'India, that is Bharat' is renowned to have been a country of vast cultural diversity and historical significance, and many personalities have contributed their parts in giving India such a noble identity as we are visualizing nowadays i.e., of “Vishvaguru”. Many freedom fighters, nationalist poets or writers or columnists, several patriotic political leaders have played an important role in our history and the struggle for freedom, which is an integral part of Modern History of India. In this article we will encounter a brief description about some of the prominent dignitaries associated with the freedom struggle of India i.e., in the Modern History.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Subhas Chandra Bose, affectionately called as Netaji, was one of the most prominent leaders of Indian freedom struggle. He founded Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) to overthrow British Empire from India and came to acquire legendary status among Indian masses. In 1919 to compete for Indian Civil Services, in England he appeared for the Indian Civil Service competitive examination in 1920, and came out fourth in order of merit. However, Subhas Chandra Bose was deeply disturbed by the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, and left his Civil Services apprenticeship midway to return to India in 1921. On Gandhiji’s instructions, he started working under Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, whom he later acknowledged his political guru. In 1928 the Motilal Nehru Committee appointed by the Congress declared in favour of Domination Status, but Subhas Chandra Bose along with Jawaharlal Nehru opposed it, and both asserted that they would be satisfied with nothing short of complete independence for India. Subhas also announced the formation of the Independence League. Subhas Chandra Bose was jailed during Civil Disobedience movement in 1930. He was released in 1931 after Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed. He protested against the Gandhi-Irwin pact and opposed the suspension of Civil Disobedience movement specially when Bhagat Singh and his associates were hanged. He was elected President of the Haripura Congress Session in 1938. Subhas Chandra Bose was re-elected in 1939, defeating Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya who had been backed by Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress Working Committee. In January 1941, Subhas Chandra Bose disappeared from his home in Calcutta and reached Germany via Afghanistan. In January 1942, he began his regular broadcasts from Radio Berlin, which aroused tremendous enthusiasm in India. In July 1943, he arrived in Singapore from Germany. Subhas Chandra Bose was reportedly left the universe in an air crash over Taipeh, Taiwan (Formosa) on August 18, 1945, however there are so many debates and arguments going on about the death of Netaji in that plane crash.

Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh represents the character of Indian Revolutionaries in the third decade of 20th century. His rejection of Gandhian philosophy of non-violence, his antipathy towards the reformist attitude of the Congress, his belief in Marxian Communism, his atheism, his belief in terrorism as a mode to uphold the dignity of a suppressed and humiliated people, his claim of revolution as a Birth right, were all ideas typical of the Indian youth in the twenties and the thirties. Initially, he supported Mahatma Gandhi and the Non-Cooperation Movement. However, when Gandhi withdrew the movement in the wake of the Chauri Chaura incident, Bhagat Singh turned to revolutionary nationalism. He was particularly affected by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919) and the violence against unarmed Akali protestors at Nankana Sahib (1921). In 1926, he founded the Naujawan Bharat Sabha. This organisation aimed to encourage revolution against British rule by rallying the peasants and workers. In 1928, he established the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) along with Sukhdev, Chandrashekhar Azad and others. On 8th April 1929, Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb in the Central Assembly at Delhi, from the Visitors’ Gallery. Bhagat Singh was arrested and charged in the Saunders murder case, along with Rajguru, Sukhdev and others. This trial commenced in July 1929. The trio was ordered to be hanged on 24 March 1931 but the sentence was carried out a day earlier at the Lahore Jail. After the hanging, their mortal remains were cremated in secret. 23rd March is observed as ‘Martyrs’ Day’ or ‘Shaheed Diwas’ or ‘Sarvodaya Day’ in honour of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.

