678) Lala Lajpat Rai: A prominent Freedom Fighter against the British Raj: 150th Birth Anniversary: A commemorative coin of Rs.10/- (Rupees Ten) issued by the India Government Mint, Hyderabad on 28.01.2016:

678) Lala Lajpat Rai: A prominent Freedom Fighter against the British Raj: 150th Birth Anniversary: A commemorative coin of Rs.10/- (Rupees Ten) issued by the India Government Mint, Hyderabad on 28.01.2016:

The Cover of the Coin album is titled "Lala Lajpat Rai Ki 150Vin Jayanti 1865-2015" (in Hindi) and 150th Anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai 1865-2015" (in English). Mentioned on top is "Smarak Sikka" (in Hindi) and "Commemorative Coin" (in English).

Page 2 of the Coin Album gives a brief description about the life of Lala Lajpat Rai:

"Lala Lajpat Rai was born on 28th January 1865 in Dhudike, Punjab. He was the eldest son of Munshi Radha Kishan Azad and Gulab Devi. He was a Punjabi author and politician, who is remembered as a leader in the Indian Independence Movement. He was popularly known as "Punjab Kesari" i.e. "Lion of Punjab".

Lala Lajpat Rai along with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal are three leaders famous in the history of India's Freedom Struggle as "Lal, Bal, Pal".

He was associated with forming of Punjab National Bank" and "Lakshmi Insurance Company" in their early stages. Lakshmi Insurance Company was merged with LIC in 1956.

He sustained serious head injuries by the police, while leading a non-violent protest against the Simon Commission and died on 17th November 1928. Throughout his life, he fought for the freedom of the country and ultimately sacrificed his life.

The Government of India has released this Commemorative Coin on the occasion of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai on 28th January 2016."

Page 3 of the Coin Album shows the Obverse of the Rs.10/- Coin and gives a brief description of the partial specifications of the coin both in Hindi and English. It also contains an image of a 15 Paise Stamp issued on Lala Lajpat Rai .

The partial specifications of the Rs.10/- coin given on this page are as under:

Denomination of the Coin: Rs.10/-; Metal Composition: Outer Ring: (Aluminium Bronze) - Copper 92%, Aluminium 6%, Nickel 2%; Centre-Piece: (Cupro-Nickel) - Copper 75%, Nickel 25%.

                The Obverse of the Rs.10/- coin on a stand-alone basis.

It shows the name of the issuing country "Bharat" (in Hindi) and "India" (in English) on the centre left and right peripheries respectively. The Emblem of the Government of India which is the Lion Capitol of the legendary Samrat (Emperor) Ashok of Ancient India is on top in the centre-piece, together with the legend "Satyameva Jayate" (meaning "Truth Always Prevails").

At the extreme bottom is the denomination of the coin "Rs.10/-" in numerals.

Page 4 of the Coin Album shows the Reverse of the Rs.10/- Coin shows a portrait of Lala Lajpat Rai and gives a brief description of the remaining specifications of this coin in both Hindi and English. It also contains a photograph of "Lal, Bal, Pal", all three of whom were prominent Freedom Fighters.

The partial specifications of the Rs. 10/- coin given on this page are as under:

Rs.-10/- (Bimetallic); Dimensions: Diameter: 27 mm; Weight: 7.71 grams.

The Reverse of the Rs.10/- coin on a stand-alone basis

It shows a portrait of Lala Lajpat Rai in the centre-piece. Below his portrait are mentioned the years of commemoration "1865-2015".

On the upper periphery is inscribed "Lala Lajpat Rai Ki 150Vin Jayanti" (in Hindi) and on the lower periphery "150th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF LALA LAJPAT RAI".

Page 5 of the Coin Album shows a portrait of Lala Lajpat Rai at bottom left and an image of the Reverse of the coin showing the same portrait of Lala Lajpat Rai on the top right.

More about Lala Lajpat Rai:

He was born on 28.01.1865, in a Hindu Aggrawal family, which claims its descent from the legendary Maharaja Agrasen of Agroha.

During his early life, his liberal views and belief in Hinduism were shaped by his father and deeply religious mother.

While studying Law at the Government College at Lahore in 1880, he came in contact with patriots and future freedom fighters like Lala Hans Raj and Pandit Guru Dutt. It was here that he was influenced by the Hindu Reformist Movement of Swami Dayanand Saraswati and became a member of the Arya Samaj, Lahore founded in 1877 and became the founder editor of the Lahore based "Arya Gazette". He was also a regular contributor to several newspapers, including "The Tribune". 

In 1880 and 1889, he was one of the four delegates from Hisar to attend the annual session of the Indian National Congress at Allahabad.

In 1886, he helped set up the nationalistic Dayanand Anglo-Vedic School at Lahore.

In 1892, he practiced Law at the High Court in Lahore.

After joining the Indian National Congress and taking part in political agitations in Punjab, he was deported to Mandalay, Burma (present day Myanmar), without trial in 1907. He was later released when it was found that there was insufficient evidence against him for subversive activities.

In 1914, he quit his legal practice and dedicated himself to the freedom of India and to further this cause travelled to Britain and the USA.

In 1917, he founded the Indian Home Rule League of America in New York. He stayed in the USA till 1920.

He also authored several books, prominent among them being:

The Story of my Deportation (1908), Arya Samaj (1915), The United States of America (1916), Unhappy India (1928), England's Debt to India (1917), Auto-biographical Writings, Young India: An Interpretation and a History of the Nationalist Movement from Within (1916).

In 1921, he founded the "Servants of the People Society", a non-profit Welfare Organisation in Lahore which opened several branches all over India.

In 1928, the Simon Commission came to India to report on the political situation in India. The Commission was boycotted by the Indian political parties because the Simon Commission did not have any Indian members and it met with country-wide protests.

When the Simon commission visited Lahore on 30.10.1928, Lala Lajpat Rai led a silent march in protest against it. The Superintendent of Police James A. Scott ordered a lathi-charge on the protesters and personally assaulted Lala Lajpat Rai. Despite being severely injured Lala Lajpat Rai subsequently addressed the protestors saying " I declare that the blows struck at me today will be the last nails in the coffin of British Rule in India."

He passed away on 17.11.1928, a victim of Scott's excessive use of force, who many believe was out to "murder" Lala Lajpat Rai under the pretext of maintaining law and order against a peaceful, non-violent agitation. 

Memorials:

A statue of Lala Lajpat Rai was erected at Lahore, which was later moves to the Central Square in Shimla. Another statue has been erected at Lajpat Nagar and Lala Lajpat Rai square in Hisar, where a Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences has also been set up.

A College of Commerce and Economics  has been established in his name in Mumbai.

Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College, Meerut and a Hospital at Kanpur have been named after him.

Lajpat Nagar and Lajpat Rai Market in Chandni Chowk, Delhi have been set up in his memory.

Lala Lajpat Rai Hall of Residence at IIT, Kanpur and Kharagpur have been named after him.

The Bus Terminus and several institutes, schools and libraries have been established in his hometown of Jagraon, apart from several roads named after him in many cities of India.

Posted on 21.08.2020:

I have yesterday acquired this circulation Rs.10/- Coin honouring Lala Lajpat Rai, from a provision store. I was quite happy to see the great patriot and Freedom Fighter depicted on this coin:

 The Reverse of the Rs.10/- circulation coin depicts a portrait of Lala Lajpat Rai and is identical to the Reverse of the Commemorative Coin depicted above.

The Obverse of the Rs.10/- circulation coin is identical to the commemorative coin shown above.