My dear Jaidev,
I hope you are keeping well. I received your letter and was very glad to know that you are all right.
Please do me a favour. There is a terrible famine of books at Borstal Jail. They have made me in charge of the library there. I want to collect some good books for the boys there. I am sending you a list of books. Please try to collect them from any source you can. Some of them may be available at Dwarkadas Library and some at Punjab Public Library. If you can get them, please send them to Superintendent, Borstal Jail, Lahore.
List of Books needed:
- Communist Manifesto - Marx & Engels
- Letters to a Friend on Philosophy - Liebknecht
- Problems of Philosophy - Bertrand Russell
- Mutual Aid - Kropotkin
- History of Modern Europe - Any standard author
- Selected speeches of Lenin
- History of French Revolution - Any good author
- Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist - Berkman
- Capitalism & Labour - Any Marxist author
- What is Property? - Proudhon
If you cannot get all of them, please try to get as many as possible. The boys there are very eager to read good books and I am trying my best to satisfy their intellectual hunger.
I am keeping good health and spirits. There is nothing to worry about me. My case is going on. Let us see what happens.
Please convey my respects to Lajjawati and love to other friends.
How are your studies going on? I hope you are working hard. Do not neglect your studies on account of other activities. Education is very important for our country’s future.
I hope to hear from you soon. Do write to me whenever you get time.
Yours affectionately, Bhagat Singh
P.S. - Please try to send the books as soon as possible. The boys are waiting for them anxiously.
About This Letter
Historical Context
This letter was written just over eight months before Bhagat Singh's execution, revealing his dedication to education and intellectual development even while imprisoned. It shows his concern for fellow prisoners' access to knowledge.
Significance
This letter demonstrates Bhagat Singh's belief in the power of education and ideas, even in the face of death. His request for specific works by Marx, Russell, and other thinkers reveals the intellectual foundation of his revolutionary ideology.
About Bhagat Singh
Bhagat Singh (1907-1931) was one of India's most influential revolutionaries, executed at age 23. Known for his intellectual approach to revolution, he combined action with deep study of socialist and anarchist philosophy.
About Jaidev Gupta
Jaidev Gupta was a close friend of Bhagat Singh from their school days, who remained supportive throughout Singh's revolutionary activities and imprisonment.
Additional Resources
- Original Letter on Wikisource Full public domain text
- Bhagat Singh's Prison Writings Overview of his intellectual work while imprisoned