Page 54 - NIS English 16-28 Feb 2022

Personality Chandra Shekhar Azad

THE REVOLUTIONARY

WHO REMAINED 'AZAD'

TILL LAST BREATH

Chandra Shekhar Azad is one of the
most inspiring personalities of the
Indian independence movement. The
British empire for which it was famous
that the sun never set on it, was also not
able to capture him alive. The police
could not even touch Azad until he was
martyred at Alfred Park in Prayagraj on
February 27, 1931. BORN: JULY 23, 1906, DEATH: FEBRUARY 27, 1931

handra Shekhar Azad remained free till his in those days in India. The Hindustan Republican
last breath. Chandra Shekhar Azad was Association was established in Kanpur in October
Cborn on 23 July 1906 in Bhabra village of 1924, which later became the Hindustan Socialist
Madhya Pradesh to Sitaram Tiwari. It is said that Republican Association. Great revolutionaries like
his family was from Badarka village in the Unnao Ram Prasad Bismil, Jogesh Chatterjee, Chandra
district of Uttar Pradesh, but father Sitaram Tiwari Shekhar Azad, Yogendra Shukla, Shachindranath
had to leave his native village due to famine and Sanyal, Ashfaqullah Khan, Roshan Singh, Rajendra
move to Bhabra in Madhya Pradesh. He was of Lahiri, Bhagat Singh, Bhagwati Charan Vohra, and
rebellious nature since childhood and was more Sukhdev were its key members.
interested in sports activities than studies.There is an For the next decade, these names attracted the
interesting story behind how 'Azad' was added to his attention of the nation and dreaded the British. After
name. the Kakori train incident in 1925, many members of
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre shook the mind the organization were arrested but Azad and Kundan
of young Chandra Shekhar. His mother wanted him Lal eluded the police. It is said that on December 17,
to become a scholar of Sanskrit but he adopted 1927, when Bhagat Singh and Rajguru were running
the path to liberate the country. In 1921 the non- towards the DAV College hostel after killing DSP
cooperation movement was going on. It is said John Saunders, a police constable, Chanan Singh,
that 15-year-old Chandra Shekhar while sitting was running after them. When Chanan Singh was
on dharna was arrested by the police. He was very close to catching Bhagat Singh a bullet pierced
produced before a magistrate in the court. When the through his legs which was fired by Chandra Shekhar
magistrate asked his name, address, and father's Azad. Bhagat Singh, Batukeshwar Dutt, and most
name he replied- 'My name is Azad, father's name is of the members of the organization were arrested
Swatantra and address is Jail.' On this reply, he was after the bombing of the Central Assembly in 1929,
expected to get the punishment which he received but Chandra Shekhar Azad, who was considered a
but the name Azad got associated with him forever. master of disguise, remained elusive.
At the height of the non-cooperation movement Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister of the
when it was called off after the Chauri-Chaura country to visit Bhabra, the birthplace of Azad.
incident, Azad felt that only peaceful means would In 2016, the program 'Zara Yaad Karo Qurbani'
not get freedom, so he turned to Banaras. Banaras was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
used to be the center of revolutionary activities from here.

52 New India Samachar February 16-28, 2022