Mr. Hindu Singh Sodha is an activist for Pakistani minorities living in India. Being a Pakistani immigrant himself, he gained Indian citizenship while attending law school in Jodhpur, Rajasthan in 1977, and has been advocating for other Pakistani immigrants ever since. He has founded two community-based organizations, Pak Visthapit Sangh and Seemant Lok Sangathan, and one non-governmental organization, Universal Just Action Society, since he first began his advocacy work. One of Mr. Sodha’s greatest accomplishments was in 2005, when he successfully pressured the government to grant 13,000 Pakistani refugees citizenship. He advocates for all Pakistani minorities, working primarily with Hindu-Pakistanis living in settlements around the India-Pakistan border and throughout Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh.
Background
Mr. Hindu Singh Sodha was born on May 2nd, 1956. His family lived in Pakistan, as his mother was Indian and his father Pakistani. According to tradition, when the first child is born, the mother returns to her family to give birth. Thus Mr. Sodha was born in India, in Village Chelawas in District Pali, Rajasthan. His siblings were all born in Pakistan, and he lived and studied in school in the city of Chachro in Tharparkar, within the Sindh province, until Class 10.
Just ten months before the Indo-Pak War of 1971, Mr. Sodha’s family migrated to India on February 8th, settling in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Mr. Sodha completed his education in the Chopasni School in Jodhpur, and continued to earn a degree from Jodhpur University in 1976. While pursuing Law at Jodhpur University, he gained Indian citizenship in 1977. He graduated with a law degree in 1979.
Social and Political Life
In college, Mr. Sodha was a renowned student leader and founder and president of the student body organization Chhatra Sangharash Smiti. Through his efforts, the campus became a platform for debates on relevant issues. He is accredited with the evolution of students’ mindsets from caste-based politics to ideology-based politics.
Mr. Sodha was a leader of the Trade Union movement in Rajasthan. During the Bharat Bandh agitation in Jodhpur in 1981, Mr. Sodha was the first person arrested for voicing his opinions. Even though he was arrested, the agitation was successful. Furthermore, with Mr. Sodha’s encouragement, all major Trade Unions participated in the Darbi Strike, the longest strike in the history of western Rajasthan. Mr. Sodha continued to participate in other social movements, including the Right to Information (RTI) movement in Rajasthan.
In 1986, Mr. Sodha published a fortnightly, Jan Pataaka (“Peoples’ Flag”). He was the sole editor and publisher of this forward-thinking newspaper.
In 1991, Mr. Sodha formally began working for the NGO Urmul. He worked exclusively with refugees from Pakistan living in the Bikaner area of Rajasthan. After some time, Mr. Sodha left Urmul to work on his own, wanting to give his undivided attention and efforts to this issue. For years he traveled throughout the border in the refugee settlements in Rajasthan. In 1998, he staged a dharna (“peaceful demonstration”) in front of the Rajasthan State Assembly. The then Chief Minister, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, agreed to take up the cause of Pakistani refugees.
Founding His Own Organization
In 1999, Mr. Sodha founded the community-based organization Pak Visthapit Singh, “Displaced Pakistanis' Organization,” to address the pressing needs of citizenship and rehabilitation for Pakistani refugees in India. Since then, the organization has expanded with the creation of Seemant Lok Sangathan, “Border Area Peoples’ Union,” and the registration of the non-governmental organization, Universal Just Action Society.
Click here for further information about the history of the organization.
Achievements
Since 1999, Mr. Sodha has made great strides in raising awareness and pressuring the Government of India to grant justice and basic human rights to Pakistani refugees. Some of these accomplishments are listed below.
In 2005, due to the efforts of Mr. Sodha, 13,000 Pakistani refugees were granted Indian citizenship in Rajasthan.
In 2006, Mr. Sodha was the pioneer champion in encouraging railways to resume running between Sindh and Rajasthan. The culmination of his efforts created the Thar Express, where Mr. Sodha was present to witness the first train arrive from Pakistan. He and several volunteers greeted the arrivals and distributed pamphlets welcoming them to India. Dignitaries, including Mr. Lalu Parsad Yadev, former Railway Minister, and Vasudhra Raje Scidhia, former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, were also present and thanked Mr. Sodha for his initiative.
In 2007, Mr. Sodha was appointed a member of the High Power Committee under the Chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary Development. He is still a representative in the state committee, and also a member in both of the committees under the Chairmanship of the Divisional Commissioners in Jodhpur and Bikaner.
In 2008, due to Mr. Sodha’s participation and persuasion, the issue of refugees was included in the agenda of the People’s SAARC Conference held in Kathmandu.
In 2009, Mr. Sodha was the only person who met with the Honorable Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Mr. Aslam Nasir Zahid, at the Indo-Pak Joint Judicial Committee. Mr. Sodha demanded the release of prisoners who were caught for petty offenses, had finished their sentence, or had been waiting years for a judicial trial. The committee gave recommendations to both governments, including all of the points raised by Mr. Sodha. In effect immediately, nine prisoners were released from Rajasthan.
In 2012, due to Mr. Sodha’s continuous efforts and organization of a demonstration in front of the State Assembly, serious debates in both of the Houses of Parliament resulted in all political parties favoring the cause of Pakistani refugees.