Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s2.t21: Thakur Gadadhar Singh
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s2.t21
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Thakur Gadadhar Singh
v2.c10.s2.t21.1
Thakur Gadadhar Singh (1869-1920) was born in October 1869 in a Chandel Rajput family of Sachedi village in Kanpur district. His family had been connected with the British Indian Army. His father Thakur Dariyao Singh served in Bengal’s 5th Native Infantry from 1864-1878 and actively participated in many battles. After high school, he joined the Bengal’s 7th Rajput Regiment at the age of 17. One year later, he was sent to fight for the British in Myanmar (then Burma). In 1894, because of his good educational background, he was also appointed as a teacher in the Army. In 1896, he was promoted to the position of Subedar-Major, once the highest position that a native Indian could attain in the British Army. When the Boxer Rebellion broke out in China in 1900, he accompanied his 7th Rajput Regiment to China and spent 13 months there. He ‘passed away in October 1920.
v2.c10.s2.t21.2
Besides being a senior native Rajput officer in the British Army, he earned a name for his writings in Hindi. His travelogue cum memoirs, ‘Cheen mein terah maas’, (*13 months in China*) was published in 1901. It was reviewed by *The Advocate*, a leading English newspaper of Lucknow in its May 1, 1902 edition, which was very laudatory. It said: “Indians employed in military service are seldom noted for literary ability. They are as a rule, men of almost no culture who primarily enter service in the ranks and gradually make their way upwards. The book under review, as coming from an Indian soldier, did not raise high expectations as to its merits, but when its pages were opened we were very agreeably surprised with what we found therein. It reflects great credit upon the author to have so carefully observed and noted in detail all the passing events in the hurry and scurry of military life in active service and then to have them published in simple Hindi with his own comments profusely interspersed. This book is a distinct advancement and is likely to leave a permanent mark upon the budding Hindi literature.”
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Written from the perspective of a subaltern Indian, the book is a significant alternative account of the Boxer rebellion, and details various atrocities that Chinese experienced during the march of the Joint Foreign Expeditionary Force to Beijing and the occupation of the capital city of China. It also speaks of the possibility of India-China uniting together to fight the Western dominance.
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Later, Singh wrote another famous travelogue in Hindi about his trip to England which was entitled ‘Hamari Edward Tilak Yatra’ (My Trip for King Edward’s Coronation) and was published in 1903. Because of his two popular travelogues, he is widely acclaimed as the first travel writer in the history of modern Hindi literature. He was also the author of several other books too that include ‘Japan Ki Raj Vyavastha’ (State System in Japan], ‘Rusa-Japan Yuddha’ (Russo-Japanese War), Bushido, Vilayat Bhraman (Foreign Travel), ‘Vilayati Dampatti’ (Foreign Family), ‘Buddhadeo Darshan’ (Philosophy of God Buddha), ‘Yuddha aur Shanti Parichaya’ (Introduction to War and Peace), ‘Chashma aur Chakshu’ (Spectacles and Eyes), etc. He also started a journal called ‘Vanita Hitaishi’ (Friends of Women) which was totally devoted to women’s issues and aimed to educate and empower them.
v2.c10.s2.t21.5
(*Ranjana Sheel and Kamal Sheel*)