at the time of independence and the sons of soil preferred death for the sake of safety and security of their motherland. One such heroic character is Hemu Kalami.
Hemu Kalani son of Pesumal Kalani and Jethi Bai was born in a Jain family of Sukkur, Sindh on March 23, 1923. His father Pesumal was a doctor by profession. Hemu completed his initial education from Tilak High School, Sukkur from where he passed his matriculation in 1942. Hemu was a nationalist since early age.
Hemu Kalani was greatly admired by the struggle and engagements of his uncle late Dr Mangh Ram Kalani who was a prominent congress leader. Hemu became member of ‘Swaraj Sena’ (a student organization) which was affiliated with the All-India Students Federation (AISF).
As a young boy, Hemu Kalani led the youth of his town and campaigned for boycott of foreign good and convinced people to use Swadeshi goods. Later, he started revolutionary activities and took part in protests aimed at kicking out the British. He started joining political gatherings, demonstrations, strikes, raising slogan of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
In October 1942, the revolutionary group Swaraj Sena received secret information that a train was carrying weapons that would be used against freedom fighters in Sindh. Hemu and his friends decided not to allow/derail the train near Sukkur however, according to historians, Hemu was held by the British.
Later, the British authorities subjected Hemu Kalani to third degree torture to reveal names of his other companions but he never opened up his mouth and bravely bore the torture. He took the blame upon himself citing what he did was justified in retaliation what British were doing in crushing the freedom struggle with arms and ammunitions.
Sindh was under Martial Law and Hemu Kalani’s case was referred to Martial Law Court at Hyderabad/Sukkur where he was sentenced life imprisonment for treason against the British Empire.
Hemu’s lawyer Sattar Pirzada made an offer to Kalani’s uncle Dr Manga Ram “If Hemu could sign a written apology, the British would relax his death and he simply refused”. The people of Sindh filed a petition before Viceroy for Hemu Kalani’s mercy however the condition of mercy was to tell names of other co-conspirators which he refused to shared. Hence, Hemu Kalani was hanged on January 21, 1943.
