Independence Movement

Publish books of news reports on Bhagat Singh and the role of other revolutionaries in freedom struggle

The Hindustan Times has recently released its 1929 clipping on Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Why Bhagat Singh has become such an iconic figure of Indian Freedom struggle? This clipping gives an answer to the question. Almost the whole front page is devoted to Bhagat Singh and Dutt story of conviction in Delhi Assembly bomb case, giving lots of information, like the[Read More...]

Parallel Governments Reflected the Meeting Point of Various Streams of Freedom Movement

In one of the most inspiring examples of highly courageous spontaneous actions based on the unity of people, parallel governments were formed by freedom fighters in several parts of India in the course of the Quit India Movement in 1942. Although generally four such leading efforts have been identified in Satara ( Maharashtra), Talcher ( Odisha), Tamluk ( W.Bengal) and[Read More...]

Lala Gurudas Mal and Family—How Various Members Contributed To Different Streams of Freedom Movement

A fascinating aspect of the freedom movement of India relates to very useful inter-actions among various streams of the movement, and their various meeting points. An interesting chapter of this concerns the family of Lala Gurudas Mal Talwar ( sometimes also written as Gurdasmal) whose various members contributed in very important ways to different streams of the freedom movement. This[Read More...]

Bhagwati Charan Vohra –  Revolutionary Who Sacrificed His All for Freedom Movement

            May 28 is the 92nd death anniversary of Bhagwati Charan Vohra who sacrificed his life in 1930 at the age of only 25  while making preparations for rescuing Bhagat Singh from jail. As he was preparing for his own martyrdom in jail, Bhagat Singh paid very rich tributes to the great sacrifices of Bhagwati Charan Vohra in the course[Read More...]

Chandrashekhar Azad and His Comrades Supported Socialist Ideas and Opposed Communalism

                       Today ( Feb. 27 ) is 91st death anniversary of Azad While travelling in Uttar Pradesh I have often been struck by the extent to which people still become inspired and excited by the sheer mention of the name of a freedom fighter, legends of whose courage are spread[Read More...]

Veer Narayan Singh—Freedom Fighter Who Died Fighting for his People– Was Also A Food Rights Activist

Veer Narayan Singh (1795-1857) is remembered today as a great freedom fighter of Chattisgarh and India who sacrificed his life fighting colonial rulers. A huge cricket stadium has been named after him in Chattisgarh, and this provides a convenient identity point with him to the youth. However there is more to his valiant life that we need to know and[Read More...]

Bi-Amma: India’s Forgotten ‘Mother’ of Non-violent Protests

The 97th death anniversary of Abadi Banu Begum passed subduedly and unobtrusively, much like every other year in the past. Bi-Amma, which was the popular sobriquet bestowed upon her by comrades, was a stand out marvel of astonishing courage and patriotism in India’s independence saga. She broke the religious taboo for feminist activism to inspire thousands of Muslim women to take to[Read More...]

Why the Surya Sen Saga of Freedom Movement Remains So Inspiring Even Today

 When Surya Sen sacrificed his life at the age of only 40 for the freedom of India in 1934, he had already succeeded in inspiring a very large number of youth to devote their life to the freedom movement. Although he had been subjected to extremely painful torture before being hanged on 12 January, he was completely unwavering in his[Read More...]

Jalianwala Bagh: Centenary commemoration by Renovation or Destruction of Monumental History

Jallianwala Bagh the most iconic symbol of Indian freedom struggle is in news on its reopening in a renovated form, which started a few years ago. There are few internationally known iconic symbols of colonial and imperialist repression on the people during their colonial regime in Asian, African and some other victim countries of the world. The horror saga of[Read More...]

Jalianwala Bag: Heritage re-made

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calls it an ‘insult to the nation.CPI(M) general secretary describes it as “an attempt to erase all traces of British atrocities in India”.It is both and much,much more.It is a shocking yet dead pan attempt to change the very meaning of India’s freedom movement.As objective observers and analysts of colonialism and imperialism have repeatedly underlined, all[Read More...]