Iqbal Singh went to jail when children his age learnt the alphabet

At 89, freedom fighter Iqbal Singh recalls being jailed at age 7 for protesting British rule, lamenting unmet demands for support for aging fighters.

At an age when most children are busy learning the alphabet and numbers, Iqbal Singh was learning the harsh realities of colonial oppression — inside a prison cell.

Iqbal Singh went to jail when children his age learnt the alphabet

Now 89, the freedom fighter from Ferozepur district, who has lived in Ludhiana for 45 years, recalled how he was just 7 or 8 when he joined a protest against British rule. “They arrested me along with other protestors and sent us to Lahore Central Jail. My age didn’t matter to them; the British officers thrashed me mercilessly,” he said.

After coming to Ludhiana, he started dairy farming. His son Gursewak Singh is continuing the business. He takes pride in India’s development but he has one regret. “The state government used to invite us to attend Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations every year,” he said. “Now, very few of us freedom fighters are alive. Yet many of our demands, like proper housing and free medical facilities, remain unmet.”