Happy Independence Day!!!
While we celebrate Independence Day on the 15th of August, we remember our martyrs and freedom fighters. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhagat Singh to name a few.
But do you know these 10 Freedom Fighters who are missing from our history pages?
Matangini Hazra
Hazra was part of the Quit India Movement and Non-Cooperation Movement. During one procession, she continued to advance with the Indian flag even after being shot thrice. She kept shouting “Vande Mataram” .
Begum Hazrat Mahal
She was a vital part of the 1857 Indian Rebellion. After her husband was exiled, she took charge of Awadh and even seized control of Lucknow during the rebellion. Later, Begum Hazrat had to retreat to Nepal, where she died.
Senapati Bapat
As leader of the Mulshi Satyagraha, he got the title of Senapati. He got the honour of hoisting the Indian flag in Pune for the first time after independence. He had been jailed for public speaking as well as for vandalism, after which he turned himself in because as a satyagrahi, he was not supposed to follow the path of violence.
Aruna Asaf Ali
Few have heard of her, but when she was 33 years old, she gained some prominence as she hoisted the Indian National Congress flag during the Quit India Movement at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay, 1942.
Potti Sreeramulu
He was an avid supporter and devotee of Mahatma Gandhi. After seeing his dedication towards humanitarian purposes and the nation, Gandhi once said: “If only I have eleven more followers like Sriramulu, I will win freedom in a year.”
Bhikaji Cama
Although there are numerous roads and buildings named after her around the country, only few know who she was and what she did. Not only was she a part of the Indian Independence Movement, she was also a figure for gender equality. She donated most of her personal effects to an orphanage for girls. She also unfurled the Indian flag at the International Socialist Conference at Stuttgart in Germany, 1907.
Tara Rani Srivastava
Along with her husband, she led a procession in front of the Siwan Police Station. Though he was shot, she bandaged his wounds and kept going forward. By the time she returned, he had died. However, her will to go on was stronger still and she continued to fight holding the flag high.
Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi
Also known as Kulpati, Munshi was mighty active during India’s freedom movement, especially the Quit India Movement. He was the founder of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. The number of times he was arrested by the British regime showed his dedication and passion for an independent India.
Peer Ali Khan
He was one of the initial rebels of India. Khan was part of the 1857 freedom struggle and among the 14 people who were given capital punishment due to their role in the freedom movement. Even still, his work inspired many who followed. But generations later, his name just faded away.
Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
Kamaladevi was the first woman to run for a legislative seat in India and interestingly, she was also the first Indian woman to be arrested by the British regime. She played a very vital role as a social reformer and brought back handicrafts, theatres and handlooms to help in uplifting the socio-economic standard of the Indian women.
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