Page 54 - NIS English May16-31

Personality Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Firebrand Son of the Soil:
VEER SAVARKAR
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar is a name to reckon
with in Indian history. He was a firebrand
one-man army who corrected the historical
miscarriages by calling the 1857 revolution
not mere a revolt but India's first struggle for
independence. Former Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee used to say- "If I am just a tiny
grain then Savarkar is a mountain, If I am a drop
then Savarkar is majestic Indus".
e was among the very few freedom fighters
who not only started the drive to expel the
HBritish but also reignited the flames of
nationalism through empowering people with
his dynamic ideas and untiring efforts. He was
born on May 28, 1883, in Maharashtra in Nasik
near Bhagur village to Damodar Pant Savarkar
and Radhabai. He completed his graduation
from the prestigious Fergusson College in Pune.
His ambition was not restricted to studies alone
but deep in heart, a fire was burning to free the
nation from the British for which he established
an organization called 'Abhinav Bharat' in 1904.
Inspired by a deep sense of patriotism and
nationalism he lend his voice to the swadeshi
movement and burnt the foreign clothes in Pune
in 1905 in the backdrop of the partition of Bengal.
He left for London to receive a degree in law on
scholarship. During this time he formed 'Free
India Society' and became devoted to the cause
of India's freedom. At that time in London, the
India House was at the center of the 'freedom
movement' which was being spearheaded by
Shyamji Krishna Varma. Savarkar was staying at
the India House and inspired the Indian students
for the freedom of India.
In 1908 after lots of research and study
Savarkar authored a book 'The History of the
War of Indian Independence' in which he called
the revolution of 1857 as the first war of India's
independence. Before the book could reach the
52 New India Samachar
masses the British banned it. In 1910 one of his
close confidantes and friend Madan Lal Dhingra
killed an English officer for which he was given
capital punishment. Savarkar raised a banner
of revolt against this injustice. An apprehensive
British administration, afraid of his rising
popularity and astute political thinking, arrested
him to deport him back to India. Savarkar on his
way to India escaped from the ship and reached
France swimming, but he was later re-arrested.
He was banished to Kala Pani with life
imprisonment. In another case, he was handed
over second life imprisonment in 1911. After
spending 10 years in prison he was released
from the Cellular jail of Andaman in 1921 but
he was subsequently sent to the Pune jail for
three years. During his stay in the prison, he
penned a book titled Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?
By 1937 Savarkar who had emerged as the most
prolific Hindutva face and a staunch nationalist
leader assumed the role of the President of Hindu
Mahasabha.
In the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
"We will always remember him for his courage,
his ability to inspire others to participate in the
freedom struggle and provide impetus to the social
reforms". In September 1965, he became seriously
ill with a fever which deteriorated his health
condition. On February 1, 1966, he took a vow to
fast unto death. On February 26, 1966, he left for the
heavenly abode.