Draft:Pandit Swaroop Nath Saraf

Pandit Swaroop Nath Saraf (1907–1991) was a Kashmiri freedom fighter, social reformer, and political activist known for his grassroots activism and resistance against monarchical and feudal oppression in Jammu and Kashmir. He was an early member of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and played a significant role in several political movements, including the Quit Kashmir Movement and the Cooperative Movement in the region.

Early life and background

Saraf was born in 1907 to Pandit Vasudev Saraf in Kashmir. He initially worked as a Patwari (village revenue official) but resigned after physically resisting brutal revenue collection methods. He then dedicated his life to organizing poor peasants across Kashmir against injustice.

Political activism

In 1939, Saraf joined the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference. In 1941, he was arrested for propagating anti-monarchical ideas and was appointed a member of the party’s General Council in the same year. During the Quit India Movement of 1942, he provided shelter to underground Congress leaders including Dina Nath Keskar.

In 1945, he established the National High School in Shopian to promote education in rural Kashmir.

Imprisonment and emergency government

In 1946, Saraf was arrested for his participation in the Quit Kashmir Movement led by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. He was imprisoned in Srinagar, Jammu, and later in Kathua, where he reportedly suffered severe physical abuse that permanently damaged his health. He remained incarcerated for over a year and was placed under house arrest upon his release in 1948.

Later, he served as an Emergency Officer in the interim government of Sheikh Abdullah, where he managed relief and resettlement for migrants from Rajouri who had fled during the Kabali Raider invasion. As Emergency Administrator, he also ordered the detention of Ghulam Mohammad Shah, Abdullah's son-in-law, for alleged disregard of authority.

Social work and later years

In 1949, Saraf founded the Forest Labour Society in Shopian and played a pivotal role in the Cooperative Movement in Kashmir. He worked alongside prominent figures like Abdul Sattar Ranjoor, Pandit Sarwanand Koul "Premiji", and Mirza Qadir Beig.

Despite his contributions, he was not granted a mandate to contest elections in 1951, allegedly due to his Hindu background. In 1972, he was awarded the Tamra Patra by the Government of India on the 25th anniversary of India's independence.

Shopian agitation

In 1979, Saraf led a mass agitation demanding district status for Shopian under the banner of the All Parties Action Committee. The protest lasted three years and became the longest-running agitation in post-independence India at the time. During this movement, a young man named Suresh Qandhari was killed in police firing. Saraf and several others were again arrested. After his release, locals honored him with the title Baba-e-Shopian (Father of Shopian).

Final years and death

Following the rise of militancy in Kashmir in 1990, Saraf migrated to Jammu. He died in exile in 1991, largely forgotten by the political establishment and the people he had served.

Legacy

Pandit Swaroop Nath Saraf is remembered by many in the Kashmir Valley for his commitment to secularism, grassroots political activism, and selfless social service. Though he never held high political office, his behind-the-scenes efforts helped shape the political and social fabric of South Kashmir.

References

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External links

• Autarmota Blog on Shopian
• Oral history video on YouTube

Category:Indian independence activists from Jammu and Kashmir Category:Kashmiri people Category:1907 births Category:1991 deaths Category:People from Shopian district Category:Indian social reformers