Chandrashekhar Azad

We remember one of the greatest revolutionary freedom fighters Chandrashekhar Azad, who lived up to his resolve of not getting arrested by the British and shot himself on 27th February 1931. Chandrashekhar was born on 23 July 1906 in the erstwhile princely state of Alirajpur, now in Madhya Pradesh. Chandrashekar participated in the Non-Cooperation movement in 1920-21 in Banaras and opposed the sale of foreign goods. He was arrested and put under trial in the court of Khareghat where the presiding magistrate was notorious for his brutality towards the freedom fighters. Chandrashekhar's attitude in the court was defiant. He was reported to have announced his name as 'Azad', his fatherís name as 'Swatantrata', and his residence as 'prison'. The magistrate was aghast at such defiance and subjected Chandrashekhar to fifteen lashes of flogging, and with every lash he shouted Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai, and Vande Mataram, and earned the name ‘Azad’. With the suspension of the Non-Cooperation movement, Chandrashekhar Azad started engaging in a revolutionary freedom struggle. He came in contact with Manmath Nath Gupta and Pranavesh Chatterjee and became a member of the revolutionary party in Banaras. Involved in the Kakori Mail Robbery in 1925, under the leadership of Ram Prasad Bismil, Azad went to Jhansi and stayed under the protection of Master Rudra Narayan Singh. In Jhansi, he found good associates like Sadashiv Rao Malkapurkar, Bhagwan Das Mahaur, and Vishwanath Vaishampayan. To avoid police raids, Chandrashekhar Azad slipped off to Orchha. On 8th and 9th September 1928 an all-India meeting of the revolutionaries was held at Feroz Shah Kotla, and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, HSRA came into existence. Though Chandrashekhar Azad did not attend the meeting, everybody accepted him as the Commander-in-Chief of HSRA. He took an active part in the killing of Saunders' on 17 December 1928, and it was at his instance that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt exploded bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly on 8 April 1929. He was also indirectly involved in the attempt to blow up the Viceroy's train in December 1929. Chandrashekhar Azad was betrayed by an associate to the police on 27 February 1931 in Alfred Park, Allahabad. When he was surrounded by heavily armed policemen, Chandrashekhar Azad kept his pursuers at bay single-handedly with a small pistol and a few cartridges. Left eventually with only one bullet in his pistol, he fired it at his own temple to live up to his resolve of not getting arrested. Music The park where this incident took place is named in his memory as Chandrashekhar Azad Park in Prayagraj. The pistol he used still adorns the walls of the museum in Prayagraj.

Khudiram Bose

Khudiram Bose was one who laid down his live at a very young age. He was hanged on August 11, 1908 at the age of only 18. He was still smiling when the judge sentenced him to death. Khudiram Bose was involved in the bomb blast incident at Narayangarh railway station. He along with Prafulla Chandra Chaki wanted to kill the cruel Englishman Kingsford. One day he threw a bomb at Kingsford's wagon. After this, both of them started raising slogans of Vande Mataram. However, Kingsford was not present in the wagon that day. The family of another British officer died in this explosion. After this the police arrested him. There was never a wrinkle on his face till he reached the noose of the gallows. He happily embraced death and sacrificed his life for the country.

Sardar Vallabhai Patel

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, known as the "Iron Man of India," was born in Nadiad village in present-day Gujarat on October 31, 1875. In India's freedom struggle, he was a political and freedom leader. He is known as the Iron Man of India because of his strong views on the union of princely states into one nation, his good attitude toward women's emancipation, and his active participation in shaping India into what it is now. Vallabhbhai Patel was given the title of 'Sardar' by Mahatma Gandhi. Following the Bardoli Satyagraha, however, the women of the hamlet began to refer to him as Sardar because of his active involvement and leadership. Due to his role in uniting the shards of princely kingdoms into a single nation, he is known as the 'Bismarck of India.' Modern All India Services was founded by him. He served as India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Sardar Patel, 75, died of a major heart attack in Bombay on December 15, 1950. In 1991, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna. Since 2014, his birthday has been celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day).

Madan Mohan Malaviya

Madan Mohan Malaviya, popularly known as Mahamana, was born in the Allahabad (now Prayagraj) district of Uttar Pradesh on 25th December, 1861. A patriot, visionary, and educationist he remained dominant in public life for six decades. Madan Mohan Malaviya took active interest in the situation of peasants in the Awadh region. The peasants were being exploited by the taluqdars (landlords) who extracted nazarana (gift payment), bedakhli (eviction), rasad (compulsory supplies) and begari (forced labour) from them.

In response to this exploitation Gauri Shankar Mishra and Indra Narayan Dwivedi established the United Provinces Kisan Sabha in February 1918 with the support of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. By June 1919, The Kisan Sabha had 450 branches in Awadh. The Kisan Sabha played a very important role in the peasant movements in Awadh and organised the peasants to not pay taxes or perform begari and nazarana. Madan Mohan Malaviya made a compelling plea for improving the lot of the peasantry, referred to the deteriorating economic condition of the people due to rising food grain prices and demanded remedial measures for overcoming recurring famines. He also took efforts at analysing the causes of poverty and indebtedness among the peasants of Bundelkhand. The movement gained immense ground and this led to the passage of the Awadh Rent (Amendment) Act in 1921, not only that, it created a nationalist sentiment in the people and encouraged them to participate in the freedom struggle.

