Yogendra Shukla

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Yogendra Shukla (1896-1966) was an Indian nationalist. He served in the Cellular Jail (Kalapani), among the founders of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).

Yogendra Shukla and his nephew Baikunth Shukla (1907-1934) hailed from Jalalpur village in Muzaffarpur (now Vaishali), district of Bihar. From 1930 to 1942, Yogendra served prison sentence in Kalapani, as one of the leaders of the revolutionary movement in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. He became famous for his many exploits. He was a senior associate of Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Datta and had even trained them. He had to serve prison terms for a total of more than sixteen and a half years for his revolutionary activities. During imprisonment in different jails of India, he was subjected to extreme torture, which corroded his iron constitution.

Yogendra Shukla's nephew Baikuntha Shukla was also a great nationalist who was hanged for murdering Phanindrananth Ghosh who had become a government approver which led to hanging of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. Baikunth Shukla was also initiated into the freedom struggle at a young age taking active part in the Salt Satyagraha of 1930. He was associated with revolutionary organisations like the Hindustan Seva Dal and Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. The execution of the great Indian revolutionaries, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in 1931 as a result of their trial in the 'Lahore conspiracy case' was an event that shook the entire country. Phanindra Nath Ghosh hitherto a key member of the Revolutionary Party had treacherously betrayed the cause by turning an approver, giving evidence, which led to the execution. Baikunth was commissioned to plan the execution of Ghosh as an act of ideological vendetta which he carried out successfully on 9th November 1932. He was arrested and tried for the killing. Baikunth was convicted and hanged in Gaya Central Jail on May 14th, 1934. He was only 28 years old.