On the eve of Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom anniversary, a renewed call to reclaim his intellectual and political legacy has emerged from an unlikely archive on the other side of the border.Satvinder Singh Juss, a professor of law at King’s College London and a barrister at Gray’s Inn, has spent years examining a cache of documents in Lahore that remain largely inaccessible to Indian scholars. His work, carried out between 2017 and 2019, uncovered not 30 but 65 archival records linked to Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary contemporaries.Juss’s journey into this forgotten archive began, as many good stories do, with a stray article. Nearly a decade ago, Prof Chaman Lal, a renowned Indian academic and leading authority on the life of Bhagat Singh, wrote about a parallel stream of the freedom struggle that was quietly fading from public memory. While the Congress movement under Mahatma Gandhi dominated the narrative, the revolutionary tradition, with its sharper, more radical edge, was being reduced to a footnote. Lal had pointed to about 30 documents lying in Pakistan, out of reach for Indian scholars.For Juss, the question was simple: why not go and see them?Taking advantage of his British passport, Juss travelled to Pakistan and sought access to the archives. “To my surprise, they were completely open,” he recalled, contrasting the experience with what he described as a lingering “colonial mentality” in the subcontinent that restricts access to knowledge. At the Lahore archives, officials facilitated his work, allowing him to examine each document systematically.Intellectual depth, global influencesFor Juss, the significance of Bhagat Singh lies not merely in his martyrdom but in his intellectual depth and global influences.There is a tendency, Juss says, to freeze Bhagat Singh in a single frame: the young martyr, the defiant face, the noose. It is a powerful image, but also a limiting one. Lost in the telling are the ideas. The influences. The restless, searching mind of a 23-year-old who was reading as much as he was resisting.Story continues below this adHe points to the revolutionary’s engagement with international currents, from the Irish republican hunger strikes to the Russian Revolution, which shaped his vision of a radically egalitarian society.“He is often reduced to a symbol of sacrifice,” Juss says, “but his political ideas are overlooked.” These included universal education, the abolition of caste hierarchies, gender equality, and an uncompromising commitment to a united, secular India.The archives, he argues, are crucial to recovering this dimension. Scholars familiar with the material say the documents contain correspondence, notes, and administrative records that can deepen understanding of Bhagat Singh’s ideological evolution and organisational networks.The issue, however, is not merely academic. Juss frames it as a question of historical ownership. “Do you own your history?” he asks.Story continues below this adForesight on communal divisionsBecause if Bhagat Singh belongs to both India and Pakistan, he also sits uncomfortably within both. In Pakistan, his identity as a non-Muslim complicates his place in the national narrative. In India, his more radical ideas, such as his atheism, his critique of entrenched hierarchies, and his insistence on structural change rather than a mere transfer of power, are often softened, if not sidestepped.Juss also highlights the revolutionary’s foresight on communal divisions, noting that he and his associates had anticipated the dangers of religious polarisation well before Partition. That vision, he suggests, makes Bhagat Singh a rare unifying figure in a region still marked by historical fault lines.Efforts are now underway among academics to push for greater access to the Lahore archives, either through digitisation or bilateral arrangements. Prof Chaman Lal has long advocated for the retrieval or sharing of these documents, arguing that they are indispensable to constructing a fuller, evidence-based account of the freedom struggle.For Juss, the stakes extend beyond historiography. “We risk turning him into a footnote,” he said, echoing concerns voiced as early as the 1950s. “This is not just about remembering a martyr. It is about understanding a thinker whose ideas remain unfinished business.”Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. 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