Annie Besant

Annie Besant (1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, women's rights activist, writer, orator, political party member, educationist, and philanthropist. She was a staunch supporter of Irish and Indian self-government. She was also a prolific author, having published over 300 books and pamphlets. Her contributions as an educator included being one of the founders of the Banaras Hindu University. Besant was a public advocate of atheism and scientific materialism in England for fifteen years. Besant's goal was to provide employment, better living conditions, and proper education for the poor. Besant met Helena Blavatsky in 1890, and her interest in theosophy grew over the next few years while her interest in secular matters waned. She became a member of the Theosophical Society and a well-known lecturer on the subject. Besant also became involved in Indian politics, joining the Indian National Congress. When World War I broke out in 1914, she helped found the Home Rule League to campaign for democracy in India and dominion status within the British Empire. This resulted in her election as president of the Indian National Congress in late 1917. Annie Besant (1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, women's rights activist, writer, orator, political party member, educationist, and philanthropist. She was a staunch supporter of Irish and Indian self-government. She was also a prolific author, having published over 300 books and pamphlets. Her contributions as an educator included being one of the founders of the Banaras Hindu University. Besant was a public advocate of atheism and scientific materialism in England for fifteen years. Besant's goal was to provide employment, better living conditions, and proper education for the poor. Besant met Helena Blavatsky in 1890, and her interest in theosophy grew over the next few years while her interest in secular matters waned. She became a member of the Theosophical Society and a well-known lecturer on the subject. Besant also became involved in Indian politics, joining the Indian National Congress. When World War I broke out in 1914, she helped found the Home Rule League to campaign for democracy in India and dominion status within the British Empire. This resulted in her election as president of the Indian National Congress in late 1917.

Acharya Narendra Dev

Acharya Narendra Dev was a prominent socialist leader and educationist. He was born on 30^th October, 1889 in Sitapur, in present-day Uttar Pradesh. After pursuing a Masters in 1913 and completing law in 1915, he started his career as a successful lawyer, however, he quit law and started teaching at the Kashi Vidyapith, where he got the title "Acharya." Acharya Narendra Dev was deeply influenced by the revolutionary ideas of Congress leaders such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Sri Aurobindo. He was associated with the Home Rule League and became a member of the provincial Congress. He actively participated in the demonstrations against the Simon Commission and the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Acharya Narendra Dev was instrumental in the establishment of the Congress Socialist Party in 1934 as a radical faction working within the Indian National Congress. The Congress Socialist Party under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan and Acharya Narendra Dev played a major role in the Quit India Movement (1942), for which he was imprisoned. Acharyaji's contributions as a distinguished leader, freedom fighter and educationist to both pre and post independent India has been immense.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Raja Ram Mohan Roy is considered as the pioneer of modern Indian Renaissance for the remarkable reforms he brought in the 18th and 19th century India. He is regarded as the "Father of Modern India" and the "Maker of Modern India." He founded the Atmiya Sabha and in 1828, it reformed in Brahmo Sabha. This was later transformed in the Brahmo Samaj, uniting the Bhramos in Calcutta, a group of people, who had no faith in idol worship and were against the caste restrictions. Bengal Sati Regulation or Regulation XVII, A. D. 1829 of the Bengal Code was passed during Lord Bentinck governorship in Bengal Province. The title ‘Raja’ was bestowed upon him by the Mughal emperor Akbar II, in 1831.

His Publications: Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidinor A Gift to Monotheists (1905), Vedanta (1815), Ishopanishad (1816), Kathopanishad (1817), Moonduk Upanishad (1819), The Precepts of Jesus - Guide to Peace and Happiness (1820), Sambad Kaumudi - a Bengali newspaper (1821), Mirat-ul-Akbar – Persian journal (1822), Gaudiya Vyakaran (1826), Brahmapasona (1828), Brahmasangeet (1829) and The Universal Religion (1829).

Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, and author. He was a close disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian darsanas (teachings, practises) of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world, and is credited with raising interfaith awareness and elevating Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late nineteenth century. He was a major force in contemporary Hindu reform movements in India, and he contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India. Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission. He is perhaps best known for his speech at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893, which began with the words "Sisters and Brothers of America" and introduced Hinduism.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati

Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati (born Mool Shankar Tiwari; February 12, 1824 – October 30, 1883) was an Indian philosopher, social leader, and the founder of the Arya Samaj, a Vedic dharma reform movement. In 1876, he was the first to call for Swaraj as "India for Indians," a call later taken up by Lokmanya Tilak. He worked to revive Vedic ideologies while condemning idolatry and ritualistic worship. Following that, the philosopher and President of India, S. Radhakrishnan, and Sri Aurobindo both referred to him as one of the "Makers of Modern India."

