Lala Lajpat Rai was a social reformer and a renowned freedom fighter. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari. Rai was born in a small village in Punjab named Dhudike. His mother's name was Gulab Devi, a housewife, whereas his father was Munshi Radha Kishan, a teacher by profession. After completing his education, Lala Lajpat Rai also became a teacher, following in his father's footsteps.
However, he soon realized that he was born for something bigger, which was to contribute to India's struggle for freedom. Rai dedicated his whole life to the cause of India's Independence. Following that, he joined Congress and became an effective member of it. His role in organizing several significant mass movements is always remembered. The non-Cooperation movement and the Swadeshi movement were the two mass movements that played a very major role in the independence of India, and Lala Lajpat Rai organized both these movements.
Rai advocated for the importance of education and social reforms for a country and the people. He used his platform as a teacher and journalist to spread awareness about these too. He also criticized the British rule in India and used to speak against it often. He also advocated for the rights of Indians.
Like other freedom fighters we discussed above, Rai also had to face several arrests and imprisonment, but he never wavered in his commitment to the cause. While leading a peaceful protest against the British Government's Simon Commission in Lahore in 1928, he was brutally beaten in a lathi charge by the police. Rai suffered severe injuries in the Lathi charge, which resulted in the cause of his death on November 17, 1928. Rai was 63 years old when he died.
Rai's death sent shockwaves throughout the country and sparked widespread protests against the British government. His contributions to the Indian independence movement continue to inspire generations of Indians today.
Bipin Chandra Pal was an Indian Nationalist and renowned freedom fighter. He is also known as the 'father of revolutionary thoughts'. Pal was born in the year 1858 on November 7. He was born in a middle-class family in Sylhet, Assam. His father's and mother's name was Baladev Pal and Bibi Sundari Devi, respectively. His father was a government official by profession, whereas his mother was a housewife.
Pal was a very bright student during his childhood, and he completed his graduation in Philosophy from the University of Calcutta. Later, after completing his studies, he became a teacher and joined National Indian Congress. Pal was a critic of the increase in the influence of Western culture on Indian society as he used to believe that the culture of India is much more powerful and beautiful than any other culture.
Pal was part of the 'Lal-Bal-Pal' trio and played an important role in India's freedom from struggle. The other two of the trio were Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Pal was also a firm believer in the power of mass movements and organized many protests and boycotts against British rule in India.
Pal was a teacher as well as a journalist, and he also used his platforms to make the people aware of the importance of Indian culture and also the importance of India being free from British rule. 'Bande Mataram' and 'New India' were the two newspapers of which Pal was the editor. Pal's speeches and writings also influenced people on a large scale in shaping the nationalist movement in India.
In 1920, his health conditions started deteriorating, and in 1932, he suffered a severe stroke which resulted in his death of Pal. Pal took his last breath on May 20, 1932, at 73.
Dadabhai Naoroji was a great economist and a prominent Indian freedom fighter. Naoroji was born on September 4, 1825, in Mumbai, India. His father was a priest in the Zoroastrian community, and his mother was from a very wealthy Parsi family.
Naoroji received his early education from a college named Elphinstone College which is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Later, he moved to England, where he studied at the University of London to receive a degree in mathematics from there. He was also the first Indian to receive a degree in mathematics from the University of London. When his education was completed there in London, he returned to India, became a professor here, and started teaching at the University of Mumbai.
It was the year 1870 when his political career started. He joined Indian National Congress that year. He was also elected to the post of President of the Indian National Congress in the following years: 1886, 1893, and 1906. Naoroji, during his whole political career, fought for Indian independence as he firmly believed in Indian self-rule. He also advocated for Indian industrialization and was also known for his strong stance on economic nationalism.
Naoroji also authored several books based on economics and politics. One of his famous books was "Poverty and Un-British Rule in India". In this book, he argued that British Colonialism should be held responsible for making India poverty-stricken.
Naoroji died on June 30, 1917, in Bombay, India, at 91. His death was mourned by people all over India, and his contributions to the Indian independence movement were widely recognized. Naoroji's legacy lives on today as a symbol of the fight for Indian self-rule and economic independence.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born in a small village in Maharashtra, India, on May 9, 1866. His father was a schoolteacher in the same village, whereas his mother was a housewife. Gokhale had a keen interest in education since his childhood.
Gokhale was a true nationalist and was a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress. He was not only a great freedom fighter but also a social reformer, writer, and political thinker. He received his early education in Bombay and Calcutta. Later, Gokhale went to England to study law.
When Gokhale completed his studies, he returned to India and joined Ferguson College, Pune, as a history and political economy professor. Later, he also joined Indian National Congress and played a major role in the struggle for freedom in India.
