GUWAHATI, April 28 - The 216th birth anniversary of Maniram Dewan, martyr and freedom fighter of the Sepoy Revolution, also known as India�s first War of Independence, was observed at Maniram Chouhad on Hanuram Boro Path in Ganeshguri here on April 26.
A function held on the occasion was presided over by senior journalist DN Chakravartty, who said that Dewan was the most outstanding leader among all the participants of the Sepoy Revolution, including Bahadur Shah Zafar, Nana Sahib, Tantia Tope and Lakshmi Bai.
He said that had Dewan proceeded to Kanpur instead of Kolkata, he would definitely have been recognised by the revolutionaries for his superiority in administrative brilliance than the frail emperor.
Arun Baruah, great grandson of Maniram Dewan and also the working president of the Maniram Dewan Trust, welcomed the guests and explained the significance of the occasion.
Dr HP Roy Choudhury, biographer of Maniram Dewan, compared the brilliance and dexterity of the freedom fighter with that of Abraham Lincoln.
Mohan Saikia stressed the need for discovery of valuable documents and other important property of Dewan confiscated by the British rulers.
