Lesser known Indian icons Part 1

Dheeran Chinnamalai

Dheeran Chinnamalai original name: Theerthagiri Gounder (April 17, 1756 – July 31, 1805) was a famous Palayakkarar and independence fighter from Tamil Nadu.

He was born in Melapalayam, Erode Tamilnadu, India. He formed a 1,000-strong army in support of Tipu Sultan, and was instrumental in victories at Chitheswaram, Mazahavalli and Srirangapatna. He was one of the main leaders in the Polygar Wars,and commanded a vast army,notably during the Second Polygar war that took place in 1801-1802.

After Tipu's death, Chinnamalai settled down at Odanilai and constructed a fort there to continue his struggle against the British, whom he defeated in battles at Cauvery in 1801, Odanilai in 1802 and Arachalur in 1804. Later, Chinnamalai left his fort to avoid cannon attack and engaged in guerrilla warfare while he was stationed at Karumalai in the Palani region.

He was betrayed by his cook and captured by the British, who hanged him at Sankari Fort on July 31 or August 2, 1805.


Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu

G. D. Naidu (Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu) who is sometimes referred as the "Edison of India.His contribution spans the fields of electrical, mechanical, agricultural (Hybrid cultivation) and automobile engineering . Mostly at an Industrial level than the Academia.

If there is one name that best symbolises Coimbatore's spirit of entrepreneurship, it is that of G D Naidu. Born on March 23rd, 1893, in Kalangal near Coimbatore, this school dropout began his Transport business in 1920, with the purchase of a passenger auto-coach, which he himself drove for the service between Pollachi and Palani. In a matter of a few years, his United Motor Service (UMS) owned the most efficient fleet of public transport vehicles in the country. In 1937, the first motor to be produced in India, was brought out at G D Naidu's UMS factory.

As an inventor, G D Naidu was one-of-a-kind in the country. He invented an Electric Razor - Rasant, that gave users far more shaves than other existing options in the international market. Among his other inventions were the super-thin shaving blades, a distance adjuster for film cameras, a special fruit juice extractor, a tamper-proof vote-recording machine and a kerosene-run fan. In 1941, he announced that he had the ability to manufacture five-valve Radio sets in India at a mere Rs 70/- a set. In 1952, his brainchild - the indigenously built Petrol engine two-seater Car (costing a mere Rs 2,000/-) rolled out. But production was stopped subsequently, because of the Government's refusal to grant the necessary license. His inventiveness was not confined to machinery alone. He is said to have grown ten feet high Cotton plants, millet plants with high yields and several injections for plants that made possible what Sir C V Raman called "Botanic marvels". t On his trips abroad, Naidu always seemed to draw appreciation for his innovations and his personal drive. In 1935, he personally filmed the funeral of King George V at London.

In 1936, he met Adolf Hitler in Germany. Among the Indian stalwarts that GD Naidu's camera captured were Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru and Subash Chandra Bose. GD Naidu remained an outsider to Politics, despite having contested and lost in the 1936 Provincial General Elections.

In 1944, Naidu retired from active involvement with his automobile combine and announced several philanthropic measures including grants for Research scholarships and welfare schemes for his employees and the depressed sections of society. Through Naidu's efforts and his donations the Arthur Hope Polytechnic and the Arthur Hope College of Engineering were set up. In 1967, the G D Naidu Industrial Exhibition, conceptualised, designed and built by the great man himself, was established.

With his demise on the 4th of January, 1974, Coimbatore lost its greatest ambassador to the world. There have been several tributes paid to this legend, but none seems as apt as that by Sir C V Raman: "A great educator, an entrepreneur in many fields of engineering and industry, a warm-hearted man filled with love for his fellows and a desire to help them in their troubles, Mr Naidu is truly a man in a million - perhaps this is an understatement!"

