India Freedom Fighters
- List of Freedom Fighters of India and their Contributions
- India Freedom Fighters Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875 – 1950)
- India Freedom Fighters Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)
- India Freedom Fighters Motilal Nehru (1861 – 1931)
- India Freedom Fighters Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 – 1964)
- India Freedom Fighters Lala Lajpat Rai (1865 – 1928 )
- India Freedom Fighters Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856 – 1920)
- India Freedom Fighters Bipin Chandra Pal (1858 – 1932)
- FAQs
List of Freedom Fighters of India and their Contributions
| Name | Major Contribution |
| Mahatma Gandhi | Led the nonviolent resistance movement against British rule |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | First Prime Minister of India, played a key role in the Indian independence movement |
| Vallabhbhai Patel | Iron Man of India, played a key role in uniting India after independence |
| Bhagat Singh | Revolutionary who fought against British rule through violent means |
| Chandra Shekhar Azad | Revolutionary who fought against British rule through violent means |
| Subhas Chandra Bose | Revolutionary leader who founded the Indian National Army |
| Nana Saheb | Peshwa of Bithoor, who led the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in North India |
| Tantia Tope | General of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 |
| C. R. Das | Indian nationalist leader who founded the Swaraj Party |
| Lala Lajpat Rai | Indian nationalist leader who was known as the “Lion of Punjab” |
| Bal Gangadhar Tilak | Indian nationalist leader who was known as the “Father of Indian Unrest” |
| Aurobindo Ghosh | Indian nationalist leader and philosopher who advocated for Indian independence through spiritual means |
| Ashfaqulla Khan | Indian revolutionary who was hanged by the British for assassinating a British official |
| Sarojini Naidu | Indian poet and nationalist leader |
| Aruna Asaf Ali | Indian nationalist leader and freedom fighter |
| Kasturba Gandhi | Wife of Mahatma Gandhi and supporter of his non-violent resistance movement |
| Vijayalakshmi Pandit | Indian diplomat and politician, sister of Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Sucheta Kriplani | First female Chief Minister of India |
| Annie Besant | British theosophist and Irish nationalist who campaigned for Indian independence |
India Freedom Fighters Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875 – 1950)
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, frequently called the Iron Man of India, become a outstanding chief withinside the Indian independence motion and the primary Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of impartial India. Renowned for his sturdy management, organizational skills, and determination to country wide unity, Patel performed a pivotal function in shaping current India.
Early Life and Education
Born: October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat, right into a humble family.
Education: Studied regulation in England and have become a a hit barrister in Gujarat.
Patel displayed management characteristics from a younger age and received reputation for his dedication to public service.
Role withinside the Freedom Movement
Inspiration from Gandhi: Vallabhbhai Patel become deeply prompted through Mahatma Gandhi and joined the non-cooperation motion in 1920.
Kheda Satyagraha (1918):
Led peasants in Gujarat towards the British government`s imposition of taxes regardless of famine conditions.
Secured tax waivers, marking his emergence as a country wide chief.
Bardoli Satyagraha (1928):
Organized a non-violent protest towards elevated taxes in Bardoli.
Earned the name Sardar (chief) for his success.
Contributions to Indian Unity
Integration of Princely States:
After independence in 1947, Patel become tasked with integrating 562 princely states into the Indian Union.
Used diplomacy, persuasion, and, whilst necessary, pressure to unify the states.
His efforts averted fragmentation and solidified India`s territorial integrity.
Hyderabad and Junagadh:
Managed to combine Hyderabad and Junagadh, which posed demanding situations to India’s unity.
India Freedom Fighters Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)
Mahatma Gandhi, referred to as the Father of the Nation in India, became a pivotal discern withinside the Indian independence motion and an recommend of non-violence (Ahimsa). His philosophy and techniques of non violent protest stimulated moves for civil rights and freedom throughout the world.
Early Life and Education
Born: October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, India, as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
Parents: Karamchand Gandhi (father), a central authority official, and Putlibai (mother), a devoutly spiritual woman.
Education:
Studied regulation on the Inner Temple, London, in 1888.
Became a barrister however to start with struggled to set up a prison profession in India.
Gandhi in South Africa (1893–1915)
Experiences of Racism: Faced racial discrimination, consisting of being thrown off a educate regardless of preserving a legitimate ticket.
