Page 46 - NIS English 01-15 July 2022
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Nation Amrit Mahotsav
Sushila Chain Trehan
Amarendra Nath Chatterjee's
name is included in the list of the served the country till
warriors of the Indian freedom her last breath
struggle who wanted to free India
from the slavery of the British on Born: 1 July 1923, Died: 28 September 2011
the basis of revolution
ushila Chain Trehan, along with other women
Sindependence activists fought hard for the
also killed the Indian officials whom freedom of the country. She not only faced police
they considered the backbone of the torture while valiantly fighting for the freedom of the
British or the traitors of the country. country but also undertook a campaign to educate
Amarendra Nath Chatterjee was girls in Punjab which was considered taboo in those
born on July 1, 1880, in Uttarpada, days. Born on July 1, 1923, in Pathankot, Punjab,
Hooghly, West Bengal in the house of Sushila was the youngest of four siblings. His father,
Upendra Nath Chatterjee. Initially, he Mathuradas Trehan was a contractor by profession
sided with Jatindranath Mukherjee in and was one of the founders of the Congress party
revolutionary activities. Later in 1907, he in Pathankot.
met Aurobindo Ghosh and he became At the same time, he was a prominent member
fully dedicated to liberating the country of the Arya Samaj. When Sushila was growing up
from British slavery. It is believed that it she developed an affinity for the cause of Indian
was Aurobindo who encouraged him to independence. But her father died under mysterious
raise funds to help the revolutionaries. circumstances. During this period she found a book
It is said that he went underground for and after reading it she became very passionate
5 years in 1915 and traveled from one about India's independence. Sushila was also
place to another in disguise. inspired by the brave tales of Bhagat Singh. She met
The British had also announced a a freedom fighter named Shakunlata Azad at the age
reward of Rs 10,000 on his head at that of 18 after which she left her home to fight for the
time. Not only that, Nanibala Devi, the independence of the nation. She went underground
first woman political prisoner of Bengal, and started making the strategy for independence. In
was also a distant relative of Amarendra her struggle, she also has to undergo through police
Nath Chatterjee and she was inspired lathi charge. Sushila had made up her mind to fight
by him and became actively involved for India's independence and any kind of adversity
in revolutionary activities. She rented could not break her resolve.
a house in Chandan Nagar and gave In order to awaken the spirit of education in
shelter to Amarendra Nath Chatterjee women and make them self-reliant, she used to
as well as the other revolutionaries travel long distances by bicycle to distant villages.
of the Yugantar group, Jadu Gopal She encouraged the women there to cook, sew, and
Mukherjee, Shiv Bhushan Dutt, etc. clean. At that time cycling by girls was considered
In 1923, Amarendra Nath Chatterjee taboo but she was not one to give up. Even after the
remained in jail for a few days, and after independence of India, she continued to promote
that, he escalated his activism in other education for children and opened three girls' and a
ways. He remained active even after co-education school. She very well understood that
the independence of India and died on the country must be free from the mentality of social
4 September 1957 at the age of 77 in evils after liberation from colonial powers. That is
West Bengal. A statue of Amarendra why she continued to work for the betterment of
Nath Chatterjee has been erected on the society from the time of India's independence till her
main road of his hometown Uttarpada. death on September 28, 2011.
44 New India Samachar July 1-15, 2022