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| The Forgotten Uprising: How the Martyrs of 1966 Transformed Jammu’s Academic Destiny | |
Devraj Thakur
Every year in mid-October, as the autumn breeze settles over the plains of Jammu, the quiet campus of GGM Science College comes alive with ritual: incense smoke curls upward near a modest memorial, students assemble outside the gates, and a small procession makes its way through the corridors of Jammu’s institutional life. For a few hours, a long-buried history is allowed to resurface. Then, almost as quickly, it fades again into the folds of public forgetting.
The dates—16, 17 and 18 October—have long been referred to by many in the student community as “Black Days.” To outsiders, the title may sound grim or even puzzling. But to the few who still recall the events of 1966, these three days mark the martyrdom of young men whose sacrifice redefined the educational landscape of the Jammu region and ultimately forced the birth of institutions that today serve tens of thousands of scholars.
Yet, despite their historic consequences, these events are rarely taught in classrooms, seldom mentioned in official commemorations, and scarcely acknowledged in civic discourse. The story has survived mostly through oral memory, personal curiosity and scattered articles from the period. At the heart of this forgotten uprising lie four young men whose names are inscribed on a simple stone slab outside the gates of GGM Science College: Brij Mohan Sharma, Subhash Chandra, Gulshan Handa and Guru Charan.
Their memorial—known locally as the Shahidi Sthal—is passed by hundreds of students each day. Some pause briefly, others walk by unaware. Few know that this unassuming corner of the campus grounds once stood at the center of one of Jammu’s most defining student movements.
To understand the agitation, one must step back into the socio-political climate of the mid-1960s. Higher education opportunities in Jammu were limited, with students often compelled to travel to other regions of Jammu & Kashmir or to northern Indian states for advanced studies. The Government’s announcement that a full-fledged university would be established in Kashmir—and not in Jammu—ignited widespread discontent.
To the students and civil society of Jammu, the decision embodied a larger pattern of perceived neglect and unequal academic investment. The issue was not merely administrative; it was symbolic of dignity and regional representation. What began as murmurs in college corridors soon transformed into organized protest, drawing support from youth groups, teachers and sections of the local intelligentsia.
Among those who rose as a prominent face of the agitation was Professor Bhim Singh, then a young student leader who would later carve a notable political career. Under his leadership, the demonstrations gained momentum and visibility, turning into a mass movement that transcended campus boundaries.
As the protests intensified, tension between the demonstrators and the State escalated. On 16 October 1966, police opened fire on protestors. The confrontation, which some old-timers still recount with trembling voices, resulted in the death of students who had taken to the streets demanding educational justice. Further violence on the 17th and 18th claimed additional lives, leaving the city stunned and grieving.
The Government’s decision to use force against unarmed students was condemned widely. Newspaper archives from that period show headlines of outrage, editorials questioning the administration’s handling of the crisis, and protests erupting in solidarity from other quarters. For a region that had rarely witnessed such direct confrontation between youth and the State, the shock was profound.
The martyrdom of the four students reshaped the agitation. The funerals became sites of collective assertion, where slogans merged grief with determination. For the first time, the demand for a separate university for Jammu was no longer merely a policy concern—it had become a moral and regional imperative.
The aftermath of the agitation marked a turning point in education planning for the region. Under pressure from civil society, political leaders and an energized student community, the Government conceded to the core demand. Just three years later, in 1969, the University of Jammu was formally established as an independent institution.
In retrospect, the creation of the University of Jammu was more than an educational milestone—it symbolized acknowledgment of Jammu’s academic aspirations and corrected a structural imbalance that had endured for decades. In the subsequent years, as higher education flourished and specialized institutions emerged, the ripple effects of the 1966 agitation became increasingly evident.
Many observers argue that the later establishment of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at R.S. Pura can also be traced to the same realignment. Though chronologically removed, it emerged in a climate shaped by heightened awareness of regional equity, resource allocation and the necessity of institutional development in Jammu.
Despite the historic consequences, the martyrs of 1966 occupy a strangely marginal space in Jammu’s public memory. While older residents retain vivid recollections, younger generations often know little beyond the annual strike or ritual Puja at the Shahidi Sthal. The reasons for this partial forgetting are complex. Jammu’s political landscape shifted repeatedly in the decades that followed; priorities of civic discourse changed; archival preservation remained limited; and institutional histories were seldom integrated into school curricula.
Yet the rituals persist. Each October, the Samadhi becomes a gathering point for students and activists who light incense sticks, offer flowers and march through educational spaces in remembrance. The procession often culminates at the University of Jammu—a living testament to what the movement achieved.
For those who lead these observances, the objective is not merely ceremonial. It is to ensure that the sacrifices are not erased by indifference. “These students died for the dignity of Jammu,” “Our children study today because those boys refused to accept discrimination.”
In the present era, higher education in Jammu has expanded significantly. Multiple universities, technical institutes, training colleges and research centers now serve tens of thousands of students from across the region. What was once an aspiration has become a thriving academic environment. Yet, progress brings its own questions: How should a society remember the price it paid to reach a better future? What stories are worth preserving, and who bears responsibility for keeping them alive?
The story of the 1966 martyrs is not merely about loss; it is about agency, youth participation and the capacity of student movements to shape state policy. In a world where student activism is often dismissed or criticized, the Jammu agitation stands as a reminder that young voices have altered history before—and may do so again.
Conclusion:
More than five decades after the shots rang out on Jammu’s streets, the memorial outside GGM Science College remains both modest and symbolic. It marks a moment when ordinary students chose extraordinary courage, confronting power not for personal gain but for collective dignity.
Remembering 16, 17 and 18 October is not an act of grievance against the past—it is an acknowledgment that the institutions shaping Jammu’s future were built, in part, on youthful sacrifice.
For that reason alone, these days deserve more than a passing ritual. They deserve a place in the region’s civic consciousness, in its classrooms, in its newspapers, and in the stories told to future generations.
(The author is National Joint Secretary, Akhil Bhartiya Rashtriya Shakshik Mahasangh – Delhi India)
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