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MqCc0қQorO`c{iu:. ?nf%BN<+c ۏ>HToA[ nc5^ ?w}Fe5K0)MFB ArW\2qf<ꏲ%-3! 9BA@̻R:vM@8X0Evl\ur NGwBBZXm4ґ́"_J`YJc`/[ &5>ՔT~Uro'Uzo{_~)FGzyt^ɀ<ν4O?~5vT"!cONt}Lo+ ز> E n- #4K8xg`7pwsMyṰO3i[`aB[R i`h~u h(Y{b}*mxy,V=D?$eD:\>6 .`zZO<^V " 5Aq}6*(U OS)8&UF ʴ BHAGAT SINGH – historified https://historified.in Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:52:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://historified.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/cropped-H-L8.1-32x32.png BHAGAT SINGH – historified https://historified.in 32 32 DADABHAI NAOROJI – THE GRAND OLD MAN OF INDIA https://historified.in/2026/06/24/dadabhai-naoroji-the-grand-old-man-of-india/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:52:28 +0000 https://historified.in/?p=15925 -Tanushree Wadodkar The story of India’s struggle for independence is often associated with mass movements, protests, satyagraha, and revolution. Naturally, we tend to think of names like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Mangal Pandey, and Jawaharlal Nehru. However, long before these movements took shape, some individuals were working towards exposing the realities of British rule, not […]

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]]> -Tanushree Wadodkar

The story of India’s struggle for independence is often associated with mass movements, protests, satyagraha, and revolution. Naturally, we tend to think of names like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Mangal Pandey, and Jawaharlal Nehru. However, long before these movements took shape, some individuals were working towards exposing the realities of British rule, not through revolt or protests, but through reasoned argument, research, and political advocacy. Among these individuals was Dadabhai Naoroji.

Known as the “Grand old man of India”, Dadabhai Naoroji was one of the earliest people to transform Indian nationalism into an organised movement. He was a scholar, teacher, businessman, social reformer, and political leader. At a time when most Indians believed that British rule would transform India and bring prosperity to the country, Naoroji exposed a different truth. He argued that India was becoming poorer because its wealth was being systematically transferred to Britain. The economic policies were also designed to benefit the colonial interests.

His ideas and studies laid the intellectual foundations for the national movements. He challenged the colonial exploitative policies through his speeches and studies, and changed the perspective of Indians towards British rule. Moreover, he also inspired an entire generation of freedom fighters who would later carry the movement forward.

Early Life

Dadabhai Naoroji was born on 4 September 1825 in Bombay (Mumbai)in a Parsi family. His father died when he was still young, and much of his upbringing was shaped by his mother, Manekbai, who ensured that her son received a good education.

Dadabhai was an exceptional student and even attended the Elphinstone Institution, which was one of the most prestigious educational institutions in India. His academic record and achievements earned him widespread recognition, and he soon became one of the first Indians to be appointed a professor at Elphinstone College. And this happened during a period when senior academic positions were largely reserved for Europeans. Naoroji’s appointment as a professor reflected not only his capabilities but also the emergence of an educated middle class.

Social Reformer

Before becoming a prominent political figure, Naoroji was actively involved in social reform. He believed that progress required improvements not only in governance but also within society itself.

 In 1849, he established (along with other students) the first network of six free schools for girls in Bombay at the age of 24. As a professor at the Elphinstone Institution, he advocated for women’s education. He taught special classes set up to spread literacy and education among women.

As a member of the Parsi Community, he co-founded the Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha in 1851 to modernise and reform the Zoroastrian religious and social practices. He launched the Gujarati-language newspaper Rast Goftar (Truth Teller) to educate people and advocate for social reform.

Political Career

As British control over India expanded, Naoroji became increasingly interested in political issues. He initially pursued constitutional methods instead of mass protests.

As one of the founding fathers of the Indian National Congress and its three-time president, he advocated for swaraj.

