Page 8 - NIS English 16-31 March, 2026

PERSONALITY | Surya Sen

Hero of the

Chittagong

Armoury Raid

India’s freedom fighter Surya Sen not only raised his
voice against the British Raj until his last breath but
also dealt several serious blows to it. The brave son of
Maa Bharati, the hero of the Chittagong Armoury Raid,
and widely known as “Masterda”, Surya Sen adopted
a different strategy in fighting the British. The cruel
British officials brutally tortured him just before his
Born: March 22, 1894 Died: January 12, 1934 execution, yet they could not break his spirit...

urya Sen was born on March 22, 1894, to Ram- to be distributed among revolutionary activists to
niranjan Sen, a teacher, in Noapara, Chittagong launch an armed struggle against the British.
S(present-day Bangladesh), which was part of There, they succeeded in disrupting telegraph
undivided Bengal during the colonial period. In 1916, and railway lines and raiding the armoury. However,
fuelled by a spirit of nationalism and inspired by his they failed to find ammunition. Nevertheless, they
college teachers, he joined the Anushilan Samiti, declared Chittagong independent, claimed to have
whose sole goal was to drive the British out of the formed a provisional government there, and urged
country. He also actively participated in the Non-Co- the youth to join the movement. Caught off guard, the
operation Movement. He was even arrested for his British authorities were shaken by the developments
anti-British activities. After his release from prison, and retreated briefly. But the British soon came back,
Surya Sen led a group of activists called the Indian even stronger, and brutally suppressed the activists.
Revolutionary Army. The organisation’s aim was to Surya Sen and most of his associates hid in the hills
lead an organised struggle against the British and of Jalalabad. Sen received massive support from
challenge their power. the villagers there. From his hideout, he launched
Surya Sen began mobilising and training the local numerous guerrilla attacks on colonial property and
youth for the raid. He was adept at bomb-making officials. Surya Sen evaded the British for nearly three
and was responsible for preparing explosives for years before being captured on February 16, 1933.
the revolutionaries. On April 18, 1930, more than On January 12, 1934, Sen and his colleague Tar-
sixty students, divided into groups, led by Surya akeshwar Dastidar were hanged by the British. In his
Sen, Ganesh Ghosh, Pritilata Waddedar, and several last letter to his comrades, some of his lines were as
others, launched a well-planned attack on the follows… “Death is knocking at my door. My mind is
colonial administration and its entire machinery in flying away towards eternity... At such a pleasant, at
Chittagong. Their objective was to disrupt the gov- such a grave, at such a solemn moment, what shall
ernment communication system in Chittagong, raid I leave behind for you? Only one thing, that is my
the armouries of the police and auxiliary forces, and dream, a golden dream – the dream of Free India...” n
procure weapons. The confiscated weapons were

When Master Surya Sen was hanged in 1934, he wrote a letter to his comrades,
and the letter echoed a single word: “Vande Mataram”- Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

6 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || March 16-31, 2026