Shoukath Usman

SHOUKATH USMAN

Date of Birth: 21^st December, 1901 and Date of Death: 1978

            Shoukath Usman, who not only revolted against British imperialist forces to drive out from the country but also to establish a socialist state, was born on 21^st December, 1901 in Bikaner, Rajasthan.  His actual name was Maulla Bux Ustad.  But, as a revolutionary, he was known to people with different names.  Finally, he settled as Shoukath Usmani.  He was the disciple of the nationalist leader Sampoornananda at a very young age and got attracted towards nationalist ideology.  He entered into Nationalist Movement by giving entry into Khilafat Movement.  Later, he left the country to declare war against the British from outside India in June, 1920, responding to the appeal by Moulvi Abdul Bari.  He initiated the adventurous ‘Hijrath’ and reached Russia sailing on the troubled waters.  He was attracted towards the ideology of Communism and became one of the founders of Communist Party in India.  He returned to India without the knowledge of the British intelligence to fight against the British and to build Communist Movement in India.  The British Secret Police arrested him on 11^th May, 1923 and implicated him in the historic Peshawar Conspiracy case.  He was sentenced to 16 years rigorous imprisonment in this case.  While participating in the Indian National Movement, he took active part in establishing Communist Party of India in 1925 to spread the socialist ideology in India.  Though he distanced himself from the Indian National Congress during that time, he helped the Indian National Movement which was continuing against the imperialist rulers.  Shoukat continued his revolt against the British rulers as a revolutionary, as a writer and as a Communist.  He migrated to Karachi after Independence.  Even in Karachi, he held the Communist Movement by supporting the cause of the toiling people.  After spending some time in Karachi, he travelled extensively in several countries as a journalist and wrote articles on international affairs.  He gained much popularity as a world class communist intellectual.  Shoukath Usmani, who organised several movements supporting the labour cause and opposed the rule of the British imperialists till his end, breathed his last in 1978.