In 1866, he founded the East India Association in London. The organisation aimed to educate British citizens and lawmakers about conditions in India. It served as a critical predecessor organisation to the Indian National Congress. 

He served as a minister to the Maharaja of Baroda in 1874, where he attempted to improve the governance and conditions within the state.

Naoroji was a key founding member of the INC in 1885. He served as INC’s President three times: 1886 (Calcutta), 1893 (Lahore), and 1906 (Calcutta). At the 1906 session in Calcutta, Naoroji openly advocated “Swaraj,” or self-government, as the goal of the Indian people.

Naoroji achieved another historic milestone in 1892 when he was elected to the British House of Commons. Representing the Liberal Party, he became the first Indian to serve as a Member of Parliament in Britain. During his time at the Parliament, he spoke about the economic exploitation of India and the need for Indian participation in governance.

The Drain Theory

One of the most significant contributions of Dadabhai Naoroji was the “Drain Theory” developed in 1867. He first introduced the concept in his paper, England’s Debt to India, and elaborated on it in his book, Poverty and Un-British Rule in India, in 1901.

It argued that the colonial rule was systematically siphoning India’s wealth and resources into England without any adequate economic return, causing severe poverty and preventing the country’s industrial development. Naoroji also identified several channels through which this transfer occurred.

  • British officials working in India received high salaries and pensions that were often spent in Britain.
  • Administrative expenses, military expenditures, and payments related to colonial governance frequently benefited British interests rather than India’s development.
  • Profits earned by British companies operating in India were also transferred abroad.

The wealth was generated in India using Indian resources and workforce, but was not used for India’s development. He described this process as an “un-British” form of rule because it contradicted the principles of fairness and justice that Britain claimed to uphold.

Dadabhai Naoroji passed away on 30 June 1917 at the age of ninety-one, leaving a lasting impact on the economic and political spheres of the national movement. Through scholarship, public service, and political activism, he challenged the assumptions that justified colonial rule and gave Indians a new understanding of their country’s condition.

His Drain Theory exposed the economic realities of the colonial rule in India. His leadership within the Indian National Congress helped shape the direction of Indian nationalism. His election to the British Parliament demonstrated that Indian voices could not be excluded from political debate, especially when it concerned their own country. Whether as a teacher, social reformer, Congress leader, or member of the British Parliament, he remained focused on the same goal: securing justice and better governance for the people of India. He helped create the foundations upon which future generations of nationalists would build. For all these reasons, he is now remembered as “The Grand Old Man of India”.

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]]> MORE THAN A MARTYR –  The story of Bhagat Singh https://historified.in/2026/05/08/more-than-a-martyr-the-story-of-bhagat-singh/ Fri, 08 May 2026 06:12:53 +0000 https://historified.in/?p=15811 -Devashree Kulkarni The story of India’s independence is written by countless individuals who chose sacrifice over silence, who stood against an empire, and who put the nation above their own lives. Lost in history books are the stories of countless such people who gave up their lives for a dream they never got to live. […]

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]]> -Devashree Kulkarni

The story of India’s independence is written by countless individuals who chose sacrifice over silence, who stood against an empire, and who put the nation above their own lives. Lost in history books are the stories of countless such people who gave up their lives for a dream they never got to live. Some are remembered and celebrated, while others become only a fragment of the memories. Yet each life given, each voice raised, became a part of a larger struggle that shaped our country.

We have all grown up reading about and studying the Indian freedom movement. From all those history lectures in school, where I was only half-listening, one name particularly stood out to me: Bhagat Singh. I remember reading about him, and I remember thinking, “He was so young, and yet he gave up his life for his country”.

To remember Bhagat Singh is to remember all those who fought beside him and those whose names were never mentioned.

Early life

Bhagat Singh was born on 27th September 1907 in  Banga, western Punjab, to Kishan Singh and Vidyavati. He studied at the local primary school in Lyallapur before moving to Lahore, where he attended Dayanand Anglo Vedic High School and then the National College. Even before he was born, his family was actively involved in the independence movement. When he was born, his father and uncle were in prison. His family’s involvement instilled in him a sense of freedom from a young age. He was 12 when the Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place. This event motivated him to fight for India’s independence. He joined Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement, but was disappointed when it was called off following a violent incident at Chauri Chaura.

Political involvement

When he was at National College, he joined the Hindustan Republican Association. He founded the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, a youth association, in 1929. He also read extensively and explored political theories, history, and philosophy. Influenced by socialist ideas, he believed that freedom was not just about ending colonial rule, but also about creating a just and equal society.

He worked as a writer and editor in Amritsar. His writings questioned blind faith, supported rational thinking, and emphasised the importance of awareness among the people of India. He also popularised the phrase “Inquilab zindabad”. He was influenced by Marxist and socialist ideas.

This intellectual side of Bhagat Singh is often overlooked, but it played a crucial role in shaping his actions.

Revolutionary activities

Bhagat Singh’s revolutionary activities were not just driven by violence, but by a desire to challenge the authority of the British.

One of his earliest major actions was linked to the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, who was injured during protests against British rule and later died. Bhagat Singh, along with Sukh Dev Thapar and Shivram Rajguru, killed the police superintendent J.P. Saunders. They had planned to kill J.A. Scott, but accidentally shot J.P. Saunders. This act was meant as a form of retaliation and a statement against injustice.

In  1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw several bombs at the Central Legislative Assembly as a form of protest against the Defence of India Act (which gave the British powers to deal with revolutionary threats, especially in Punjab).  These bombs were deliberately non-lethal and meant to cause no serious harm. The aim was not destruction, but to “make the deaf hear”. Both Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt surrendered.

In the prison

After his arrest, Bhagat Singh turned the prison into a space of resistance. He was not willing to accept the unequal and unjust treatment given to Indian prisoners, as compared to British inmates. Along with his fellow revolutionaries, he began a hunger strike to demand basic rights such as better food, access to reading material, and fair treatment. The hunger strike lasted for several weeks and drew attention from across the country. During his time in prison, he also spent hours reading and writing. He studied political ideas, history, and philosophy, shaping his thoughts on revolution and society. In fact, on the day of his execution, he was reading ‘Reminiscences of Lenin’.

Why I Am an Atheist

“Why I Am an Atheist” is an essay written in 1930 by Bhagat Singh, while he was in the Lahore Central Jail. In the essay, he argues that his atheism is because of his commitment to revolution and socialism, rather than arrogance.

He says, “What more consolation can there be! A God-believing Hindu may expect to be ‘reborn a king; a Muslim or a Christian might dream of the luxuries he hopes to enjoy in paradise as a reward for his sufferings and sacrifices. What hope should I entertain? I know that will be the end when the rope is tightened round my neck and the rafters move from under my feet. To use more precise religious terminology, that will be the moment of utter annihilation. My soul will come to nothing. If I take the courage to take the matter in the light of ‘Reward’, I see that a short life of struggle with no such magnificent end shall itself be my ‘Reward.’ That is all.”

The essay shifts the reader’s perception of Bhagat Singh from a violent revolutionary to an intellectual and rational thinker.

Lahore Conspiracy Case

The Lahore Conspiracy Case became one of the most significant legal battles of the Indian freedom movement. After the assassination of Saunders in 1928 and the Central Legislative Assembly bombing in 1929, the British government launched a detailed investigation to suppress revolutionary activities.

After the assassination of British officer Saunders in 1928 and the Central Legislative Assembly bombing in 1929, the British government launched a detailed investigation to suppress revolutionary activities. Throughout his imprisonment, Bhagat Singh organised hunger strikes, demanding that they be treated as political prisoners.

Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru were sentenced to death by hanging and were executed on 23 March 1931. This day is now observed as Shaheed Diwas.

It still feels surreal for me to believe that Bhagat Singh was only 23 when he was hanged. Something is unsettling about how young he was. Twenty-three is an age of beginning for most of us. For him, it became an end that is still remembered today. He was young, yet clear in his beliefs, fearless, and thoughtful. He did not fight only against colonial rule. He also questioned inequality and injustice. 

When we remember Bhagat Singh today, we must also remember that freedom was shaped by young minds who were willing to stand up to the colonial forces.

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]]> SHAHEED DIVAS – 23 MARCH https://historified.in/2022/03/24/shaheed-divas-23-march/ Thu, 24 Mar 2022 05:58:19 +0000 https://historified.in/?p=4280 Martyrs' Day or the Shaheed Divas is celebrated every year on 23rd of March to mark the sacrifices by the brave warriors of our country who lost their lives to the Britishers, they were Sukhdev Thapar, Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru.

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]]> MARTYR’S DAY – 23 MARCH

The old culture and rich civilization of our county attracted the Britishers who ruled for almost 200 years, leaving a deep impression on our country. The new policies and the land system, economic exploitation, manipulation on Indian peasants, discouraging handicrafts, different trading techniques, creating discrimination on the basis of color, caste and religion by the Colonial government changed the day-to-day lives of Indians. It was more than just a traumatizing experience for the ancestors. They struggled for the basic rights under the British Era, which resulted in the sacrificing of lives, bloodshed, violence for years!

The protests and revolutions by common people against Britishers brought us freedom. Martyrs’ Day or the Shaheed Divas is celebrated every year on 23rd of March to mark the sacrifices by the brave warriors of our country who lost their lives to the Britishers, they were Sukhdev Thapar, Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru.

SUKHDEV THAPAR:

Sukhdev Thapar was born on 15th May 1907 in Ludhiana, Punjab. At a very young age he started protesting against the colonial government. He became a senior member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) and a member of Naujawan Bharat Sabha. Sukhdev took part in various revolutions such as Prison Hunger Strike in 1929, Lahore Conspiracy Case. ‘Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies’ is a university in Delhi named in the remembrance of Sukhdev.

BHAGAT SINGH:

Bhagat Singh was a passionate revolutionary, born on 27th September 1907, who was also a member of HSRA and adopted the idea of communism and believed that one can kill an individual but not the ideas. The famous ‘Hall Bombing’ in New Delhi on 8th April 1929 was led by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt. They threw two bombs into the assembly chamber and instead of escaping, they stayed there shouting ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ (long live the revolution). The Shaheed-e Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Museum was built on the 50th death anniversary at his ancestral village, Khatkar Kalan.

SHIVARAM RAJGURU: Rajguru, the Indian revolutionary was from Maharashtra, born on 24th August 1908. He was a colleague of Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar, who wanted freedom from the Britishers by hook or crook. His birthplace Khed was renamed as Rajgurunagar in the honor and his ancestral house Rajguru Wada is now maintained as a memorial of Shivaram. Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied Sciences in Delhi is a tribute to Shivaram Hari Rajguru.

The three of the young revolutionaries mistakenly shot a British police officer J.P. Saunders, was under probation of the British senior superintendent, James Scott who was held responsible for the violent death of nationalist leader Lala Lajpat Rai. After killing Saunders, the group killed Chanan Singh, a head constable who was chasing them and escaped from Lahore. But later the three were hanged in the central jail of Lahore on March 23, 1931.

The jail authorities then secretly cremated their bodies. Now their memorial is located at Hussainiwala. The struggle for freedom was not just a short-term task for the ancestors, they had to give up on everything for the nation. The ideas of nationalism were spread through paintings, poetry, songs, hymns, posters, and slogans, and are still carried on. Even today people from all aspects of life show their fondness and deep respect for the sacrifice made by these sons of Bharat Maa. They became idols for the youth and the upcoming generations.

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