Teja Singh Sutantar (16 July 1901 − 12 April 1973), also by his sobriquet Swatantar (lit.

[2] In and out of prison several times, Sutantar was among the top national Communist leaders jailed by the British administration in the Deoli Detention Centre in the early-1940's.

[3] The party published a magazine, Lal Jhanda, from 1948-1952 under the editorship of Teja Singh Sutantar, managed by Gandharv Sen. Sutantar was among the tallest leaders in undivided Punjab and, post-Partition, on the Indian side who led the struggles of the peasantry, along with the likes of Bhagat Singh Bilga and Baba Bujha Singh.

On 12 April 1973 he had a cardiac arrest while taking up the issues of farmers in the Parliament (Lok Sabha).

He died there and then and a carry bag of cotton was found with him which when opened, in the presence of then PM, there were two chapatis and a piece of pickle.