Shamsher Singh Sheri (1942 – 30 October 2005), commonly known by his

nom de guerre A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

, Karam Singh (), was a communist leader and a

Politburo A politburo () or political bureau is the executive committee for communist parties. It is present in most former and existing communist states. Names The term "politburo" in English comes from the Russian ''Politbyuro'' (), itself a contraction ...

member of the CPI (Maoist) in India.

Early life and family

Sheri was born in the village of Khokhar Kalan, in the Sangrur district,

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

. Soon after his birth his father died. He belonged to a middle class family. He had six brothers and three sisters. Sheri was married to Harbans Kaur in 1957. Sheri has two children. The elder one, Krantipal Singh, an artist by training but engaged in farming; while the younger one Sachinder Pal Singh Pali, an M. Phil holder in economics from Panjab University, is associated with Students for Society, a student organization of Panjab University.

Guerrilla life

Sheri joined the

Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Communist Party of India (CPI) is the oldest Marxist–Leninist communist party in India and one of the nine national parties in the country. The CPI was founded in modern-day Kanpur (formerly known as Cawnpore) on 26 December 1925. His ...

and went underground 1969-1970. He took active part in the armed struggle of the party. In 1974 he joined the Punjab Communist Revolutionary Committee of Harbhajan Sohi, which merged into the UCCRI(ML) in 1976. In 1979 the Punjab State Committee formed a parallel UCCRI(ML). After its 1992 conference, RCCI(ML) split in 1995. Sheri became the Secretary of one of the factions, Revolutionary Communist Centre of India (Maoist). He was re-elected as Secretary at the RCCI(M) conferences in 1996 and 2002. Sheri took active part in the setting up of CCOMPOSA.''People's March''.
Comrade Shamsher Singh Sheri, Alias Comrade Karam Singh (Com. K. S.), has departed from us for ever! Let us pledge to follow his ideals and foot-steps!
' In January 2003 RCCI(M) merged with the

Maoist Communist Centre The Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) was one of the largest two armed Maoist groups in India, and fused with the other, the People's War Group in September 2004, to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Dakshin Desh When the Communist Par ...

, which became the Maoist Communist Centre of India. Sheri became a Central Committee member of MCCI. After the merger of MCCI into the

Communist Party of India (Maoist) The Communist Party of India (Maoist) is a Marxism–Leninism–Maoism, Marxist–Leninist–Maoist banned Communism, communist political party and militant organization in India which aims to overthrow the "semi-colonial and semi-feudal In ...

in 2004, Sheri became a member of the Central Committee (Provisional) of the new party. Sheri also became a

member of the CPI (Maoist).

Death

Singh suffered from

cerebral malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue (medical), tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In se ...

and

jaundice Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a yellowish or greenish pigmentation of the skin and sclera due to high bilirubin levels. Jaundice in adults is typically a sign indicating the presence of underlying diseases involving abnormal heme meta ...

. He died on 30 October 2005.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheri, Shamsher Singh 1942 births 2005 deaths Anti-revisionists Communist Party of India (Maoist) politicians Indian guerrillas Punjab, India politicians Naxalite–Maoist insurgency People from Sangrur district