Senior Advocate and human rights activist HS Phoolka has been conferred with a Padma Shri award, the four highest civilian honour in India. Phoolka is one of 94 awardees for the Padma Shri award announced by the Government of India on the eve of Republic Day 2019.
Phoolka was born in the Barnala district of Punjab. He graduated from Ludhiana and thereafter went on to pursue law in Chandigarh.
After completing his law degree, Phoolka practiced in Delhi. He has served as Central Government Standing Counsel following his appointment in 2001.
Phoolka is well known for his role in spearheading the fight for justice for victims of the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots against several Congress party leaders who were accused of involvement in the case. Phoolka also formed the Citizen’s Justice Committee (CJC) in 1985, an umbrella organisation for human rights activists. The CJC in turn played a crucial role in representing the victims of the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots before judicial commissions.
In December last year, the fight culminated in the Delhi High Court convicting Congress leader and former Member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar for his role in the riots, for which he was given a life sentence. Five others were also convicted in the case.
Phoolka made his foray into politics in 2014, when he joined the Aam Aadmi Party. However, he resigned from the party earlier this month. He has also co-authored a book on the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots titled When a Tree Shook Delhi, along with journalist and human rights activist, Manoj Mitta.
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