Undoubtedly, you must have heard stories about how India got independence and its struggle to achieve it. Let's get into it more. India was under the rule of the Britishers for almost 200 years, and there is no doubt that the period of those 200 years was a very tough time for the people of India. Despite the number of challenges and hardships, Indians never gave up and fought bravely for freedom, thus giving emergence to many freedom fighters.

The freedom fighters, whom we will discuss one by one in this article, are the people who chose to stand against the British Empire to fight with them for the freedom of India. These freedom fighters were the real heroes who fought with all that they had just to set India free from the rule of the Britishers. They devoted their whole life and even sacrificed their lives to make India an independent country.

In this article, we will learn about some of the most prominent freedom fighters of India who were active from 1857 to 1947. We must remember their efforts and contributions, as they are the ones who played a very significant role in shaping the history of India. So, let's dive in and discuss these brave individuals who fought for India's freedom:

Freedom fighter Rani Lakshmibai was born on 19 November, and the year was 1828. The birthplace of Rani Laxmibai was Varanasi, a city in the State of Uttar Pradesh, India. We all know her by the name of "Rani of Jhansi", but there is one more name she used to be known by in her childhood: Manikarnika. The name of the father of Rani Lakshmibai was Moropant Tambe, who was deployed as court advisor to the Peshwa of Bithoor, and the name of the Ranilakshmibai's mother was Bhagirathi Bai, and she was a homemaker.

As a child, Manikarnika was educated in many subjects, including archery, horse riding, and self-defense. She also received an education in Indian history, literature, and religion.

In 1842, Manikarnika was married to the Maharaja of Jhansi, Raja Gangadhar Rao. After her marriage, she was given the name Lakshmibai. Unfortunately, her husband passed away in 1853, and their son died a few months later. This left Lakshmibai in a vulnerable position.

Jhansi was one of the states affected when the British East India Company introduced the Doctrine of Lapse, which allowed them to annex territories without a legal heir. Lakshmibai refused to give up her kingdom and led her people in a fight against the British. She played a vital role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Rani Lakshmibai fought fiercely for Jhansi's independence and was known for her bravery and determination. She even trained an army of women to fight alongside her. Despite facing overwhelming odds, she never gave up.

Sadly, Lakshmibai was killed in battle on June 18, 1858. She was fighting against the British in Gwalior at the time. Her death greatly affected the Indian independence movement, but her legacy lives on. Today, Rani Lakshmibai is remembered as a hero and an icon of Indian independence.

Mangal Pandey was born on July 19, 1827, in Nagwa, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India. His father, Divakar Pandey, was a farmer, and his mother, Abhiyadevi, was a housewife. Mangal was the eldest son of his parents and had two younger brothers.

Mangal Pandey joined the British East India Company's army in 1849 and was posted to the 34th Bengal Native Infantry regiment. He received his training in Barrackpore, West Bengal, where he met other Indian soldiers who were also discontent with British rule.

In 1857, Mangal Pandey became a central figure in the Indian Rebellion against the British East India Company. Many remembered him for his role in the Barrackpore Mutiny, which took place on March 29, 1857.

Mangal Pandey had a very interesting story as a sepoy in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry. During that time, there were rumors that cow and pig fat was being used in rifle cartridges, and due to this, Mangal Pandey refused to use those cartridges. The reason behind not using cartridges by Mangal Pandey was that greasing cow and pig fat in cartridges was against the religious beliefs of both Hindus and Muslims.

The rebellion of Pandey, which was against his British superiors, resulted in a much larger mutiny in the regiment, which quickly spread to other units as well. This was the mutiny that marked the start of the Indian Rebellion of 1857; it is also called the First War of Independence.

But a very unfortunate incident took place, and the Britishers captured Mangal Pandey, and he was sentenced to death by hanging. The date on which he was executed or hanged was April 8, 1857. This all took place in the presence of his fellow soldiers. But it should be noted that despite this unfortunate incident, the fight for India's independence did not stop. This incident inspired many others to join the rebellion started by Mangal Pandey for the freedom of the country.