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, proved to be the best defender of human rights. He was the most visible advocate for Hindu widow remarriage, petitioning the Legislative Council despite strong opposition, including a counter petition (by Radhakanta Deb and the Dharma Sabha) with nearly four times the number of signatures. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar worked for the cause of women by promoting the education of girls. He also supported widow remarriage. Due to his constant opposition Lord Dalhousie personally finalised the bill and the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act, 1856 was passed. He rejected the line of the Bhakti movement espoused by one of his contemporaries, Ram Krishna Paramhans. He is considered the “Father of Bengali prose.”

Publications: Betaal Panchabinsati (1847); Jeebancharit (1850); Bodhadoy (1851); BornoPorichoy (1854); Sitar Bonobash (1860). He was associated with prestigious journalistic publications like ‘Tattwabodhini Patrika’, ‘Somprakash’, ‘Sarbashubhankari Patrika’ and ‘Hindu Patriot’.

Mahadev Govind Ranade

Rao Bahadur Mahadev Govind Ranade (January 18, 1842 – January 16, 1901), also known as Justice Ranade, was an Indian scholar, social reformer, judge, and author. He was a founding member of the Indian National Congress party and held several positions, including member of the Bombay legislative council, member of the central finance committee, and judge of the Bombay High Court in Maharashtra. As a well-known public figure, his calm and patient optimist personality influenced his approach to dealings with Britain as well as reform in India. During his lifetime, he helped to found the Vaktruttvottejak Sabha, the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, the Maharashtra Granthottejak Sabha, and the Prarthana Samaj. He also edited the Induprakash, a Bombay Anglo-Marathi daily paper founded on his ideology of social and religious reform.

Keshab Chandra Sen

Keshab Chandra Sen was a Hindu philosopher and social reformer who attempted to integrate Christian theology into Hindu thought. Born a Hindu in British India's Bengal Presidency, he joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1857 but formed his own breakaway "Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj" in 1866, while the Brahmo Samaj remained under the leadership of Debendranath Tagore. In 1878, his supporters deserted him following his daughter's underage child marriage, which exposed his anti-child marriage campaign as hollow. Later in life, influenced by Ramakrishna, he established a syncretic "New Dispensation" inspired by Christianity, Vaishnav bhakti, and Hindu practises.

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay

He was probably the first systematic expounder in India of the idea of nationalism. His unique contribution lay in conceptualising nationalism in indigenous terms. Bankim Chandra Chaterjee, one of the first graduates of the Calcutta University set up by the British. His novel Anushilan-Tattva inspired Pramathanath Mitra to start Anushilan Samiti.

His Works: His famous novels include Kapalkundala (1866), Mrinalini (1869), Vishbriksha (1873), Chandrasekhar (1877), Rajani (1877), Rajsimha (1881), and Devi Chaudhurani (1884). Bankim Chandra Chatterjee most famous novel was Anand Math (1882). Anand Math contained the song “Bande Mataram”, which was later adopted as National Song.

Pandita Ramabai

Pandita Ramabai was one of the greatest women of modern India. Ramabai, an outspoken champion of women’s rights and social reform, earned the unique distinction of being the sole woman representative in the male-dominated world of - gender reforms. She impressed the religious elite of the city with her mastery over Sanskrit language and texts and received the title of ‘Pandita’ (Scholar) and ‘Saraswati’ (Goddess of Learning). She set up the Arya Mahila Samaj in 1882 in Poona to mobilise women. She brought out a book in Marathi, Stree Dharma Niti [Morals for Women] with the objective of counselling the helpless and ignorant women. The British government presented her with the Kaiser-i-Hind medal in 1919.

E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker

E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, popularly known as Periyar (Great Sage). He castigated Hinduism as an opiate by which the Brahmins had dulled and subdued the masses. Naicker was active in the Congress-led Freedom Struggle for some time. He participated in the non-cooperation movement, offered satyagraha, and defended khadi. Naicker’s growing dissatisfaction with Gandhi and the Congress, which he began to express from 1925 onwards in the journal Kudi Arasu, led him and his followers to found the Self Respect Association in 1926. In 1925, he organised the “Self-Respect Movement”, designed as Dravidian Uplift. He was a radical social reformer. His determined campaign against Hindu orthodoxy accompanied by rationalism and social reform, transformed the social landscape of Tamil Nadu. In 1938, Naicker was elected President of the Justice Party. The Party resolved that Tamil Nadu should be made a separate state, loyal to the British Raj and “directly under the Secretary of State for India.” In 1939, Naicker organised the “Dravida Nadu Conference” for the advocacy of a separate and independent Dravidasthan. In 1944, the justice Party was reorganised as Dravida Kazagham (DK).

