The Independence struggle had many people who fought the colonial British rule. While most of us are familiar with names like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Subhas Chandra Bose, there were others who were equal participants. Let’s take a look at some of them.
The President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, presenting "Padma Vibhushan"award to freedom fighter Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal (left) at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Sunday, April 12, 1998. PHOTO: PTI
Known as Captain Lakshmi, she met members of Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) in Singapore. When she heard that Bose was looking to involve women in the organisation, she met him and the result was the Rani of Jhansi regiment, which Lakshmi went on to head. In 1945, she was arrested and imprisoned in Burma. Post independence, Lakshmi, who was also a doctor, continued to work towards several causes. In December 1984, she led a medical team to Bhopal after the gas tragedy. She also worked to restore peace in Kanpur, in the wake of the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.
13YT_Alluri Sitarama Raju
On August 12, 1907, Bhikaji Rustom Cama, popularly known as Madam Cama, unfurled what she called “the flag of Indian independence” at an International Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. Born into an affluent Parsi family, Madam Cama began to participate in nationalist activities in London and remained in exile in Europe. She wrote, published and distributed revolutionary literature and worked for women’s rights. The flag she unfurled at Stuttgart would serve as one of the templates for the final form of the tricolour.
VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH, 03-02-2015: One of the works of stone artiste Ambati Shiwa in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam
Gandhi once remarked, “If only I have 11 more followers like Sreeramulu, I will win freedom from British rule in a year.” Imprisoned for playing an active role in the Salt Satyagraha of 1930, this leader from Andhra participated in the Quit India movement and was imprisoned three more times. He worked for the adoption of charkha to spin textiles in Nellore and to support Dalit entry into places of worship. In 1952, he went on a hunger strike to support a separate Andhra Pradesh state. His death sparked riots and led to the Prime Minister announcing the formation of the new state.