Emergence as a Leader:
Organized the Indian network in South Africa to combat for his or her civil rights.
Developed the philosophy of Satyagraha (fact and non-violent resistance).
Role withinside the Indian Independence Movement
Return to India (1915):
Guided through Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Gandhi toured India to recognize the plight of the masses.
Champaran and Kheda Satyagraha (1917–1918):
Championed the reasons of indigo farmers in Champaran and terrible peasants in Kheda, incomes country wide prominence.
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922):
Called for boycotts of British goods, schools, and institutions.
Salt March (Dandi March, 1930):
Protested towards the salt tax with a 240-mile march to supply salt from seawater.
India Freedom Fighters Motilal Nehru (1861 – 1931)
He was a leading lawyer, freedom fighter, and a mighty politician when India was fighting for independence. As a senior leader of Indian National Congress and also a patriarch of the Nehru-Gandhi family, he greatly influenced pre-independent India’s political life.
Personal Life
Birth: May 6, 1861, in Agra, British India.
Lawyer and became one of the leading barristers in Allahabad by making great wealth and prestige.
Family:
Married Swarup Rani; they had three children, including Jawaharlal Nehru, who would later become India’s first Prime Minister.
Famous for his flashy lifestyle and cultural life which was west oriented before joining the national movement.
Change to Nationalism
Emotional Enfluence from the Freedom Movement:
He initially engaged himself in legal practice but got attracted by the Partition of Bengal (1905) and other policies of the British towards nationalism. He then entered Indian National Congress:
Became an active congress member during the early 20th century.
Proved in favor of more autonomy and changes in the government rules of India.
Contributions to the Freedom Movement
Role in Congress Leadership:
Elected as President of the Indian National Congress in 1919 and 1928.
Moved Resolution asking for self-government.
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920):
Quit his well-established lawyer practice to act on Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation with the British govt.
Adopted Swadeshi and started wearing khadi.
Swaraj Party (1923):
It co-founded with Chittaranjan Das the Swaraj Party, to contest elections and fight for Indian interests within legislative councils.
India Freedom Fighters Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 – 1964)
Jawaharlal Nehru was an important leader during India’s struggle for independence and India’s first prime minister. He is famous for his idealistic view of modern India, secular India, and democratic India. Known as Pandit Nehru and often called the Architect of Modern India, he was not only a statesman but also a good historian and charismatic leader who helped shape the political and economic policies within the nation.
Early Life and Education
Born: November 14, 1889, Allahabad, British India.
Parents: Motilal Nehru, a notable lawyer and Congress leader, and Swarup Rani.
Education:
Studied at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge.
Trained in law at the Inner Temple, London.
She married Kamala Nehru in 1916; the couple had one daughter, Indira Gandhi, who would later lead India to be PM.
Role in the Freedom Struggle
Joining the Congress
Returned to India in 1912 and joined the Indian National Congress, where he was heavily influenced by Mahatma Gandhi.
Advocated for complete independence, Purna Swaraj, and emerged as the tallest leader of the young generation in the freedom movement.
Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience:
Active worker in the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920–1922 and Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930–1934.
He had also been on several occasions imprisoned for helping anti-British agitation.
Congress Presidency:
Elected Congress President several times, including in 1929 when the demand for Purna Swaraj was formalized at the Lahore session.
Quit India Movement 1942
Played a prominent role in Gandhi’s call for the British to leave India, leading to his arrest and imprisonment.
India Freedom Fighters Lala Lajpat Rai (1865 – 1928 )
Lala Lajpat Rai was popularly known as the Lion of Punjab or Punjab Kesari. He was an important freedom fighter, social reformer, and nationalist leader in India’s struggle for independence. Encompassing the Lal-Bal-Pal trio-Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal-he adopted radical approaches toward the British colonial rule.
Early Life and Education
Born 28 January 1865 in Dhudike, Punjab, British India.
Parents: Munshi Radha Kishan, a school teacher and Gulab Devi.
Education:
He studied law at Government College, Lahore.
He practiced as a lawyer but later devoted himself to political and social reform.
Role in the Indian Freedom Movement
Involvement in Congress:
Joined the Indian National Congress and became one of the leaders of the extremist wing that demanded complete independence.
Partition of Bengal (1905):
Actively was an opponent of partition by Lord Curzon of Bengal and supported both the Swadeshi and Boycott movements.