Dr. B R Ambedkar

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer, and political leader who headed the committee that drafted the Indian Constitution from the Constituent Assembly debates, served as Law and Justice minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's first cabinet. He was an eminent jurist and the leader of the depressed class. He established the Depressed Classes Institute (1924) and the Samaj Samata Sangh (1927). He established the Peoples Education Society as a network college. Participated in all three Round Table Conferences and signed the Poona Pact with Gandhiji in 1932. From 1942 to 1946, he served on the Governor General's Executive Council, where he founded the Indian Labour Party and the Scheduled Caste Federation. He was the Chairman of the Indian Constitution Drafting Committee and introduced the Hindu Code Bill as India's first Law Minister. He founded 'The Republican Party' in 1956. He became a Buddhist near the end of his life.

Acharya Vinobha Bhave

One of India’s best-known social reformers and a widely venerated disciple of Mohandas K. (Mahatma) Gandhi. He was the founder of the Bhoodan Yajna (“Land-Gift Movement”). Took part in programs of non-cooperation and especially the call for use of Swadeshi goods instead of foreign imports. In 1940, he was chosen as the first Individual Satyagrahi (an Individual standing up for Truth instead of a collective action) against British Raj by Gandhi in India. He was given the honorific title acharya (“teacher”). He adopted the term Sarvodaya from Gandhi which simply means “Progress for All”. The Sarvodaya movement under him implemented various programs during the 1950s, the chief among which is the Bhoodan (Land Gift) Movement in Pochampalli village of Telangana. In 1923, he brought out ‘Maharashtra Dharma’, a monthly in Marathi, which had his essays on the Upanishads. Established the Brahma Vidya Mandir in 1959, a small community for women, aiming at self-sufficiency on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings

Jyotiba Phule

Jyotirao Govindrao Phule was a Maharashtra-born Indian social activist, thinker, anti-caste social reformer, and writer. His work included the abolition of untouchability and the caste system, as well as efforts to educate women and oppressed caste people. He and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were pioneers in Indian women's education. In 1848, Phule established his first girls' school in Pune, at Tatyasaheb Bhide's residence, or Bhidewada. He founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) with his followers in order to achieve equal rights for people from lower castes. People of all religions and castes could join this organisation dedicated to the upliftment of oppressed classes. Phule is regarded as a pivotal figure in Maharashtra's social reform movement. In 1888, Maharashtrian social activist Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar bestowed the honorific Mahatma (great-souled, venerable) title on him.

Chakravarti Rajgopalchari

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, popularly known as Rajaji, was born on December 10th in 1878. He studied law from the Presidency College in Madras (now Chennai), and began practice in Salem in the year 1900. In 1916, he formed the Tamil Scientific Terms Society, an organisation that translated scientific terms of chemistry, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and biology into simple Tamil words. He became the chairperson of the municipality of Salem in 1917 and served there for two years. In 1955, he was honoured with India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. He joined the Indian National Congress and acted as a legal advisor. He defended Indian Independence activist, P. Varadarajulu Naidu against charges of sedition in 1917. He was elected as the first premier of the Madras Presidency in 1937. In 1939, Rajagopalachari took a step to abolish untouchability and caste prejudice and issued the Madras Temple Entry Authorisation and Indemnity Act. After the Madras Temple Entry Authorisation Dalits were allowed to enter inside temples. At the time of Partition, he was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal. In 1947, during the absence of Lord Mountbatten, the last British viceroy and independent India’s first Governor General, Rajagopalachari was temporarily chosen to hold the office. Therefore, he was the last governor general of India. He was also involved in the Vaikom Satygraha movement against untouchability. During the Quit India Movement, Rajagopalachari opposed Gandhi.