He is credited in manufacturing the first electric motor in India. An Industrial Exhibition in Coimbatore is held in his name. He started the first Engineering college at Coimbatore (now known as Government College of Technology). He provided employment in engineering and manufacturing sector to many individuals in fifties and sixties (early for a home grown entreprenuer in India). He was considered as a visionary in Coimbatore and rest of Tamil Nadu as well.

There is a school in his hometown Coimbatore named after him (G.D Matriculation Higher Secondary School) and is managed by his daughter-in-law Mrs. Chandra Gopal. His grandson Mr. Rajkumar now runs the Gedee industries that has seen better days during his lifetime.

Tirupur Kumaran

Tiruppur Kumaran (1904 - 1932) was an Indian revolutionary, who participated in the Indian independence movement. Kumaran was born in a small village in the Tamil Nadu region of south India. Kumaran died from injuries sustained from a Police assault during a protest march against the British colonial government. Kumaran died holding the flag of the Indian Nationalists, which had been banned by the British.

Kumaran is revered as a martyr in Tamil Nadu and is known by the epithet Kodi Kaththa Kumaran - Kumaran who saved the Flag.


Dr. C. Chenbagaraman Pillai

Great Indian National Congress Leader, Patriot: Dr. C. Chenbagaraman Pillai
He was a Nanjil Pillai, settled in Trivandrum as his father Maruththuvar Chinnasamy Pillai was chief physician in the Travancore Palace. He was the first to raise "Jai Hind" slogan; later joined with INC chief Subash Chandra Bose. Dr. Chanbagaraman Pillai sought the help of Hitler from Nazi Germany in the Second World War. He reached India from Germany to Bomb Chennai aboard the Nazi War Vessel Emden as a Surgeon [Doctor]. Pillai's wife Laxmi Bai is from Manipur. Finally when the War was over, and the Pillai's ashes brought from Delhi to Trivandrum on board the INS Delhi Naval Ship, and was laid to rest in Kerala with all Government Honors.

Strangely, the man who assisted Capt.Muller was a Dr. C. Shenbagaraman Pillai, a Tamilian, chosen for his extraordinary skills and expertise as an engineer. Dr. Pillai was born in the princely state of Travancore. He grew up with strong feelings of patriotism and a great urge to free India from British rule. Even as a student, he took part in every anti-British rally conducted in Travancore. It so happened that his activities came to the notice of a German agent named William Stricland, who decided to take the student to Germany for possible future use. Shenbagaraman did very well in his studies in Germany and, through connections among Indian extremists living there, got a chance to meet the Kaiser. With the Kaiser's support, he rose to become a naval engineer and with his natural brilliance, he was the natural choice to become the Emden's engineer.


Manonmaniam Pe. Sundaram Pillai

A great Tamil Bard, from Trivandrum. He wrote many Tamils Poems and prose. In his honour, TN Govt. started an University at Tirunelveli called the Manonmaniam Sundaranaar University. See below his Tamizh Thai Vazhthu, which is the STATE SONG FOR TAMILNADU, sung in schools

English Translation of his most famous work
Oh Tamil Country!, you are beautifully clad in wavy seas;
your chiseled face shines amidst the famous Barath sub-continent;
you are the elite of the Dravidian Deccan States;
your small forehead shines like the crescent with a distinct "thilakam"
like the fragrance of that "thilakam" rejoiced by the whole world,
your great name and fame known to all the directions of the world,
Oh Tamil Angel! Oh Tamil Angel!
Your majestic, youthful industriousness makes us spell bound,
and wish all the best for you, all the best!, all the best!

Sarafoji - Saraboji


The Royal King Sarafoji of Thanjavur(1798-1832) was very much Instrumental in nursing Siddha medicines.

The Maratha King Serfoji II (1798 - 1832) was an eminent scholar with extensive knowledge of various branches of learning. In his early age, he studied under the influence of Rev. Schwartz. He learnt English, French, Italian, Latin, etc. He also took interest in Arts, Science, and Literature.

He took special steps to enrich the Library. When he visited Benares, he employed many Pandits (local scholars) to collect, buy and copy a vast number of works from all renowned Centres of Sanskrit learning in the North and other far-flung areas.

Later, his descendants handed over the library to the Government. It is a fitting tribute to Serfoji that the Library is named after him.

The Maharaja Serfoji's Saraswati Mahal Library of Thanjavur is virtually a treasure trove of knowledge. It contains one of the most extensive collections of oriental manuscripts in India - over 44,000 palm leaf and paper manuscripts in Indian (Sanskrit, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu) and European languages. They include treatises on medicine and commentaries on works from the Sangam period.

There is a museum inside the Library building which has seven sections, such as Ancient Manuscripts, Illustrated Manuscripts, Old books, Printed copies of the Original Drawings, Atlases, Thanjavur style of Paper Paintings, Canvas Paintings, Wooden Paintings, Glass Paintings, Portraits of Thanjavur and Maratha kings, Daniel Paintings, Fraser prints of Indian Scenarios, Punishments of China depicted in picture, Physiognomy Charts of Charles Le-Brun, Bathing Ghats of Benares and other Antiquities. These materials give a glimpse of the rich collections of the Library.

Santal Hul

Source : http://www.madhoo.com/archives/2003/08/

Santal Hul was one of the fiercest battles in the history of Indian freedom struggles causing greatest number of loss of lives in any battles during that time. The number of causalities of Santal Hul was 20,000 according to Hunter who wrote it in annals of Rural Bengal. The Santal Hul of 1855-57 was master minded by four brothers Sidhu, Kahnu, Chand and Bhairav; a heroic episode in India’s prolonged struggle for freedom. It was, in all probability, the fiercest liberation movement in India next to Great Sepoy Mutiny in 1857.

The courage, chivalry and sacrifice of the Santals were countered by the rulers with veritable butchery. Out of 50,000 Santal rebels, 15,000 - 20,000 were killed by the British Indian Army. The Company was finally able to suppress the rebellion in 1856, though some outbreaks continued till 1857.

The Santals showed great bravery and incredible courage in the struggle against the military. As long as their national drums continued beating, the whole party would stand and allow themselves to be shot down. There was no sign of yielding. Once forty Santals refused to surrender and took shelter inside a mud house. The troops surrounded the mud house and fired at them but Santals replied with their arrows. Then Soldiers made big hole through muddy wall, and the Captain ordered them surrender but they again shot a volley of arrows through the hole and Captain again asked them to surrender but they continued shooting arrows. Some of the soldiers were wounded. At last when the discharge of arrows from the door slackened, the Captain went inside the room with soldiers. He found only one old man grievously wounded, standing erect among the dead bodies. The soldier asked him to throw away arms, but instead he rushed on him and killed him with his battle axe.

Gopalakrishnayya Duggirala

Gopalakrishnayya Duggirala was one of the famous leaders in the non-violent Indian Freedom Movement. He attracted millions of Andhra Indians to the movement through his poetry and speeches. He was born in Penuganchiprolu village in Krishna district. His father was Kodandaraamaiah and mother was Seetamma. He studied in high schools in Gunturu and Bapatla cities. Even at that young age, he founded “Jaateeya Naatyamandali (National Dance Group)” to help develop arts such as drama and music.


Garimella Satyanarayana

Satyanarayana Garimella was a great nationalist who influenced and mobilized the Andhra nation against the British with his patriotic songs and writings for which he was jailed several times by the British government.

He was born into a poor Brahmin family. His place and date of birth are disputed. According to Kameswarrao Tekumalla, he was born in Gonepadu village of Srikakulam district in 1893 and according to M. L. Narasimharao, in Priya village of Srikakulam district in 1882. His father was Venkatanarasimhamu and mother was Suramma. He was married very young to his first wife in menarikam, which is legal and an ancient and continuing tradition in Andhra society.

He finished his education with the help of a kind lawyer, Narasimharao Kannepalli, in Bandaru, Viajanagaramu, Rajamandri cities. After finishing his BA, he worked as a clerk for a short while in Ganjam district collector’s office. For sometime he worked as a teacher at a high school in Vijayanagaram. Later, he went to school again to study L.T. However, he gave up his studies to participate in civil disobedience movement called by Mahatma Gandhi. During this time, he wrote his famous song “maakoddee telladoratanam (we reject this white rule),” for which he was jailed in 1922 for one year. He continued his participation in the movement by singing songs in villages after the release from jail. For this he was sentenced for two and half years rigorous imprisonment. His wife, father and grandfather died when he was in jail.

He learned Tamil in jail and translated “tirukkuraall” and “naandiyar” from Tamil. His works include swaraajya geetamulu (1921), harijana paatalu (1923), khandakaavyalu, baalageetaalu (1926), a translation tallikota from Kannada, an English poem “Heart of the Nation,” and a Telugu translation of “the Economic Conquest of India” by Pattabhiseetaramaiah Bhogaraju. He wrote several articles in various daily and weekly journals such as grihalakshmi, krishnapatrika, aanandavani, dhanka, aandhraprabha, bhaarati etc.

Alluri Sita Rama Raju

b. 4 July 1897-d.1924) Also called Alluri Rama Raju, Rama Chandra Raju, and Alluri Seetha Rama Raju was an Indian freedom fighter from the Mogallu village in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India. He was the leader of the ill-fated Rampa Rebellion that fought against the British occupiers from 1922 to 1923. Popularly referred to as Raju, he lives on in the hearts of the Telugu people as the Manyam Veerudu (Hero of the jungles).

The Rampa Rebellion

Alluri Sita Rama Raju was one of Andhra Pradesh's early revolutionaries who successfully mobilized and led local tribals in an armed rebellion against British rule in India. He was deeply moved by the plight of the tribals, who’s rights were infringed upon by the British with the inaction of the Madras Forest Act of 1882. The Act placed restrictions on the free movement of tribals in the forest areas and prevented them from engaging in their traditional lifestyle of Podu (shifting) cultivation, and use of the forest for firewood and toddy.

Despite having fewer manpower and weapons, Alluri and his men exacted tremendous damage on British interest, as they were much more familiar with the hilly terrain and adept in guerilla tactics. They frequently attacked police stations to seize arms and ammunition. These actions led to a reward of Rs. 10,000 placed on him.

He was born on July 4th 1897 in the Village of Pandrangi village, 12 km from Bheemunipatnam of Visakhapatnam district. He was educated in Rajahmundry and Rama-chandra-puram in East Godavari district. His father died when Alluri was in elementary school and he grew up in the care of his uncle Rama Chandra Raju, a Tahsildar in Narsapur. He then studied in Taylor High School, Narsapur. Then, he shifted to Tuni along with his mother, brother and sister, on the transfer of his uncle. He joined Mrs A.V.N. College in Visakhapatnam on September 20, 1912. He dropped out of the college after having failed in fourth form (Std. IX). While in Tuni, Alluri used to frequent the agency areas of Visakhapatnam district.

The statue of this Pride of Telugus stands majestically at The Park junction in Visakhapatnam. The repressive measures and the unjust policies of the British, coupled with the misdeeds of British contractors who exploited and oppressed the workers of the hill tribes of the Visakhapatnam district, brought Alluri Sita Rama Raju into a tussle with the police who supported the contractors. This eventually culminated in the Rampa Rebellion (Rampa Pituri; 'Pituri' means complaints in Telugu).

Sita Rama Raju carried out his campaign in the East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts of Andhra Pradesh. Inspired by the patriotic zeal of the revolutionaries in Bengal, and the decisions taken by them at a meeting in Chittagong in 1921, Sita Rama Raju raided many police stations in and around Chintapalli, Krishna-devi-peta and Raja-vommangi, carrying off guns and powder, and killing several British army officers, including the ruthless Scott Coward and Hites, near Damana-palli. Between August and October 1922, he and his men attacked the Chintapalli, Rampa-choda-varam, Rajahmundry and Addati-gala and Annavaram police stations and blasted the Chintapalli police station.



T.S.S.Rajan

T.S.S.Rajan was born in 1880 in Nagapattinam, he was a student of the Medical School, Madras where he took a first class L.M.P. In 1907, he left for London for higher medical studies and helped Savarkar and V.V.S.Aiyer. Later Dr. Rajan came under the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and Rajaji. As in everythying he undertook, Dr. Rajan became a most active worker for India's freedom. From 1914, he was by turns the Secretary and President of the Tirucchirappalli District Congress Committee for over three decades. In 1919, he took part in the agitation against the infamous Rowlatt Act, as well as in the Home Rule Movement of Dr. Annie Besant. In 1920, Dr. Rajan suspended his lucrative practice to devote all his time to Congress work. He was Secretary of the T.N.C.C. for a number of years and also acted as General Secretary of the Indian National Congress after the imprisonment of Rajaji in 1927. For organising Prohibition work, the British Government imprisoned him for a year. In 1930, he joined the Salt Satyagraha movement and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. He was released after the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Dr. Rajan became a member of the Indian Legislative Assembly representing the Tanjore-Tirucchirappalli Constituency in 1934. In 1937, when Rajaji formed a Congress Ministry in Madras, Dr. Rajan became Minister for Public Health and Religious Endowments which post he occupied with distinction till 1939 when the Congress Party relinquished office. He was incarcerated again for a time after the outbreak of World War II. Dr. Rajan was elected to the Madras Assembly and was Minister for Food in the Congress Ministry from 1947 to 1949. He continued then in the Cabinet as Minister for Public Health and Religious Endowments and Resettlement of ex-Army Personnel. A fine writer in Tamizh, he wrote Veettu Vaidyar, a treatise on medicine for the layman, and Ninaivu Alaigal, an essay in autobiography.

Jaipal and Anandapal

Jaipal Shahi, or as he was known then, Maharajadiraja Jayapala Shahiya was the last Hindu ruler of Kabul . At that time, there was a Turkish Muslim kingdom in Ghazni and Kandahar in the south while Hindus ruled over Kabul and N.Afghanistan. He was defeated by Mahmud Ghazni's father Sabuktigin in the year 970. The Turks occupied Kabul and ravaged the city. They destroyed the Shiva Temple in the main square and built the Grand mosque of Kabul on the site.Jaipal retreated to Peshawar and in the year 1001 dispatched a combined Afghan-Kashmiri army under the command of the Kashmiri minister Tunga to fight Ghazni. The troops pushed the Turks back into Afghanistan and at one point, even threatened the city of Ghazni itself. Mahmud Ghazni was worried abt his kingdom. But due to an unfortunate turn of events, the Hindu troops panicked and fled from the field of battle and the Turks invaded and conquered Peshawar forcing Jaipal to move his capital to Lahore. He committed suicide unable to bear the insult.


The Hindus lost Kabul for good only in the closing decade of the 10th century. In AD 963 Alaptigin, a Turkish slave of the succeeding Samanid dynasty, had been able to establish an independent Muslim principality in Kabul with his seat at Ghazni. It was his general and successor, Subuktigin, who conquered Kabul after a struggle spread over two decades. The Hindus under king Jayapala of Udbhandapur made a bold bid to recapture Kabul in AD 986-987. A confederate Hindu army to which the Rajas of Delhi, Ajmer, Kalinjar and Kanauj has contributed troops and money, advanced into the heartland of the Islamic kingdom of Ghazni. “According to Utbi, the battle lasted several days and the warriors of Subuktigin, including prince Mahmood, were ‘reduced to despair.’ But a snow-storm and rains upset the plans of Jayapala who opened negotiations for peace. He sent the following message to Subuktigin: ‘You have heard and know the nobleness of Indians - they fear not death or destruction… In affairs of honour and renown we would place ourselves upon the fire like roast meat, and upon the dagger like the sunrays.’”19 But the peace thus concluded proved temporary. The Muslims resumed the offensive and the Hindus were defeated and driven out of Kabul. Dr. Mishra concludes with the comment that Jayapala “was perhaps the last Indian ruler to show such spirit of aggression, so sadly lacking in later Rajput kings”.

-"Heroic Hindu Resistance to Muslim Invaders" by Sitaram Goel.

Kanoji Angria

Khanoji Angre or Kanoji Angria was an Admiral in the Maratha Navy and the only Indian to have waged a successful sea-battle against the British. Between 1698 and 1729, he completely routed the navies of the Portuguese,Dutch and British East India Companies. As a result of this, the Portuguese and the Dutch finally
admitted defeat and signed a peace treaty with him agreeing to pay trade and custom duties. The British dreaded him and regarded him as a "pirate". His exploits have been described in detail in the book "Pirates of the Malabar".

Viswanathan Das

I couldnt get proper life sketch on this great man. But let me post whatever i know.

Viswanathan Das was dramatist and a actor. His drama "Vali Kalyanam" (Vali - wife of lord murugan or karthikeyan) indirectly motivated thousands of people into freedom struggle. People travelled miles to watch his drama.

Here is one incident that took place

Some traitors informed the british abt the drama. British ordered to arrest Vishwanathan Das before the drama. Viswanathan Das was at that time in thirunelveli. 1000s had come to watch his drama, but he learnt british men wer coming to arrest him. He approached Pasumpon MuthuRamalinga Devar aiya. When he entered devar aiya's house, devar aiya was excited and immediately seeked his blessings. Vishwanathan Das asked for devar aiya to help him from getting detained by british on that day alone. Devar aiya promised noone would arrest him as long as he stay in thirunelveli. Devar aiya sent his men to theatre to gaurd viswanathan das. British men came inside the theatre to arrest das. But the next moment they got panicked and left the theatre. Reason is devar aiya himself was gaurding das inside the theatre. The play started, people watched the drama with much excitement. The play successfully ended.

Viswanthan Das next day surrendered to the british in Thanjavur. He was sent to jail. After few years he was released. But he never stopped himelf in motivating people through his drama.

In late 1930s i dont remember the year, people had gathered in large number to watch his drama "Vali Kalyanam". Viswanathan das was very weak. Ill health dint stop him from acting, he acted with much more enthusiasm. Police was informed abt the drama, they were waiting for drama to end to arrest Viswanathan Das.

The drama was about end, Viswanathan Das sat on the peacock (lord muruga's throne) he left his life sittin on d peacock.



POOLITHEVAN

The Valor of Poolithevan - Friday, February 29, 2008 Under the leader ship of Poolithevan, the Maravar people of the south continued the movement of non-payment of taxes for four years from 1756 to 1759.The total defeat of the English at Nerkattumseval was indelible in their hearts.

As a result, the name of Nerkattumseval was changed to Aaavudaiyapur in the records as released in the gazette of Tiruneveli District. Yussouf Khan, who was the commander of the forces of arcot Nawab, later served as the representative of the English.

He laid siege to Nerkattumseval in 1760, but was made to retreat after a defeat. It is said that later on, yussouf's quarters of Praamalai (Piranmalai) of kallar's had laid roads for the movement of their cavalry.

For this barbarian act he killed innocent people and threw their corpses and heads on the road just to frighten the people of that area. This beastly creature destroyed many important villages by setting fire and on a single day killed 3000 persons including women and children.

The kallar community gathered an army at Melur to put an end to him, getting sent of this, Britisher Rumley made a sudden attack on Melur. The Particulars of this incident are found in the book "Country of Madurai" written by Nelson with his notes.

Historian Robert orme had described the atrocities of Rumley as the strange man-hunt in Asia, and that innocents including women and children numbering 3000, were chased, made to run and were shot dead.

In Jallianwalabagh shooting, the number of people killed was 400 where as the persons who gave their lives to the barbarian activities of Rumley in Tamizhagam was 5000, far above that of Jallaianwalabagh incident.

In the Path of Poolithevan

Even after the demise of Poolithevan certain chieftains continued to oppose the English. The Marava chieftains of chettur, Sivagiri, Vaasudevanalloor and kollarkondan played important roles.

In 1767, colonel Campbell waged a war against them. Despite the war, Campbell had sincerely and happily praised the valiant fight of Maravar warriors, many thousand of the people earnestly attending their agriculture in between the war and the plenteous heaps of paddy in the harvest and also the natural wealth of the place and the goodness of the people. Moreover he had said that it was good to befriend the chieftains than go to fight with them.

Jagaveerapandian, the ruler of Paanchalangkurichi had no issue. Hence he made his able commander kattabomman the ruler. Well known as Veerpandia kattabomman he continued the movement of non-payment of taxes (kattabomman belonged to the kambala Naicker community)


Birsa Munda

Birsa Munda(1875-1900) was a Munda tribal chieftain from Bihar. Under the influence of a local mission, he converted to Catholicism early in his life but later reject Christianity and Catholic priests. During this period, he came under the influence of Vaishnavite pandits and embraced Vaishnavism. Immediately he forbade cow-slaughter, sported a thilak on his forehead and led a very pious life.. He was venerated as a Prophet and he fought the British who were trying to encroach upon Munda lands... He supported monogamy among the polygamous Mundas and brought abt innumerable reforms.. Ultimately in 1900 he was captured and imprisoned by the british and he dided under mysterious circumstances

Tanaji Malusare

'The fort is won but the Lion is dead'.
Indeed, a lion of determination and steadfast bravery.
When the Mughals holding the Kondhana fort least expected the Marathas to strike, they struck from the steepest side of the bastion.Tanaji Malusare made use of a monitor lizard to fasten a rope and then mounted 300 of Maratha infantrymen from the cliff on the night of 4/5 February, 1670. Intense fighting ensued with the 1500 Mughals in garrison. Tanaji faced Udaybhanu the garrison commander and during the fierce duel, Tanaji's shield was broken. He thereafter used his turban to parry the thrusts, succeding in killing Udaybhanu. He died soon after, because of the deadly wounds. After the fall of Tanaji, his brother Suryaji kept alive the morale of the troops.The rest of the Marathas joined their mates after the raiding party threw open the gates of the fort.
The brave 500 Marathas took a toll of 1200 on the Mughal garrison and captured Kondhana, fondly called 'Sinhagad' in honour of the great Tanaji's sacrifice.

Senapati Bapat

Pandurang Mahadev Bapat (November 12, 1880 - November 28, 1967) -
A revolutionary, a teacher, social worker - you name it - he was into it. A brilliant example of a restive youth who later became a leading social reformer. After working ceaselessly for independence, he became an example of ideal community leadership after India became politically free. We salute his courage, his keen sense of social reform and his always forthright leadership.


Anant Laxman Kanhere

Anant Laxman Kanhere, on 21st December, 1909 shot and killed Jackson, the then District Collector of Nasik. Kanhere was a follower of the Savarkar brothers.
A British officer had beaten and killed a farmer in Nasik for not allowing his vehicle to overtake. It was at this time that Jackson was to be promoted outside Nasik.
Kanhere and his friends, Krishnaji Karve and Vinayak Deshpande decided to kill Jackson for the atrocities committed on Indians by the British rulers. Kanhere killed Jackson at the Vijayanand Theatre, where a play was organized for Jackson's farewell.
Kanhere, Karve and Deshpande were hanged on April 19, 1910.
This incident is among the many that forms part of the burning Revolutionary history of Maharashtra.
We salute the burning patriotism of these three martyrs, whose killing of Jackson is no less significant than the killing of Saunders by Bhagat Singh and Rajguru.

Chimaji Appa

Shreemant Chimaji Appa is the brother of His Excellency the Shreemant Peshwa Bajirao I.
Though less known than his brother, this hero of the battle of Bassein that sealed Portuguese fortunes in Maharashtra forever is known for his tact as a calm and efficient general. Though he did not live long, his military feats make him one of the very best generals medieval India has produced, among the leading lights that include Bajirao I and Mahadaji Shinde among the post-Chhatrapati greats.

Baji Prabhu Deshpande

Baji Prabhu Deshpande who gave his life for the defence of the motherland on July 13th, 1660 is a Martyr of no meagre weight. A highly revered hero in Maratha history, Baji Prabhu Deshpande is an institution in himself - of the ability to withstand tremendous pressure with a very small force under his command. He held the Ghod Pass till he heard the cannon fire from Vishalgad, the signal that his master, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had reached the fort safely. To honour the great sacrifice of this patriotic hero, the Ghod Pass was renamed "Paawan" khind (Pass) or Sanctified Pass, indeed sanctified by Baji Prabhu Deshpande's sacrifice.
What makes Baji Prabhu Deshpande a legend is his absolute adherence to duty, making superhuman efforts to achieve the goal of stopping the Adilshahi troops from crossing the Ghod Pass, with a mere battalion of 300 soldiers against an army of 3000 and succeeding, displaying such courageous valour that he refused to stop fighting inspite of being fatally wounded


C.Vijayaragavachariar

Vijayaragavachariar, a famous leader in Congress was the cheiftain & chief whip of the Congress in Central tamilnadu.He was an able Advocate and a leader of the Bar at Salem. In 1882,there was a Hindu-Muslim riot in Salem. Vijayaraghavachariar was implicated in the riot and charges were framed against him. He relentlessly fought the charges in the Court of Law and finally came out unscathed. Fighting the case for those implicated in the Salem riots of 1882 made Vijayaraghavachariar famous overnight. He was called "The Hero of Salem" and "Lion of South India".
When the Indian National Congress was started in 1885 he was one of the special invitees. He was a close associate of A. O. Hume, the founder of the Indian National Congress.

Gopinath Bordoloi

Gopinath Bordoloi (1890-1950) was the first Chief Minister of the Indian state of Assam, and also a leading Indian freedom-fighter. He was a follower of the Gandhian principle of non violence as a political tool.

He graduated from the Scottish Church College, Calcutta. Thereafter he joined the Indian National Congress as a volunteer. After rising through Congress ranks in the 1930s, Bordoloi's biggest political battle came in 1946-47, when the then Undivided Bengal's Muslim majority politicians (mostly belonging to the Muslim League) wanted to include the overwhelmingly Hindu Assam into the Muslim-majority East Pakistan. Organizing protests and engaging with the colonial government at the highest level prevented mass communal riots in Assam and allowed for it to preserve its territorial integrity within the Union of India.

After India's Independence, he worked closely with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to secure the sovereignty of Assam against Communist China on the one hand and East Pakistan on the other.

He also helped to organize the rehabilitation of millions of Hindu refugees who had fled East Pakistan due to widespread violence and intimidation in the aftermath of Partition. His work formed the basis for ensuring communal harmony, democracy and stability which effectively kept Assam secure and progressive right up to the 1971 war over East Pakistan's independence. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1999.


Velu Nachiar – The first women freedom fighter

I think you all know little about the Velu NAchiar. one of the first lady to fight the british even before Rani LAxmi Bai did.

She is from the great Sivaganga district which has got a plenty of freedom fighters to say. She fought and got back the Sivaganga region from the British with the help of Tipu Sultan.

When British forces conquered Sivaganga she went along with Maruthu pandiyars to meet Tipu sultan to get his help. Tipu was in Dindugal Fort at that time and he was astonished to see the Queen when she spoke to him in urdu without any hurdles.

I came to know from one book the history of South Indian Freedom Movement that she is capable of speaking and writing 15 languages without any flaws.

Tipu gave all his aid to her and also even constructed a Devi shrine since she is a adrent devotee of Devi. U can find that temple still in the Dindugal fort.