Most of us have heard and read a lot about India's freedom struggle and Mahatma Gandhi. But few know about the rank and file of the great army of Indians who fought for our independence. One such person is P.M. Gopalaswamy, a 90-year-old freedom fighter. A living encyclopaedia of history, he reels off facts that few historians know about. Those freedom fighters still alive refer to him as ?Reddiar?. When I met him at his home in Srirangam, Gopalaswamy spoke about how he joined the freedom struggle and the high point of his life: the meeting with Mahatma Gandhi.
Tell us about yourself and your family.
I was born in Peruvallanallur village in Lalgudi in 1920. I was an only child. I studied up to third form (std.VIII) at Lalgudi High School. I married in December 1941 and have three children; two sons and a daughter.
Why did you join the freedom movement?
As a young boy, I used to listen to the speeches of Satyamoorthy, Rajaji and P. Ramamurthy. This inspired me.
Tell us about your involvement in the freedom struggle.
In 1936, I joined the ?Ahimsa Thondar Padai? and was elected leader. We spread awareness among people, especially youngsters, and also provided security to visiting leaders and helped organise meetings. In 1939, I hid some leaders in my house. In 1940, I was one of the few asked to do ?Individual Satyagraha?. I was arrested and jailed; first in Vellore and then transferred to Bellary prison in A.P. I was released in 1941, after serving my six-month jail term. In 1942, I didn't participate in the Quit India movement as I was a follower of Rajaji who disagreed with Gandhi about not supporting the British during World War II. So, those who refused were suspended from the Congress for six years. I joined the Communist party in 1944.
Did you meet any leaders during the freedom struggle?
I saw most of them during the Ramgarh Conference, 1940. While travelling, I took a diversion to meet Mahatma Gandhi personally. He was living at Sevagram then, near Wardha. It was afternoon and they told us he was resting. So we waited till he came out. He smiled and asked where I was from. I said ?Tiruchirapalli?. He said, ?Tiruchirapalli. Are people still dirtying the banks of the Cauvery?? I said ?Yes.? Then he picked up a slate and wrote, ?Kadavul' on it in Tamil and asked, ?Is the spelling correct?? When I said, ?yes?, Gandhi said, ?I learned some Tamil when I was in South Africa.? Our talk was interrupted by visiting leaders and then by a Sindhi merchant. The merchant wanted Gandhi to give him a certificate. Gandhi refused and joked, ?You do good work. Why do you want me to give you a certificate?? Leaders continued to pour in to talk to Gandhi and I had to catch the next train, so I paid my respects and left.
What are your thoughts on India today?
Even if your shackles are of gold, you are still a slave. Even if it is a golden cage, the bird is not free. That was how we felt. Today, despite its faults, India is a free country. However, there was discipline back then; fairness and truth was very important. Leaders and people thought about the country. India is progressing despite corruption, inequality and bad administration. Today, we need another freedom movement to get rid of social evils.