Lala Lajpat Ray

Popularly known as ‘Punjab Kesari’ or the ‘Lion of Punjab,’ Lala Lajpat Rai was an outstanding leader, statesman, historian and educationist, distinguished editor, ardent social and religious reformer, and powerful orator. He was instrumental in laying the foundation of the traditions of the constructive criticism of Government policies. Along with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai formed the trinity of militant leaders. He was an active campaigner for Swadeshi and preached the message of self-reliance in India and abroad. He started the Servants of the People Society which did commendable work in diverse fields. He was elected President of the Indian National Congress in 1920. Later, he was associated with the Swarai Party. Lala Lajpat Rai died a martyr while leading a demonstration against the Simon Commission in Lahore. The superintendent of police, James A. Scott, ordered the police to lathi (baton) charge the protesters and personally assaulted Rai.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Bal Gangadhar Tilak is also known as ‘Father of Indian Unrest.’ Bal Gangadhar Tilak, commonly known as Lokamanya Tilak was a leader of the Indian independence movement and belonged to the extremist faction. Tilak joined the Congress in 1890. He was opposed to moderate ways and views and had a more radical and aggressive stance against British rule. He was one of the first advocates of Swaraj or self-rule. He gave the slogan, “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.” Along with Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai, he was called the ‘Lal-Bal-Pal’ trio of extremist leaders. With Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, he started the New English School at Pune in 1876 and started their career as school teachers. He published two papers – Kesari in Marathi and Mahratta in English. In 1885 they set up the Deccan Education Society in order to start a college which was later named after the then Governor of Bombay as the Ferguson College. He was one of the founders of the All-India Home Rule League, along with Annie Besant and G S Khaparde. He used the Ganesh Chaturthi and Shiv Jayanti (birth anniversary of Shivaji) festivals to create unity and a national spirit among the people. Tilak started the Swadeshi movement in India and to promote it, Tilak with Jamshedji Tata established Bombay Swadeshi Stores. He spent 6 years in Mandalay prison from 1908 to 1914 for writing articles defending Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose. Literary Works: “Orion : Studies in the Antiquity of Ved”, “The Arctic Home of Veds” , “Giro-Rohasya”. In 1881 he started two weeklies, ‘Maratha’ in English and ‘Kesari’in Marathi.

Bipin Chandra Pal

Bipin Chandra Pal also known as the ‘Father of Revolutionary Thoughts in India’ was born in Poil, a village in Habiganj District, present-day Bangladesh. Pal was also inspired by the ideas of Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Aurobindo Ghosh. In 1898, he went to England to study comparative theology. He returned to India in one year and plunged into the freedom struggle. He started popularising the idea of ‘swaraj’ to Indians. He joined the Congress Party in 1886. He also participated in the Swadeshi movement and the non-cooperation movement. He agitated against the partition of Bengal of 1905.

His Writings: Some of the books he authored are ‘Indian Nationalism’, ‘Swaraj and the Present Situation, ‘Nationality and Empire’, ‘The Basis of Social Reform’, ‘The New Spirit and Studies in Hinduism’, and ‘The Soul of India’. He edited the journals ‘The Democrat’ and ‘The Independent’. He also started many newspapers and magazines such as ‘Paridarsak’, ‘Bande Mataram’, ‘New India’ and ‘Swaraj’.

Sarojini Naidu

Sarojini Naidu was born in Hyderabad on 13 February, 1879. She became a part of the Indian nationalist movement and became a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and his idea of swaraj. She was arrested, along with other Congress leaders including Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Madan Mohan Malaviya for participating in 1930 Salt March. Sarojini was one of the major figures to have led the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement. She faced repeated arrestings by the British authorities during the time and even spent over 21 months (1year 9months) in jail. She was appointed the President of the Indian National Congress in 1925 and later became the Governor of the United Provinces in 1947, becoming the first woman to hold the office of Governor in the Dominion of India.

Her Writings: Her work as a poet earned her the sobriquet ‘the Nightingale of India’, or ‘Bharat Kokila’ by Mahatma Gandhi because of colour, imagery, and lyrical quality of her poetry. Published in 1912, ‘In the Bazaars of Hyderabad’ remains one of her most popular poems.

Jatindra Nath Das

Jatindra Nath Das worked at a very young age for the cause of political prisoners in the Indian freedom struggle. Being an inspirational freedom fighter, human rights activist, and a fervent revolutionary, he joined the AnushilanSamiti (a 20th century Indian revolutionary organization). He collaborated with Bhagat Singh and other members from the Hindustan Republican Socialist Association (HRSA). While he was 17 years old, he got actively involved in the Non-Cooperation Movement launched by Gandhiji. Jatindra Nath Das breathed his last in 1929 following a 63-day-long fast fighting for the rights of political prisoners at the young age of 25 years. Bhagat Singh and other imprisoned freedom fighters also undertook this hunger strike at the Lahore Central Jail. Jatindra Das had to face several atrocities and hardships done by the British authorities. These atrocities led to damaging of his lungs, and paralysis began to spread to his body parts. Still, he continued his hunger strike. A jail committee was formed keeping in mind his condition into consideration and immense popularity amongst people. A proposal was made for his release but it was rejected by the committee. Subhas Chandra Bose called him the 'Young Dadhichee' of the nation (the ancient Indian sage who sacrificed his life for a noble cause).

