SLS UJAS
SLS UJAS Universal Just & Action Society
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President & Founder

Hindu Singh Sodha

A lifelong activist and champion for the rights of Pakistani minorities living in India.

Hindu Singh Sodha

Mr. Hindu Singh Sodha
Founder, UJAS / Seemant Lok Sangathan

The Voice of the Nowhere People

Hindu Singh Sodha

Mr. Hindu Singh Sodha is an activist for Pakistani minorities living in India. Being a Pakistani immigrant himself, he gained Indian citizenship while attending law school in Jodhpur, Rajasthan in 1977, and has been advocating for other Pakistani immigrants ever since.

He has founded two community-based organizations, Pak Visthapit Sangh (PVS) and Seemant Lok Sangathan (SLS), and the non-governmental organization, Universal Just Action Society (UJAS). He advocates for all Pakistani minorities, working primarily with Hindu-Pakistanis living in settlements around the India-Pakistan border.

"The communities who did the least to cause these conflicts suffer its worst consequences. That is not just an injustice — it is a human rights crisis. We demand justice for persecuted Pakistani refugees."

Background & Migration

Mr. Sodha was born on May 2nd, 1956. His family lived in Pakistan, but according to tradition, his mother returned to her family in India to give birth. Thus, Mr. Sodha was born in Village Chelawas in District Pali, Rajasthan. He lived and studied in school in the city of Chachro in Tharparkar, within the Sindh province of Pakistan, until Class 10.

Just ten months before the Indo-Pak War of 1971, Mr. Sodha's family migrated to India on February 8th, settling in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Mr. Sodha completed his education in Jodhpur and earned a law degree from Jodhpur University in 1979.

Social and Political Activism

  • Student Leadership

    In college, Mr. Sodha was a renowned student leader and founder and president of the student body organization Chhatra Sangharash Smiti, credited with evolving students' mindsets from caste-based politics to ideology-based politics.

  • Trade Union Movement (1981)

    A leader of the Trade Union movement in Rajasthan. During the Bharat Bandh agitation in Jodhpur in 1981, he was the first person arrested for voicing his opinions. He also encouraged major Trade Unions to participate in the Darbi Strike, the longest strike in the history of western Rajasthan.

  • Publishing Jan Pataaka (1986)

    Mr. Sodha published a fortnightly newspaper, Jan Pataaka ("Peoples' Flag"). He was the sole editor and publisher of this forward-thinking publication.

  • Refugee Advocacy & Urmul (1991)

    Formally began working for the NGO Urmul exclusively with refugees from Pakistan living in the Bikaner area. He eventually left Urmul to give his undivided attention to refugee issues.

  • The State Assembly Dharna (1998)

    He staged a dharna (peaceful demonstration) in front of the Rajasthan State Assembly, successfully convincing the then Chief Minister to take up the cause of Pakistani refugees.

  • Founding PVS & SLS (1999 & 2005)

    Founded Pak Visthapit Sangh (1999) to provide a united front for refugees. Expanded the organization into Seemant Lok Sangathan in 2005.

  • The Historic 2005 Victory

    One of Mr. Sodha's greatest accomplishments was successfully pressuring the government to delegate citizenship powers, resulting in 13,000 Pakistani refugees being granted Indian citizenship through citizenship camps.