Chhotu Ram

Rao Bahadur Sir Chhotu Ram, (24 November 1881 – 9 January 1945) was one of the most prominent pre-partition politicians in Punjab and an ideologue of the Jat peasantry and a champion of its interests. Sir Chhotu Ram was the first Stephanian (St. Stephen's College, Delhi) to be knighted in 1937. He was a co-founder of the National Unionist Party and later leader of the Punjab Unionist Party.

Childhood

Chhotu Ram was born on 24 November 1881 in Ohlan clan of Hindu Jat family in village Garhi Sampla of district Rohtak, Punjab (in present day Haryana), India. His parents were Chaudhari Sukhiram Singh Ohlyan and Sarla Devi. His childhood name was Ramrichhpal.

Education

Chhotu Ram joined primary school in January 1891, passing out four years later. He studied for his middle school examination in Jhajjar, 12 miles from his village. He left Jhajjar to be enrolled in the Christian Mission School in Delhi. He passed his intermediate examination in 1903 and then enrolled in St Stephen's College, Delhi from where he graduated in 1905 with a distinction in Sanskrit. He gained his LLB from Agra College in 1910 and began his practice as an advocate in 1912. He started the Jat-Anglo Sanskrit School on 26 March 1913 in Rohtak. He joined National Congress in 1916. Sir Chhotu Ram worked as the President of the Rohtak District Congress Committee from 1916 to 1920.