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi is universally regarded as the principal architect of India’s independence struggle, and his role in the Indian National Movement was pivotal in shaping modern Indian history. Emerging as a mass leader in 1919, Gandhi took on a leadership role that would dominate the Indian political landscape for nearly three decades until his assassination in 1948. He symbolised India’s determination to break free from colonial rule, leading a series of mass movements that galvanised millions of Indians in their fight for freedom.

Mahatma Gandhi was a fine synthesis of both the political traditions of moderates and extremists in India. His approach to achieving independence blended elements from both, incorporating his own unique philosophy rooted in ahimsa (non-violence) and satyagraha (truth-force or non-violent resistance). Gandhi was deeply influenced by religious and spiritual values, including Hinduism, but he also embraced ideas from other traditions, such as Christianity and Islam. He believed that political struggle should be ethical, non-violent, and moral, emphasizing the need for self-discipline and inner strength. Gandhi’s vision for India extended beyond political freedom; it included social reform and moral regeneration. He envisioned an India where social equality, justice, and religious harmony would thrive. This approach made Gandhi not just a political leader but a reformer and a social visionary as well.

Under Gandhi’s leadership, the Indian National Congress (INC) transformed from a relatively elite political organisation into a mass-based political party representing a wide cross-section of Indian society. Gandhi’s emphasis on self-reliance, non-violence, and inclusivity inspired millions to join the freedom struggle, especially peasants, workers, and women. His insistence on removing caste discrimination, uplifting the downtrodden, and giving a voice to women enabled the INC to resonate with a vast segment of the Indian population. Gandhi’s political leadership helped unify diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups, fostering a collective consciousness of Indian nationalism.

The Non-Cooperation Movement marked Gandhi’s first major mass movement, following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. It was a direct response to the British government’s oppressive policies, and it called for Indians to boycott British goods, schools, and institutions. Gandhi’s call for non-violent resistance resonated across the country, and millions of Indians—from urban elites to rural peasants—actively participated. While the movement was ultimately called off in 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident (where protesters killed policemen), it marked the first time that the entire nation came together in a large-scale resistance against British rule, establishing Gandhi as the central figure in the Indian struggle for independence.

In 1930, Gandhi launched the Salt March (or Dandi March), a direct act of defiance against British colonial laws that taxed salt. Gandhi, along with a group of followers, marched 240 miles to the coastal town of Dandi to produce salt from seawater, thus violating British salt laws. This civil disobedience garnered international attention and drew millions of Indians into the movement for independence.

The Civil Disobedience Movement continued to grow, with widespread participation in protests, boycotts, and non-violent resistance. The Salt March and the subsequent civil disobedience efforts were significant in mobilizing masses and weakening the British grip on India. Gandhi’s method of non-violent protest, even in the face of arrest and imprisonment, inspired global movements for civil rights and freedom.

By 1942, it had become clear that World War II was affecting India’s position within the British Empire. Gandhi, sensing the opportunity for a greater push against British rule, launched the Quit India Movement in August 1942. The movement called for the immediate withdrawal of British forces from India and demanded complete independence. Gandhi’s famous slogan, “Do or Die,” galvanised the nation, and widespread protests erupted nationwide. Although the British government responded by arresting Gandhi and many other leaders, the Quit India Movement marked the final stage of the Indian independence struggle, with mass participation and significant disruptions to British administration. While the movement did not immediately achieve independence, it intensified the pressure on the British and set the stage for India’s eventual freedom in 1947.