The next freedom fighter on our list is a brave Indian fighter, Tantia Tope (also written as Tatya Tope). He played a very important role during the struggling days of India for its independence. It was the year 1814 when Tantia Tope was born; the village was Panderpur which is present today in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Tantia Tope's father was a wealthy landowner named Pandurang Rao Tope. His mother's name was Rukhma Bai. Tantia Tope was a bright child from childhood who was always eager to learn new skills. Tantia Tope's father was the educator for Tantia Tope as he only received his education from his father. He also learned other skills, like horse riding and warfare, from the local soldiers.

It is to be noted that Tantia Tope was a close aide of Rani Lakshmibai. He was one of the key leaders of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Nana Sahib, an adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II, appointed Tantia Tope for the post of general of the rebel army. Tantia Tope fought many battles against the Britishers; his military strategies and leadership skills proved very important in those wars.

Britishers captured Gwalior in 1858, and because of that, Tantia Tope and other rebel leaders were forced to retreat. Still, Tantia Tope's fight for the freedom of India did not get stopped, and he also waged guerrilla warfare against the forces of the Britishers. He traveled to many parts of India and fought battles against the Britishers, but unfortunately, he was captured by British forces in 1859.

Later, Tantia Tope, who was 45 years old at that time, was sentenced to death, and the execution was held on April 18, 1859. Despite his valiant efforts, Tatya Tope's vision of India as a country free from the British remained a dream for him during his lifetime. But his contributions and efforts will always be remembered whenever someone talks about freedom fighters of India.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a freedom fighter and also a social reformer, who was born in a middle-class family in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, played a very major role in the struggle for India's independence.

He is also known as Lokmanya Tilak and was born on July 23, 1856. His father's name was Gangadhar Tilak, and he was a school teacher by occupation. The name of his mother was Parvatibai Gangadhar, and she served as a housewife.

Tilak was a bright and intelligent child since childhood and completed his education at a college in Pune named Deccan College. Later, Tilak became a journalist and started communicating India's history and rich culture through his writing skills to spread awareness among the citizens. He was one of the great supporters of the Swadeshi movement and advocated for the use of Indian goods and products.

Tilak was also a vocal critic of British rule, and through his platform, he used to inspire the Indians to stand up and fight for their rights. He used to believe in the power of people, and therefore he encouraged many people to fight for their freedom with unity.

Tilak played a major role in the organization of the Indian National Congress and was one of the leaders who participated in the struggle for freedom. A slogan that became very popular during that time and was used widely as a rallying cry for the freedom fighters was: "Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it!" It was given by none other than Bal Gangadhar Tilak himself. Tilak was the organizer of several mass movements like the Home Rule movement, and the movement's demand was self-governance for India.

His dedication to an independent India landed him in jail several times. Still, despite several arrests and imprisonment, he did not give up his idea of an India free from British rule. Several years of life of Tilak were spent in prison only, and there was a time when he was sentenced to imprisonment for six years in Mandalay, Burma. He still used to inspire many others, even from prison, and did not give up till his last breath.

During his last time, his health started deteriorating, and because of that, he died on August 1, 1920. The age at which he passed away was 64. He was so popular and loved by the people that the whole of India mourned his death.

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.

Undoubtedly, you must have heard stories about how India got independence and its struggle to achieve it. Let's get into it more. India was under the rule of the Britishers for almost 200 years, and there is no doubt that the period of those 200 years was a very tough time for the people of India. Despite the number of challenges and hardships, Indians never gave up and fought bravely for freedom, thus giving emergence to many freedom fighters.

The freedom fighters, whom we will discuss one by one in this article, are the people who chose to stand against the British Empire to fight with them for the freedom of India. These freedom fighters were the real heroes who fought with all that they had just to set India free from the rule of the Britishers. They devoted their whole life and even sacrificed their lives to make India an independent country.

In this article, we will learn about some of the most prominent freedom fighters of India who were active from 1857 to 1947. We must remember their efforts and contributions, as they are the ones who played a very significant role in shaping the history of India. So, let's dive in and discuss these brave individuals who fought for India's freedom: