Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Born: April 14, 1891
Died: December 6, 1956
Achievements: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was elected as the chairman of the drafting committee that was constituted by the Constituent Assembly to draft a constitution for the independent India; he was the first Law Minister of India; conferred Bharat Ratna in 1990.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is viewed as messiah of dalits and downtrodden in India. He was the chairman of the drafting committee that was constituted by the Constituent Assembly in 1947 to draft a constitution for the independent India. He played a seminal role in the framing of the constitution. Bhimrao Ambedkar was also the first Law Minister of India. For his yeoman service to the nation, B.R. Ambedkar was bestowed with Bharat Ratna in 1990.

Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891 in Mhow (presently in Madhya Pradesh). He was the fourteenth child of Ramji and Bhimabai Sakpal Ambavedkar. B.R. Ambedkar belonged to the "untouchable" Mahar Caste. His father and grandfather served in the British Army. In those days, the government ensured that all the army personnel and their children were educated and ran special schools for this purpose. This ensured good education for Bhimrao Ambedkar, which would have otherwise been denied to him by the virtue of his caste.

Bhimrao Ambedkar experienced caste discrimination right from the childhood. After his retirement, Bhimrao's father settled in Satara Maharashtra. Bhimrao was enrolled in the local school. Here, he had to sit on the floor in one corner in the classroom and teachers would not touch his notebooks. In spite of these hardships, Bhimrao continued his studies and passed his Matriculation examination from Bombay University with flying colours in 1908. Bhim Rao Ambedkar joined the Elphinstone College for further education. In 1912, he graduated in Political Science and Economics from Bombay University and got a job in Baroda.

In 1913, Bhimrao Ambedkar lost his father. In the same year Maharaja of Baroda awarded scholarship to Bhim Rao Ambedkar and sent him to America for further studies. Bhimrao reached New York in July 1913. For the first time in his life, Bhim Rao was not demeaned for being a Mahar. He immersed himself in the studies and attained a degree in Master of Arts and a Doctorate in Philosophy from Columbia University in 1916 for his thesis "National Dividend for India: A Historical and Analytical Study." From America, Dr.Ambedkar proceeded to London to study economics and political science. But the Baroda government terminated his scholarship and recalled him back.

The Maharaja of Baroda appointed Dr. Ambedkar as his political secretary. But no one would take orders from him because he was a Mahar. Bhimrao Ambedkar returned to Bombay in November 1917. With the help of Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur, a sympathizer of the cause for the upliftment of the depressed classes, he started a fortnightly newspaper, the "Mooknayak" (Dumb Hero) on January 31, 1920. The Maharaja also convened many meetings and conferences of the "untouchables" which Bhimrao addressed. In September 1920, after accumulating sufficient funds, Ambedkar went back to London to complete his studies. He became a barrister and got a Doctorate in science.

After completing his studies in London, Ambedkar returned to India. In July 1924, he founded the Bahishkrit Hitkaraini Sabha (Outcastes Welfare Association). The aim of the Sabha was to uplift the downtrodden socially and politically and bring them to the level of the others in the Indian society. In 1927, he led the Mahad March at the Chowdar Tank at Colaba, near Bombay, to give the untouchables the right to draw water from the public tank where he burnt copies of the 'Manusmriti' publicly.

In 1929, Ambedkar made the controversial decision to co-operate with the all-British Simon Commission which was to look into setting up a responsible Indian Government in India. The Congress decided to boycott the Commission and drafted its own version of a constitution for free India. The Congress version had no provisions for the depressed classes. Ambedkar became more skeptical of the Congress's commitment to safeguard the rights of the depressed classes.

When a separate electorate was announced for the depressed classes under Ramsay McDonald 'Communal Award', Gandhiji went on a fast unto death against this decision. Leaders rushed to Dr. Ambedkar to drop his demand. On September 24, 1932, Dr. Ambedkar and Gandhiji reached an understanding, which became the famous Poona Pact. According to the pact the separate electorate demand was replaced with special concessions like reserved seats in the regional legislative assemblies and Central Council of States.

Dr. Ambedkar attended all the three Round Table Conferences in London and forcefully argued for the welfare of the "untouchables". Meanwhile, British Government decided to hold provincial elections in 1937. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar set up the "Independent Labor Party" in August 1936 to contest the elections in the Bombay province. He and many candidates of his party were elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly.

In 1937, Dr. Ambedkar introduced a Bill to abolish the "khoti" system of land tenure in the Konkan region, the serfdom of agricultural tenants and the Mahar "watan" system of working for the Government as slaves. A clause of an agrarian bill referred to the depressed classes as "Harijans," or people of God. Bhimrao was strongly opposed to this title for the untouchables. He argued that if the "untouchables" were people of God then all others would be people of monsters. He was against any such reference. But the Indian National Congress succeeded in introducing the term Harijan. Ambedkar felt bitter that they could not have any say in what they were called.

In 1947, when India became independent, the first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, invited Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who had been elected as a Member of the Constituent Assembly from Bengal, to join his Cabinet as a Law Minister. The Constituent Assembly entrusted the job of drafting the Constitution to a committee and Dr. Ambedkar was elected as Chairman of this Drafting Committee. In February 1948, Dr. Ambedkar presented the Draft Constitution before the people of India; it was adopted on November 26, 1949.

In October 1948, Dr. Ambedkar submitted the Hindu Code Bill to the Constituent Assembly in an attempt to codify the Hindu law. The Bill caused great divisions even in the Congress party. Consideration for the bill was postponed to September 1951. When the Bill was taken up it was truncated. A dejected Ambedkar relinquished his position as Law Minister.

On May 24, 1956, on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti, he declared in Bombay, that he would adopt Buddhism in October. On 0ctober 14, 1956 he embraced Buddhism along with many of his followers. On December 6, 1956, Baba Saheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar died peacefully in his sleep.

GOPAL KRISHNA GOKALE

Born: May 9, 1866
Died: February 19, 1915
Achievements: Political guru of Mahatma Gandhi; one of the pioneers of the Indian national movement; founder of the Servants of India Society.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was one of the pioneers of the Indian national movement. He was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. Gokhale gave voice to the aspirations of millions of Indians who were looking for freedom from the British rule. Gandhiji considered him as his political guru. Apart from being a political leader, Gopalkrishna Gokhale, was also a social reformer. He founded the "Servants of India Society"-an organization dedicated to the cause of common people. Gopal Krishna Gokhale's contribution to the making of Indian nation is invaluable.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born on May 9, 1866 in Kothapur, Maharashtra. His father Krishna Rao was a farmer who was forced to work as clerk, as the soil of the region was not conducive for agriculture. His mother Valubai was a simple woman. Gokhale received his early education at the Rajaram High School in Kothapur with the help of financial assistance from his elder brother. Later on he moved on to Bombay and graduated from Elphinstone College, Bombay in 1884 at the age of 18.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was one of the first generations of Indians to receive college education. He was respected widely in the nascent Indian intellectual community and across India. Education influenced Gokhale greatly. His understanding of the English language allowed him to express himself without hesitation and with utmost clarity. His appreciation and knowledge of history instilled in him a respect for liberty, democracy, and the parliamentary system. After graduation, he moved on to teaching, and took a position as an Assistant Master in the New English School in Pune. In 1885, Gokhale moved on to Pune and became one of the founding members of Fergusson College, along with his colleagues in Deccan Education Society. Gopal Krishna Gokhale gave nearly two decades of his life to Fergusson College and rose to become principal of the college. During this time, Gokhale came in contact with Mahadev Govind Ranade. Ranade was a judge, scholar, and social reformer, whom Gokhale called his guru. Gokhale worked with Ranade in Poona Sarvajanik Sabha of which Gokhale became the Secretary.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale entered public life in 1886 at the age of 20. He delivered a public address on "India under the British Rule", which was highly appreciated. Gokhale regularly contributed articles to Bal Gangadhar Tilak's weekly "Mahratta". Through his articles he tried to awaken the latent patriotism of Indian people. Soon, Gokhale was promoted as Secretary of the Deccan Education Society. When the Indian National Congress held its session in Poona in 1895, he was the secretary of the Reception Committee. From this session, Gokhale became a prominent member of the Indian National Congress. Gokhale was twice elected as president of Pune Municipality. For a while Gokhale was also a member of the Bombay Legislative Council where he spoke strongly against the then Government.

In 1902, Gokhale left the Fergusson College. He became a Member of the Imperial Legislative Council in Delhi. There he spoke for the people of the country in an able manner. Gokhale had an excellent grasp of the economic problems of our country which he ably presented during the debates. In 1905, Gokhale started a new society called "Servants of India Society". This society trained workers for the service of the country. In the same year, Gokhale went to England to voice his concerns relating to the unfair treatment of the Indian people by the British government. In a span of 49 days, he spoke in front of 47 different audiences, captivating every one of them. Gokhale pleaded for gradual reforms to ultimately attain Swaraj, or self-government, in India. He was instrumental in the introduction of the Morley- Minto Reforms of 1909, which eventually became law. Though the reforms sowed the seeds of communal division in India, nevertheless, they gave Indian access to the seats of the highest authority within the government, and their voices were more audible in matters of public interest.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a diabetic and asthmatic. Excessive assertion took its toll on Gokhale's health and ultimately he died on February 19, 1915.

VIJAYA LAKSHMI PANDIT

The sister of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, she was the first woman to become the President of the United Nations General Assembly. Well, we are talking about the well known diplomat Vijaya Lakshmi Nehru Pandit. She was an Indian envoy, who was born in the year 1900. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Vijayalakshmi Pandit, who was instrumental in the politics of the country.

In the year 1921, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit married Ranjit Sitaram Pandit. She was the first woman to hold a prestigious position in the cabinet. In the year 1937, she was elected to the provincial legislature of the United Provinces and she became the minister of the local self governing body. She held this position for two consecutive years. Later, in the year 1946, she was reelected for this position. Read on to know the complete life history of Vijayalaxmi Nehru Pandit.

In the post independence period, she made an entry into the diplomatic services and served as the ambassador of India to various countries like Soviet Union, Ireland, United States and Mexico. From 1962 to 1964, she served as the governor of Maharashtra. Thereafter, she was elected to the Lok Sabha from Phulpur, which was the former constituency of her brother. She held the post for four years till 1968. Vijayalakshmi Pandit was critical about her niece, Indira Gandhi. Infact, their relations were not very good.

When Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister in the year 1966, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit took retirement from active politics. After taking voluntary retirement, she went to the peaceful Dehradun city. In the year 1979, she was chosen as the representative of India to the UN Human Rights Commission. Thereafter, she went far away from public life. She had an interest in writing. Her writings consist of The Evolution of India (1958) and The Scope of Happiness: A Personal Memoir (1979). Infact, her daughter named Nayantara Sahgal, is a wonderful novelist. Vijaylakshmi Pandit died in the year 1990.

PATTABHI SITARAMAYYA

Born - 24 November 1880
Died - 1959
Achievements - He was a freedom fighter cum political person in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh during the pre-independence era. He was requested to stand for the presidency of the Indian National Congress as a candidate closest to the great Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in 1939. Further, he was Madhya Pradesh governor from 1952 to 1957 and also set up the Andhra Bank at Machilipatnam in November 1923.

Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya was a freedom fighter cum political person in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh during the pre-independence era. He was born on 24 November 1880 at the Gundugolanu village and later went on to acquire a BA degree from the Madras Christian College. Thereafter, he went on to realize his desire of becoming a medical practitioner by getting M.B.C.M. degree. Though he had started working as a doctor in the coastal town of Machilipatnam, he relinquished everything to lend support to the freedom struggle against the British in India.

Read on to know more about the biography of Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya, who became so prominent that he was requested to stand for the presidency of the Indian National Congress as a candidate closest to the great Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi against the more radical Subhas Chandra Bose in the year 1939. He, however, lost primarily due to the huge popularity of Bose. When the Quit India Movement was launched in the year 1942, Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya who was a member of the Congress Working Committee then, was put behind bars for 3 years with other Committee members.

The life history or the account of the days spent in jail by Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya during this period can be availed from the book Feathers and Stones. Though he penned this book during his time in jail, it was published later. He even successfully ran for the presidency of the Congress in the year 1948 with full support of Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India. Further, he was Madhya Pradesh governor from 1952 to 1957 and also set up the Andhra Bank at Machilipatnam in November 1923 that's currently one of the major commercial banks of India.

RANI GAIDNLIU

Born - 26 January 1915
Died - 17 February 1993
Achievements - Rani Gaidinliu from Manipur was a fearless Indian freedom fighter who joined the agitation at the age of 13 and headed the movement against the British in the Manipur and Naga belts. The Government of India honored her with the prestigious Padma Bhushan in 1993.

Rani Gaidinliu, who was born at the Nangkao village in Manipur, was an active freedom fighter of India who joined the agitation at the age of 13. She spearheaded an inspiring socio-political movement to cast the British out from the Manipur and Naga belts. It was in 1932 at the age of 16 that Rani Gaidinliu was arrested and put behind bars for life. She could be freed from the jail only after India's independence in 1947. Read this biography to know about the life history of the spunky Rani Gaidinliu.

That Rani Gaidinliu was a charismatic girl was apparent from a very early age. While she was just 13, she grew restive witnessing the prevailing social and political ambience in the hills of Manipur under the British influence. It was at this time that she met prominent local leader Haipou Jadonang at Puilon Village and swayed by his ideas and principles, she launched the revolutionary movement against the British in 1927. However, just when this agitation was beginning to assume enough height to strike, Haipou was arrested by the British and put to death in 1931.

It was from this moment onwards that the responsibility of directing the agitation in the Manipur and Naza hill regions fell on Rani's shoulders. Following this incident, Rani Gaidinliu immediately went underground. Though the British announced a reward of Rs 500 to anybody who would inform them about her whereabouts, the entire village stood together in support of Rani. But she was finally hunted own in October 1932. Rani Gaidinliu was put under life imprisonment for waging war against the British.

Rani Gaidinliu continued to work for the welfare of her people even after her release from jail in 1947. She even set up a resistance agitation against the Naga National Council (NNC)-led insurgents in 1966 and had to go underground due to this. Gaidinliu was respected by everybody for her role as a freedom fighter and was also honored with the prestigious Padma Bhushan in 1993. In her remembrance, the Government of India even issued a postal stamp.

SIR SURENDRANATH BANERJEE

Born - 10 November 1848 Died - 6 August 1925 Achievements - Being among the earliest of Indian politicians in the pre-independence era, Sir Surendranath Banerjee established the Indian National Association that he later merged with the Indian National Congress owing to their common agenda. At a very young age, he cleared the British instituted ICS examinations, but was dismissed due to racial discrimination. He whipped up a strong protest against this. Among the earliest Indian politicians during the British raj was Sir Surendranath Banerjee. He set up the Indian National Association that was among the earliest political organizations of that era. Later on, Banerjee became a senior member of the Indian National Congress. Born on 10 November 1848 at Calcutta in West Bengal, Surendranath Banerjee was intensely swayed by the liberal, progressive thinking of his father, Durga Charan Banerjee. Read on to know more about the biography of Sir Surendranath Banerjee. After graduating from the University of Calcutta, Surendranath traveled to England in 1868 along with Romesh Chunder Dutt and Behari Lal Gupta to appear for the Indian Civil Service exams. Though he passed the ICS in 1869, he was dismissed because of a dispute over his right age. After this matter was sorted out in a court of law, Banerjee reappeared for the exam and once again managed to clear it in 1871. He was appointed as the assistant magistrate in Sylhet, but was chucked out due to racial discrimination. Not one to leave challenges lying down his entire life history, Sir Surendranath Banerjee headed straight to England this time. Though he raised his voice against the injustice, his protest failed to deliver any positive result. However, during his stay in England from 1874 to 1875, Banerjee acquainted himself with the works of Edmund Burke and other liberal philosophers. Upon returning to India, Surendranath Banerjee instead started working as a professor of English at the Metropolitan Institution, the Free Church Institution and at the Ripon College. In the time to come, Banerjee went on to launch 'The Bengali' newspaper and the Indian National Association in 1876. He employed these forums to address political and social issues like the age-limit for Indian students appearing for ICS. He rebuked the racial discrimination practiced by the British officers through public speeches all over the country, which made him very popular. After the Congress was set up in 1885 at Bombay, Banerjee merged his Indian National Association with it owing to their common agenda. He served as Congress President in 1898 and 1904.

RAJKUMARI AMRIT KAUR

She was born on the February 2, 1889 in Lucknow to a princely family of Kapurthala, a part of undivided India. She was the first Indian woman to hold the position of cabinet minister. Well, we are talking about the well known freedom fighter Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, who was an eminent Gandhian and a great social reformer.

Amrit Kaur gave away all the worldly pleasures and focused her attention on serving the society. Throughout the freedom struggle of India, she worked in close association with other freedom fighters. After independence, she became the health minister of India. She was actively involved in activities undertaken for the welfare of society. To know the complete life history of Rajkumari Amritkaur, read on.

Early life
She came from a royal family background. She was the only daughter of her parents, Raja Harnam Singh and Rani Harnam Singh. She had seven brothers. She did her schooling from England at the school at Sherborne, Dorsetshire. She graduated from Oxford University. She was a fabulous tennis player. She even won a number of prizes for her excellent performance.

Coming from such a noble family, she could have led a very luxurious life. But, when she came to India, she left all her comforts and got involved in the social welfare activities. She was instrumental in the India's Independence Movement and played a vital role as a social reformer.

Raja Harnam Singh was a very pious and pure hearted person, who was frequently visited by prominent leaders of the Indian National Congress party like Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Amritkaur started developing interest in the freedom struggle and also became more aware about the activities that are undertaken by the freedom fighters. She was highly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.

The ruthless killings that took place in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919 motivated her to join the freedom struggle. Eventually, she worked together with Mahatma Gandhi. She went far away from materialist life and began leading the life of an ascetic. She came to live in Mahatma Gandhi's Ashram in the year 1934. She also raised her voice against inhuman acts like ill treatment of Harijans.

As a Gandhian
She became an active member of Indian National Congress. She was involved in almost all the activities and movements that were launched by Gandhiji for the wellbeing of people. She became one of the most dedicated disciples of Mahatma Gandhi. She sincerely followed the teachings and principles of Bapu. This explains the reason why she was also addressed as a Gandhian. During the Dandi March, she was along with Gandhiji. It is during this movement that, she was imprisoned by the British Raj authorities.

Post-independence
After the Independence of India, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur joined the Jawaharlal Nehru's first Cabinet. She was the first woman to hold a cabinet position. She was made the incharge of Ministry of Health. She was the only Christian in the cabinet of India. In the year 1950, she was elected for the post of President of the World Health Assembly.

She played a pivotal role in the task of conceptualizing and laying the foundation for the establishment of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. For this, she secured aid from different countries like New Zealand, West Germany etc. She also provided assistance to a rehabilitation centre. She and her brother even donated their ancestral property that was made the holiday home for the staff of the institute.

She served as the Chairperson of the Indian Red Cross society for a long period of fourteen years. She made an immense contribution towards the development of the tribal groups of India. She held the position of health minister till 1957. Thereafter, she took retirement from the ministerial activities, but still remained a part of the Rajya Sabha. Till she was alive, she held the presidency position of AIMS and the Tuberculosis Association. She also served as the chairperson of St. John's Ambulance Corps. This great soul departed for heaven on the 2nd October in the year 1964.

ARUNA ASAF ALI

Born: July 16, 1908
Died: July 29, 1996
Achievements: Aruna Asaf Ali played a leading role during Quit India Movement; elected as Delhi’s first Mayor; awarded the Lenin Prize for peace in 1975 and the Jawahar Lal Nehru award for International understanding for 1991; honored with Bharat Ratna in 1998.

Aruna Asaf Ali was a legendary heroine of India's freedom struggle. Her moment of reckoning came in 1942 during Quit India Movement and she rose to the occasion. She unfurled the national flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan to signify the commencement of the Quit India Movement and became a legend for thousands of youth that rose to emulate her.

Aruna Asaf Ali was born as Aruna Ganguly on July 16 1908 at Kalka (Haryana) in an orthodox Hindu Bengali family. She was educated at Sacred Heart Convent in Lahore, and then in Nainital. After graduating from school, she taught at the Gokhale Memorial School in Calcutta. In Allahabad, she met her future husband, Asaf Ali,a prominent Congressman who was 23 years older than her. They were married in 1928 against parental opposition on the grounds of both religion and age.

As Asaf Ali was deeply involved with freedom struggle, after marriage Aruna Asaf Ali too plunged into it. Her first major political action was during the Salt Satyagraha in 1930 when she addressed public meetings and led processions. British Government charged her for being a “vagrant” and sentenced her to one year’s imprisonment. When political prisoners were released in the aftermath of Gandhi-Irwin pact, Aruna was not released. But a public agitation in favour of her release forced British government to release her.

She was arrested again in 1932 and put in Tihar Jail. In Tihar Jail she went on a hunger strike against the treatment meted out to political prisoners. Her protest caused an improvement in conditions, but she herself was moved to solitary confinement in Ambala. After her release, she dropped out of the national movement for 10 years.

In 1942 she attended the Bombay Congress Session with her husband, where the historic Quit India resolution was passed on 8th August. When the Congress leaders were arrested on the day after this resolution was passed, Aruna presided over the flag-hoisting ceremony at Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay. She provided the spark that ignited the movement. She became a full-time activist in the Quit India movement and went underground to evade arrest. Her property was seized by the Government and sold. The Government also announced Rs. 5000 reward for her capture. Meanwhile, she fell ill and on hearing this Gandhiji advised her to surrender. However, Aruna Asaf Ali surrendered herself only when the warrants against her were cancelled on 26th January 1946.

At the time of independence Aruna Asaf Ali was a member of the Congress Socialist Party, which until then had been part of the Congress framework. In 1948, however, the socialists, including Aruna, formed a socialist party of their own. In 1955 this group merged with Communist Party of India and she became a member of its Central committee and a Vice President of the All India Trade Union Congress. In 1958 she left the Communist Party of India and was elected Delhi's first Mayor. she rejoined the Congress party in 1964 but ceased to play any active part in politics. She was awarded the Lenin Prize for peace in 1975 and the Jawahar Lal Nehru award for International understanding for 1991. Aruna Asaf Ali died on died July 29 1996. She was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, and was honoured with a stamp issued by the Indian Postal Service in 1998.

CHITTARANJAN DAS

Born - 1890
Died - 1988
Achievements - Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun political and spiritual leader of India. He was widely respected for his non-violent resistance to the British's sway over the country and was known to be a devout follower of the great Mahatma Gandhi.

Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun political as well as a spiritual leader of India. He was well-known and respected for his non-violent resistance to the British's sway over the entire country. A lover of peace and harmony and a devout follower of the great Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Abdul Ghaffar Khan used to be called by people by many names like Badshah Khan or Bacha Khan meaning 'King of Chiefs' and Sarhaddi Gandhi. Read on to know more about the biography of Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

Khan maintained a very close friendship with Gandhiji, who advocated adherence of non-violent methods for winning back freedom from the hands of the British. The two of them nurtured deep love and respect for one another and worked in alliance till the time India gained its independence in the year 1947. The leading Khudai Khidmatgar organization, of which Abdul Ghaffar Khan was reverent member, worked in close partnership with the Indian National Congress against the British Empire.

On many occasions, when other members of the Indian National Congress disagreed with Mahatma Gandhi on any particular issue, Abdul Ghaffar Khan all throughout the life history of their friendship, remained Gandhiji's strongest supporter. He refused when the Congress proffered him its presidency in 1931, but, nevertheless remained a member of the Congress Working Committee for a long time. Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a champion of women's rights and nonviolence and for this, the public simply adored him.

His entire life, Khan's trust in the non-violent methods or in the compatibility of Islam and nonviolence never waned. So strong was his kinship with Gandhiji that in India that he was often referred to as the `Frontier Gandhi'. While there were some Pashtuns who wanted to stay united with India, others favored the creation of Pakistan. Abdul Ghaffar Khan, however, vehemently opposed the partition of India. As such, he was often seen as anti-Muslim by some.

ABDUL GHAFFAR KHAN

Born - 1890
Died - 1988
Achievements - Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun political and spiritual leader of India. He was widely respected for his non-violent resistance to the British's sway over the country and was known to be a devout follower of the great Mahatma Gandhi.

Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun political as well as a spiritual leader of India. He was well-known and respected for his non-violent resistance to the British's sway over the entire country. A lover of peace and harmony and a devout follower of the great Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Abdul Ghaffar Khan used to be called by people by many names like Badshah Khan or Bacha Khan meaning 'King of Chiefs' and Sarhaddi Gandhi. Read on to know more about the biography of Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

Khan maintained a very close friendship with Gandhiji, who advocated adherence of non-violent methods for winning back freedom from the hands of the British. The two of them nurtured deep love and respect for one another and worked in alliance till the time India gained its independence in the year 1947. The leading Khudai Khidmatgar organization, of which Abdul Ghaffar Khan was reverent member, worked in close partnership with the Indian National Congress against the British Empire.

On many occasions, when other members of the Indian National Congress disagreed with Mahatma Gandhi on any particular issue, Abdul Ghaffar Khan all throughout the life history of their friendship, remained Gandhiji's strongest supporter. He refused when the Congress proffered him its presidency in 1931, but, nevertheless remained a member of the Congress Working Committee for a long time. Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a champion of women's rights and nonviolence and for this, the public simply adored him.

His entire life, Khan's trust in the non-violent methods or in the compatibility of Islam and nonviolence never waned. So strong was his kinship with Gandhiji that in India that he was often referred to as the `Frontier Gandhi'. While there were some Pashtuns who wanted to stay united with India, others favored the creation of Pakistan. Abdul Ghaffar Khan, however, vehemently opposed the partition of India. As such, he was often seen as anti-Muslim by some.

SUCHETA KIRPLANI

Sucheta Kriplani was a great freedom fighter of India. She was born as Sucheta Mazumdar in the year 1908. She was the first woman to be elected as the Chief Minister of a state in India. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Sucheta Kriplani, an important personality who has made an immense contribution in fighting for the freedom of India.

Early life
Sucheta Kriplani was born to a Bengali family in the Ambala city. Her father S.N. Majumdar was a nationalist of India. Sucheta took education from Indraprastha College and St.Stephen's College in Delhi. After completing her studies, she took the job of a lecturer in the Banaras Hindu University. In the year 1936, she tied her wedding knots with a socialist Acharya Kriplani and joined the Indian National Congress. Read on to know the complete life history of Sucheta Kriplani.

Freedom Movement and Independence
She came into the Indian historical scene during the Quit India Movement. Sucheta worked in close association with Mahatma Gandhi during the time of partition riots. She went along with him to Noakhali in 1946. She was one amongst the handful women who got elected to the Constituent Assembly. She became a part of the subcommittee that was handed over the task of laying down the charter for the constitution of India. On the 15th August, 1947, i.e. the Independence Day, she sang the national song Vande Mataram in the Independence Session of the Constituent Assembly.

Post Independence
During the post Independence period, she was instrumental in politics in U.P. She was elected to the Lok Sabha in the year 1952 and 1957. She also served as the Minister of State for Small Scale Industries. In the year 1962, she was elected to the U.P Assembly. In the year 1963, she became the first woman to hold a prestigious position of the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. During her long tenure of work, one of her biggest achievements has been the effective handling of the 62 day long strike by the state employees. In the year 1971, she took retirement from the politics and went into seclusion. This prominent personality died in the year 1974.

KK-(Kumaraswami kamaraj)

Born - 15 July 1903
Died - 2 October 1975
Achievements - K. Kamaraj played a crucial role in the appointment of India's two Prime Ministers - Lal Bahadur Shastri in the year 1964 and Indira Gandhi in the year 1966. All throughout his reign as chief minister of Tamil Nadu, K. Kamaraj strived to provide free meals and education to people. This was for the first time in the world that a measure like this was being executed in 1957.

Kumaraswami Kamaraj, who is better remembered as K. Kamaraj, was a powerful Indian politician. He was regarded as the 'kingmaker' in Indian politics and was widely respected for his traits of honesty, integrity and simplicity. During the struggle for India's independence from the British rule, Kamaraj was a close friend of Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, who was later appointed as the first prime minister of the country. Read this biography further to learn more about K. Kamaraj.

Kamaraj was called kingmaker because he played a crucial role in the appointment of India's two Prime Ministers - Lal Bahadur Shastri in the year 1964 and again Indira Gandhi in the year 1966. Thus, people fondly called him the Gandhi of South India or even the Black Gandhi. In his hometown Tamil Nadu, the denizens still credit him for spreading education facility to the thousands under the poverty line.

All throughout the reign of K. Kamaraj in Tamil Nadu, he strived to provide free meals and education to people. And this was for the first time in the world that a measure like this was being executed by K. Kamaraj in 1957. Due to his selfless service for the good of the poor and the downtrodden in the society, the Government of India awarded him with the Bharat Ratna, posthumously in the year 1976.

Though K. Kamaraj's nurtured an interest in politics since childhood, it was at the age of 16 that he joined the Indian National Congress as a full time worker. His task was to invite speakers, make arrangements for meetings and collect funds for the Congress party. In the year 1030, Kamaraj also participated in a rally to Vedaranyam spearheaded by C. Rajagopalachari as a part of the salt Satyagraha. There were many occasions when Kumaraswami Kamaraj was put behind the bars during the struggle for India's independence.

DADABHAI NAOROJI

Born: September 4, 1825
Died: June 30, 1917
Achievements: First Indian to become a professor of the college; instrumental in the establishment of the Indian National Congress; was President of the Indian National Congress thrice; the Congress' demand for swaraj (self-rule) was first expressed publicly by him in his presidential address in 1906

Dadabhai Naoroji is fondly called as the "Grand Old Man of India". He is viewed as the architect who laid the foundation of the Indian freedom struggle.

Dadabhai Naoroji was born in a poor Parsi family in Bombay on September 4, 1825. His father, Naoroji Palanji Dordi, died when Dadabhai Naoroji was only four years old. He was raised by her mother Maneckbai who despite being illiterate herself ensured that Dadabhai Naoroji got best English education possible. As a student Dada Bhai Naoroji was very good in Mathematics and English. He studied at Elphinstone Institution, Bombay and on completion of his education he was appointed the Head Native Assistant Master at the Elphinstone Institution. Dadabhai Naoroji became a professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Elphinstone Institution at the age of 27. He was the first Indian to become a professor of the college.

Dadabhai Nauroji entered the political fray in 1852. He strongly opposed the renewal of lease to the East India Company in 1853. He sent petitions to the English government in this regard. But the British government ignored his pleas and renewed the lease. Dadabhai Naoroji felt that the British misrule of India was because of ignorance of the Indian people. He set up the Gyan Prasarak Mandali (Society for Promotion of Knowledge) for the education of adult menfolk. He wrote several petitions to Governors and Viceroys regarding India's problems. Ultimately, he felt that the British people and the British Parliament must be made aware of India's plight. In 1855, at the age of 30 he sailed for England.

In England, Dadabhai Naoroji joined several learned societies, delivered many speeches and wrote articles on the plight of India. He founded the East Indian Association on December 1st, 1866. The association was comprised of high-ranking officers from India and people who had access to Members of the British Parliament. Dadabhai Naoroji was elected to the British Parliament in 1892 from Central Finsbury as the Liberal party candidate. He got a resolution passed in British Parliament for holding preliminary examinations for the I.C.S. in India and England simultaneously. He also got the Wiley Commission, the royal commission on India expenditure, to acknowledge the need for even distribution of administrative and military expenditure between India and England.

Dadabhai Naoroji was instrumental in the establishment of the Indian National Congress founded by A.O. Hume in 1885. Thrice he was elected to the post of the President of the Indian National Congress, in 1886, 1893 and in 1906. During his third term, he prevented a split between moderates and extremists in the party. The Congress' demand for swaraj (self-rule) was first expressed publicly by him in his presidential address in 1906. Dadabhai Naoroji believed in non-violent and constitutional methods of protest. He died at the age of 92 on June 30, 1917.

VINAYAKA DAMODAR SAVARKAR

Vināyak Dāmodar Sāvarkar (May 28, 1883 – February 26,1966) was an Indian revolutionaryand politician, who is credited with developing the Hindu nationalist political ideology Hindutva. He is considered to be the central icon of modern Hindu nationalist political parties. Rightwing historians tag him as Indian Independence Movement activist.

Savarkar's revolutionary activities began when studying in India and England, where he was associated with the India House and founded student societies including Abhinav Bharat Society and the Free India Society, as well as publications espousing the cause of complete Indian independence by revolutionary means. Savarkar would publish The Indian War of Independence about the Indian rebellion of 1857 that would be banned by British authorities. He was arrested in 1910 for his connections with the revolutionary group India House. Following a failed attempt to escape while being transported from Marseilles, Savarkar was sentenced to 50-years imprisonment and moved to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

While in jail, Savarkar would pen the work describing Hindutva, openly espousing Hindu nationalism. He would be released in 1921 under restrictions after signing a plea for clemency in which he renounced revolutionary activities. Travelling widely, Savarkar became a forceful orator and writer, advocating Hindu political and social unity. Serving as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha, Savarkar endorsed the ideal of India as a Hindu Rashtra and opposed the Quit India struggle in 1942. He became a fierce critic of the Indian National Congress and its acceptance of India's partition, and was one of those accused in the assassination of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, though he was acquitted by the Court. He spent the last years of his life writing and expounding on Hindutva.
avarkar's revolution.
U CAN SEE THE VIDOES OF SAVARKAR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ponkvm6CWE