Lal-Bal-Pal triumvirate
Advocated radical measures to achieve self-governance, stressing national pride and self-respect.
He condemned the Congress’s moderate policies by advocating direct action.
Simon Commission Protest (1928):
Led satyagraha against the Simon Commission, which was constituted without Indians in attendance.
Brutally lathi-charged by British police; he suffered severe injuries that eventually killed him.
Contributions to Society and Reform:
Social Work:
Established institutions like the Punjab National Bank and the Lakshmi Insurance Company to promote economic self-reliance. Established the Servants of People Society in 1921 to work for education, health, and social betterment.
India Freedom Fighters Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856 – 1920)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Keshav Gangadhar Tilak |
| Born | July 23, 1856, in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, British India |
| Died | August 1, 1920, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, British India |
| Nickname | Lokmanya Tilak (Accepted by the People as their Leader) |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics; Law degree from Deccan College, Pune |
| Key Movements | Swadeshi Movement, Boycott Movement |
| Role in Freedom Struggle | Advocate of Swaraj (Self-Rule) |
| Philosophy | Radical nationalism; belief in militant methods for achieving independence |
| Major Contributions | – Popularized the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.” |
| – Co-founder of the Indian National Congress Extremist faction | |
| – Promoted the use of indigenous goods and the rejection of British goods | |
| – Instrumental in organizing Ganesh Chaturthi and Shivaji festivals to instill national pride | |
| Key Writings | – The Arctic Home in the Vedas |
| – Gita Rahasya | |
| Newspapers | – Kesari (Marathi) |
| – The Mahratta (English) | |
| Key Associations | Member of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio alongside Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal |
| Political Beliefs | Advocated self-rule through direct confrontation with the British |
| Imprisonment | Sentenced to six years of imprisonment in Mandalay, Burma, from 1908 to 1914 |
| Legacy | – Revered as the “Father of Indian Unrest” by the British |
| – Inspired future leaders like Mahatma Gandhi | |
| Famous Quote | “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.” |
| Death | Passed away due to illness; left a profound impact on India’s freedom struggle |
India Freedom Fighters Bipin Chandra Pal (1858 – 1932)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Bipin Chandra Pal |
| Born | November 7, 1858, in Sylhet (now in Bangladesh), British India |
| Died | May 20, 1932, in Kolkata, British India |
| Nickname | Father of Revolutionary Thought |
| Education | Attended Presidency College, Calcutta |
| Key Movements | Swadeshi Movement, Boycott Movement |
| Role in Freedom Struggle | Advocate of radical and revolutionary methods for achieving independence |
| Philosophy | Emphasized self-reliance, national education, and economic independence |
| Major Contributions | – Part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio (with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak) |
| – Promoted Swadeshi and Boycott as tools of resistance | |
| – Advocated for spiritual nationalism through cultural and educational reforms | |
| Key Writings | – Indian Nationalism |
| – The Soul of India | |
| – Articles in newspapers like New India and Bande Mataram | |
| Newspapers Founded | – New India |
| – Contributed to Bande Mataram | |
| Political Beliefs | Opposed moderate policies of Congress; supported a more aggressive stance against British rule |
| Social Reform Efforts | Advocated against the caste system and child marriage; promoted widow remarriage |
| Advocacy for Education | Stressed the importance of national education as a foundation for independence |
| Imprisonment | Arrested for his role in revolutionary activities and anti-British propaganda |
| Legacy | – Influenced future revolutionaries and nationalist leaders |
| – Pioneered the idea of self-rule through self-reliance and cultural revival | |
| Famous Quote | “No great movement has ever succeeded without the spiritual element.” |
| Death | Passed away in Kolkata, leaving behind a legacy of radical thought and nationalism |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Who is known as the Father of the Nation in India?
Mahatma Gandhi is called the Father of the Nation for leading India’s non-violent freedom struggle. - Who gave the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright”?
Bal Gangadhar Tilak gave this iconic slogan. - Which freedom fighter led the Salt March?
Mahatma Gandhi led the Salt March in 1930. - Who formed the Azad Hind Fauj?
Subhas Chandra Bose formed the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army). - What role did Bhagat Singh play in India’s freedom struggle?
Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary who fought against British colonial rule.