Satin Sen

Satindranath Sen, commonly known as Satin Sen (15 April 1894 – 25 March 1955), was a revolutionary in the Indian independence movement in the Indian subcontinent. He was a prominent leader both in the anti-British struggle and in movements against the Pakistani government. A staunch opponent of Partition, he led various movements and lived as a lifelong revolutionary.

Early life and background Satindranath was born on 15 April 1894 in Kotalipara, Faridpur in Bengal Presidency (now in Bangladesh). His father, Nabin Chandra Sen, was a Muktar at the Barishal court. While studying at Jubilee High School in Patuakhali, young Satīndranāth was inspired by the swadeshi songs of bard Mukunda Das and left home to seek guidance from Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutta. The latter sent the ten-year-old back home. Influenced later by friend Sudhir Kumar Dasgupta, he began practicing revolutionary discipline. In Barishal’s Shankar Math, he met Swami Progyanananda and joined the Jugantar revolutionary group. After passing his matriculation from Jubilee High School in 1912, Satīn briefly attended St. Columba’s College in Hazaribagh, then Bangabasi College in Kolkata. He left studies in his fourth year to devote himself fully to revolutionary activities. After release, he worked in Patuakhali on nonviolent organization. During the 1920 Non-cooperation Movement, he formed a youth brigade, organized boycotts of British goods, and was arrested again. In protest of humiliations in Barishal jail, he undertook a 61-day hunger strike. After release in 1923, he and friends bought land in Patuakhali to establish a national school, where he taught.

In 1924 at the Barishal district Congress conference in Pirojpur, he took charge, walking across the district to counter communal tension fomented by the government.

Though his movements in Patuakhali succeeded, he was arrested again in 1929. At Lahore jail, alongside revolutionary Jatin Das who was on hunger strike demanding prisoners’ rights, Satīn began an indefinite hunger strike. At Subhas Chandra Bose’s request, he ended it. His action created uproar in Barishal and many local youths voluntarily started serving prison terms. The British authorities released him on bail.

In March 1927, communal tensions arose around the Dol festival in Lakhutia. Responding to calls from the Hindu community, Satīn Sen attempted to go there. Upon learning this, Mr. Blandy and the SP arrested him over tea. In 1927, when Hindus marched past Kulakathi mosque with drums to visit Ponabalia’s Shiva temple, police opened fire killing 19 Muslims. Satīn Sen led a group of his youth organization at the front of the pilgrims’ procession in response.