| Veer Narayan Singh वीर नारायण सिंह | |
| Birth Date: | 1796 |
| Birth Place: | Sonakhan, Central Provinces, British India (now in Baloda Bazar district, Chhattisgarh, India) |
| Death Place: | Raipur, Central Provinces, British India (now Chhattisgarh, India) |
| Death Cause: | Execution by hanging |
Veer Narayan Singh (1795–1857)[1] was a landlord from Sonakhan, in the present-day Indian State of Chhattisgarh. He spearheaded the 1857 rebellion in Chhattisgarh.
He is also known and considered as "The 1st Chhattisgarhi freedom fighter". He belongs to the tribal binjhwar community, and his entire biography is described in veer udyan sonakhan. Among his relatives, Saheed Madho Singh Bariha from Ghess in Bargarh district of Odisha also fought against the British and was martyred in 1858.His ancestor were from Gond[2] tribal group and were residing in Bhangad. Later on, they changed their affiliation from Gond tribe and moved to Sonakhan in Raipur district. His great-grandfather was Deewan of Sonakhan and at the age of thirty five he took over the landlordship rights from his father Ram Rai. He was thirty-five years old when he became the landlord of Sonakhan, Youngest landlord in the region.[3]
The British arrested him in 1856 for looting a trader's grain stocks and distributing it amongst the poor in a severe famine year. In 1856 with the help of the soldiers of the British Army at Raipur, Veer Narayan Singh escaped from prison. He reached Sonakhan and formed an army of 500 men. Under the leadership of Smith, a powerful British army was dispatched to crush the Sonakhan army.
He was executed on 10 December 1857 at Jaistambh Chowk of Raipur (capital of present-day Chhattisgarh).[4] He became the first martyr from Chhattisgarh in the Rebellion.
Veer Narayan Singh's martyrdom has been resurrected in the 1990s and he has become a potent symbol of Chhattisgarhi pride.[5] The Government of Chhattisgarh named a cricket stadium Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium after him.[6]
| S.No | Name of Building, stadium | constructed by | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shahid Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Parsada New Raipur | CG Govt | |
| 2 | Shahid Veer Narayan singh Commercial Complex, near Ghadi chowk | RDA |
| S No. | Detail | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Govt. Shahid Veer Narayan Singh College (GSVNSC) Government Shahid Veer Narayan Singh College, Bilaigarh Chhattisgarh runs course(s) in Arts stream(s). Affiliated to : Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University Discipline : Arts Established Year : 1987 Categories : Government,Co-Education Language of Instruction : Bengali | |
| 2 | Sahid Veer Narayan Singh H.S. Vidayalya Bhilai School [7] Address Vaishali Nagar Bhilai, Durg, Chhattisgarh, Postal Code: 490023 India | |
| 3 | Shahid Govt. Ps Sahid Veer Narayan Singh School [8] Address:-Veer Narayan Singh Nagar,Crc Khursipar, Durg, Chhattisgarh, Postal Code: 490011 India | |
| 4 | SHAHID VEER NARAYAN SINGH Govt. Hr. Sec. School BHILAI BAZAR. Korba CG |
8. Story of Saheed Veer Narayan Singh thebetterchhattisgarh.com