Jawaharlal Nehru

Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was born in Allabahad on November 14, 1889. In 1912, he attended the Bankipore Congress as a delegate, and became Secretary of the Home Rule League, Allahabad in 1919. He organised the first Kisan March in Pratapgarh District of Uttar Pradesh in 1920. He was twice imprisoned in connection with the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920-22. Pt. Nehru became the General Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee in September 1923. On August 29, 1928 he attended the All-Party Congress and was one of the signatories to the Nehru Report on Indian Constitutional Reform, named after his father Shri Motilal Nehru. The same year, he also founded the ‘Independence for India League’, which advocated complete severance of the British connection with India, and became its General Secretary. In 1929, Pt. Nehru was elected President of the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress, where complete independence for the country was adopted as the goal. He was imprisoned several times during 1930-35 in connection with the Salt Satyagraha and other movements launched by the Congress. He completed his ‘Autobiography’ in Almora Jail on February 14, 1935. In August 7, 1942 Pt. Nehru moved the historic ‘Quit India’ resolution at the A.I.C.C. session in Bombay. On August 8,1942 he was arrested along with other leaders and taken to Ahmednagar Fort. This was his longest and his last detention. He was elected President of the Congress for the fourth time on July 6, 1946 and again for three more terms from 1951 to 1954.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was born a Pashtoon in 1890 in the Northwest border city of Utmanzai, located in today’s Pakistan. He was also known as Bacha Khan. For his adherence to pacifism and close association with Mahatma Gandhi, he earned the nickname “Frontier Gandhi,” a new centre of Civil Disobedience emerged in the shape of the North West Frontier Province, where Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and his followers - the Khudai Khidmatgars commonly known as the “Red Shirts” (Surkh Posh), - began non-violent civil disobedience. Some one hundred thousand Muslims joined his “Khudai Khidmatgar” or “Servers of Allah” movement. On June 21, 1947, in Bannu, a loya jirga (grand assembly in the Pashtun language) was held consisting of Bacha Khan, the Khudai Khidmatgars, members of the Provincial Assembly. In this jirga, the Bannu Resolution was declared where it was stated that the Pashtun People be given a choice having an independent state of Pasthunistan composing all Pashtun territories of British India. The British refused to even consider this request as it would seriously jeopardise the portion plan if areas were conceded based on ethnicity Bacha Khan formed Pakistan’s first national opposition party on 8 May 1948 – The Pakistan Azad Party. The opposition would be constructive in nature and non-communal in its ideology.

Jayprakash Narayan

Jayprakash Narayan, son of Harsu Dayal and Phool Rani born on Vijayadashmi, on 11 October 1902 at village Sitab Diyara in the Saran district of Bihar. Giving up his studies in 1921, he participated in the Non- Cooperation Movement launched by Gandhiji. Later, he studied in Bihar Vidyapith. He spent seven years from 1922 to 1929 in the U.S.A., looking at five universities. First, in 1922, he was arrested in Madras and in September he was put in Nashik Central Jail for his Participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement. During the Second World War, he was arrested and sentenced to nine months of rigorous imprisonment for an anti-war speech delivered at Jamshedpur on 18 February 1940. He was again picked up in Bombay in December 1940 and he was sent to Deoli Detention Camp in Rajasthan on 23 January 1941 where he undertook a fast for 31 days against the rudimentary living conditions at Deoli Camp Jail. Later, he was shifted to the Hazaribagh Central Jail in 1942 where he became restless with the outbreak of the historic Quit India Movement. He organized the “Azad Dasta” at Bakro Ko Tapu (an Island in the Kachar of the River Kosi) in Nepal to overthrow British Rule through guerilla warfare. He went to Calcutta and made arduous efforts to get in touch with Subhash Chandra Bose so that Azad Dasta and Azad Hind Fauj could work together. After the partition of the country and the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, Jayprakash withdrew from Politics and joined Bhoodan Movement and Sarvoday campaign launched by Vinoba Bhave in 1954. He died on 8 October 1979.

Syed Ahmed Khan

He emerged on the Indian scene as one of the great reformers, educationist, and moderniser within the Muslim community. Syed Ahmed Khan started the Aligarh Movement and wanted to remove the bitter enmity between Muklims and the British Government. He also wanted a proper interpretation of Islam and modem education to Muslims. He prepared Muslims to meet the challenge before them and strove for Hindu-Muslim unity. Sir Syed devoted his entire life to bring about reconciliation between the British and the Muslims. He founded the Scientific Society in 1863 at Ghazipur, in Uttar Pradesh. The basic objective was to translate scientific literature, into Urdu. He founded Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College in 1875/ 1877. It was proposed that here, while modern education would be imparted to the Muslims, they would abo have some training in the preservation of their cultural heritage. On the contrary he maintained that Hindu Muslim communities would have distinct political options separate from each other. This was the driving force which made him argue that the Indian National Congress was not in the best interest of the community of Muslims.

These are the people who shaped modern India – who fought hard for its independence from British rule and set independent India on the path of growth and glory, the fruits of which we are now reaping. These personalities are those who have done extraordinary service to our nation. These leaders have played an important role in our history and the struggle for freedom.

Eminent Personalities of Modern India

The India we see today is due to the contributions of various leaders throughout history for ages in various spheres of life having great impact on Society.