What Is the Gadar Memorial in California About?

1. Origins of the Ghadar Movement

The Ghadar Party, originally called the Hindustan Ghadar Party, was founded in 1913 by Indian immigrants—predominantly Punjabi Sikhs, but also Hindus and Muslims—living in North America. Its mission: to overthrow British colonial rule in India. The movement distributed a weekly newspaper titled Ghadar (meaning “revolt” or “mutiny”) to educate and inspire Indians back home and abroad.

2. The Headquarters: Yugantar Ashram to Gadar Memorial Hall

The Party’s first base was at 436 Hill Street in San Francisco, known as the Yugantar Ashram. It later relocated around 1917 to 5 Wood Street, the current site of the Gadar Memorial. That building housed a printing press and served as a secret meeting spot where activists plotted India’s liberation. After India’s independence in 1947, the U.S. Consulate handed the building over to the Indian government in 1949.

3. Establishing the Memorial and Its Role Today

In the early 1950s, restoration efforts began, supported by the local Indian community and the Government of India, which provided US$ 83,000. The Gadar Memorial Hall officially opened in March 1975, inaugurated by India’s Ambassador to the U.S., T.N. Kaul; the Memorial Library followed in October 1976, opened by Minister Y.B. Chavan and stocked with books in Hindi and English. Today, the hall—adorned with framed photos of Ghadar leaders and martyrs, as well as Ghadar artifacts—is used by the Indian Consulate for cultural and national events like Independence Day celebrations.

4. Cultural Significance & Future Plans

The Memorial stands as a living testament to the sacrifices and revolutionary efforts of diaspora Indians, referred to as “Gadari Babas.” In 2013, the Indian Prime Minister announced plans to upgrade it into a full-fledged museum and library, including a sculpture honoring these freedom fighters. Although an agreement to renovate and convert it into a museum was signed in 2019, significant progress has yet to materialize.

From ChatGPT

The Indian consulate couldn’t have chosen a more illustrious persona than Srikanth Bolla for the celebrations in 2025 as it dovetails so well with the story of Gadar party’s aspirations

More about Srikanth Bolla below

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srikanth_Bolla

An apt celebration would include this You Tube video based on the biography of Ramanujam about the crazy math that Ramanujan and Hardy came up with.

https://youtu.be/fHRS_NOs24w?si=7am-o9BVEzDFh31Y