Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Meet Shankarlal Banker, one of early associates of Gandhi

New Delhi, July 12: Shankarlal Banker was one of the early associates of Mahatma Gandhi who contributed for the Indian freedom movement, but he is one of those whose name faded from collective memory.

Who was Shankarlal Banker?
Born on 27th December 1889 in Mumbai, Banker completed his graduation from Wilson College in 1908. He then did MA in chemistry from St Xavier's college in 1911.

In 1916, he became the President of the Home Rule League (a movement in British India on the lines of the Irish Home Rule movement and other home rule movements) branch and Shankarlal and Umar Sobani became its secretary. Banker participated in the Kheda Satyagraha and worked for the eradication of untouchability.

Shankarlal fought for the prohibition of alcohol as well as did picketing at the liquor shops.

Banker and his friend Indulal Yagnik established English weekly Young India and Navjivan publications respectively but handed over these publications to Mahatma Gandhi when he entered public life in India.

Both the publications were messengers of the freedom movement. On 10 March 1922, Gandhi and Banker, as publisher and editor of Gandhi's newspaper Young India, were accused of treason and arrested.

He was sentenced to one-year imprisonment and fined Rs 1,000 as a publisher of 'Young India'.

Banker served as a secretary of All India Charkha Sangh from 1925 to 1939.

After retiring from the Charkha Sangh, he was associated with Majdoor Mahajan Sangh. He continued the Khadi activity there. He successfully managed the fight for the issues like the bonus for laborers, pay cuts, and working hours with Anasuya Sarabhai.

His contribution to the foundation and development of the Indian National Trade Union Congress and Hind Majdoor Sevak Sangh was significant. He was associated with all the four organizations founded by Gandhiji i.e. Sabarmati Ashram, Gujarat Vidyapith, Majdoor Mahajan Sangh, and Navjivan Press from the inception.

He passed away on 7th January 1985.