Gokhale believed in the principles of non-violence and constitutional agitation. He was an advocate of education and believed that education was the key to India's progress. He founded the Servants of India Society, which aimed to promote education, sanitation, and social welfare in India.
Gokhale mentored many Indian nationalist leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, who described him as his political guru. He was known for his diplomatic skills and played a crucial role in negotiating the Morley-Minto Reforms, which gave more representation to Indians in the government.
Unfortunately, Gokhale's health deteriorated rapidly, and he passed away on February 19, 1915, at 48. His death was a significant loss for the Indian nationalist movement, and he is now remembered as one of the most important figures in the Indian independence movement.
Mahatma Gandhi, whose full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born on October 2, 1869, in a small coastal town named Porbandar, which is situated in present-day Gujarat. His father named, Karamchand Gandhi, was a statesman, whereas his mother named, Putlibai, was a very religious woman. Gandhi received his early education in India and studied law in the United Kingdom.
We also know him as the "Father of the Nation" in India due to his major and important role in the country's struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He advocated for non-violent civil disobedience to achieve political and social change, and his ideas and philosophy continue to inspire movements for peace and justice worldwide.
Gandhi's first major involvement in the independence movement came in 1915 when he returned to India from South Africa and began organizing protests and campaigns against British rule. He led the Indian National Congress, a political party that fought for Indian independence, and used peaceful civil disobedience and hunger strikes to make his demands heard.
One of Gandhi's most famous campaigns was the Salt March in 1930, during which he and thousands of supporters marched 240 miles to the Arabian Sea to protest the British monopoly on salt production. The campaign gained international attention and helped to galvanize the independence movement further.
Gandhi's dedication to non-violent resistance and advocacy for religious tolerance and social justice made him a beloved figure in India and worldwide. He continued to work towards independence until 1947, when India finally gained its freedom. Tragically, just months after independence, Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, who was a Hindu nationalist and opposed Gandhi's views on religious tolerance.
Gandhi's legacy inspired generations of activists and advocates for peace and justice worldwide. His ideas of non-violent resistance and civil disobedience have influenced many social and political movements, including the American civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr.
Jawaharlal Nehru took birth on November 14, 1889, in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. His father, Motilal Nehru, was a wealthy lawyer and a prominent leader in the Indian independence movement. His mother, Swaroop Rani Nehru, was an educated woman from a wealthy Kashmiri Brahmin family. Nehru's parents placed great importance on education, and due to this, he went to some of the best schools in India and England.
Nehru's interest in politics was sparked during his time studying law in England, where he was exposed to the ideas of socialism, democracy, and nationalism. He became involved in the Indian nationalist movement and returned to India to become one of the most important leaders in the fight for independence.
Nehru played a major role in India's independence movement, working closely with Mahatma Gandhi to lead non-violent protests and civil disobedience campaigns against British colonial rule. He was imprisoned several times for his activism and was prominent in negotiations with the British government for India's independence.
After India's independence in 1947, Nehru became the country's first prime minister, serving until he died in 1964. During his time in office, he implemented policies to modernize India and improve the lives of its citizens, including establishing a planned economy and a nonaligned foreign policy.
Nehru's death in 1964 was a great loss to the Indian nation. He passed away due to a cardiac attack. Nehru remains an important figure in Indian history, remembered for his role in the independence movement and his contributions to India's development as a modern nation.
The next freedom fighter of India on our list is Vallabhbhai Patel, who was called the Iron Man of India. Patel was one of the key figures who played a major role in India's freedom struggle. He was born in a family of farmers in Gujarat on October 31, 1875. Jhaverbhai Patel, a farmer by occupation, was the father of Patel, and Patel's mother, Laad Bai, was a housewife.
The primary education of Vallabhbhai Patel was completed in his hometown. After completing his primary education, Patel moved to Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to pursue further studies. Later, Patel moved to England to study law, and in the year 1913, when he completed his law degree, he returned to India and started practicing law here.
Patel played a very important and effective role in India's movement for independence. Patel was close to Mahatma Gandhi as his associate, and his role in Salt Satyagraha and Quit India Movement cannot be forgotten. He became the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Independent India.
His biggest achievement was that he managed to integrate around 500 princely states into the newly formed independent India. This commendable job done by Patel was incredible in itself. It helped India bring these princely states under the Indian Union, which unified India as a single nation.
Sadly, Vallabhbhai Patel suffered a heart attack at 75, and because of this, he passed away on December 15, 1950. Patel's death was mourned by people all over India as it was a huge loss for the nation. The Sardar Patel National Memorial Museum, located in Ahmedabad, is dedicated to his memory and serves as a reminder of his contributions to India's freedom struggle and unity.
