Born on 28th May 1883, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar was among the greatest revolutionaries of India’s freedom struggle. He was born on May 28, 1883 in the village of Bhagur near Nasik. Born to Damodarpant Savarkar and Radhabai, Savarkar was one of their four children. He received his preliminary education at the Shivaji School, Nasik and at a very young age of nine years, he lost his mother. He was a born revolutionary and organised a group of children named Vanarsena when he was just eleven.
Veer Savarkar was highly motivated by the philosophy of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and he regarded him as his Guru. During his school days, he organized Shivaji Utsav and Ganesh Utsav, which was initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and during these utsavs, he staged plays based on nationalist idea. He as well organized Mitra Mela. He motivated the youth to do their best to attain complete freedom of the country by whatever means possible. He was capable of encouraging the youth and engaged themselves in physical training for the movement. In the year 1899, there was an outbreak of plague in the country and the youth of this organization severed during this time but regrettably, he lost his father in the contagion.
In 1901 Savarkar married Yamunabai and in 1902, he joined the Fergusson College in Pune. His tangible participation in Indian revolutionary movement started during his days in Fergusson College and during this time he got entailed in several revolutionary activities and was capable of motivating his companions to participate in the freedom movement. He was formed a group with the students who dressed similarly.
In the year 1904, he founded the Abhinav Bharat with the unchanged dogma as the Mitra Mela and in 1905; he began the first public beaconing of foreign clothes in Pune. He dynamically participated in the Swadeshi Movement, which was began by Tilak and he very soon joined the Swaraj Party formed by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Despite of successfully completing his graduation in 1905, the British Government withdrew his degree owing to his provocative speeches and activities against the colonial rule, which made them furious.
In 1906, he left for London to become a lawyer and there as well he continued with his struggle for freedom of India. There he congregated Indian students and provoked them against the British Government. There he formed the Free India society, which celebrated all the main Indian festivals and the milestones of freedom movement. This society carried out debates related to the freedom of India and Savarkar believed and supported that India can gain freedom only with arm revolution. He formed a group of Indians in England and equipped them with arms to give result to his thoughts and beliefs. In the year 1908 he published a book name "The Indian War of Independence 1857", which was an unswerving research work of the The Great Indian Revolt, which the British termed as "Sepoy Mutiny" of 1857. This book created a lot of mayhem in Indian and Britain, which made the British Government to proscribe the publication of the book in England and India. However, Madame Bhikaiji Cama published it in Holland and was smuggled to India to reach the Indian revolutionaries.
In 1909, when Madanlal Dhingra, shot Sir Wyllie after a failed attempt to kill Viceroy, Lord Curzor he did not evidently confront the act. Later, when a youth was assassinated the then British Collector of Nasik, A.M.T. Jackson, Veer Savarkar fell into the ensnare of British and he was caught up for alluding to the murder. On March 13, 1910, Savarkar was arrested in London and was sent back to India. He was accused of offensive speeches, haulaging of illegal weapons and sedation. He was sentenced to imprisonment of 50 years and was sent to Kalapani at Andaman Cellular Jail.
In 1920, due to the demand of his release by prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Vithalbhai Patel and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he was relocated to Ratnagir Jail in 1921. During his imprisonment in the Ratnagiri Jail, he wrote the book “Hindutva” and finally on 6th January, 1924, he was released under the condition that he will not leave Ratnagiri district and will desist from politics as well as avant-garde activities. On 23rd January 1924 after he was released from Jail, he formed the Ratnagiri Hindu Sabha with the idea of conserving the rich ancient Indian culture and work for social benefit. Later, he again joined the Swaraj Party and got involved in the freedom struggle. He formed a separate party with the name of Hindu Mahasabha and became the President of the party, which worked for building Hindu Nationalism. The party was totally against the partition of India and forming separate nations. He also actively took part in the Quit India Movement.
In the year 1948, when a worker of Hindu Mahasabha, named Nathuram Godsey assassinated Mahatma Gandhi and Savarkar was arrested along with Nathuram Godsey as the then Government arraigned his involvement in the act, but due to lack of evidence the Supreme Court of India released him. But, Nathuram Godsey was given death sentence. At the age of 83 years, on 26th February, 1966, Veer Savarkar died.
Birth: 28[SUP]th[/SUP] May 1883
Death: 26th February 1966
Achievements: Founded the Abhinav Bharat Society and Free India Society and founded Hindu Mahasabha.
Veer Savarkar was highly motivated by the philosophy of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and he regarded him as his Guru. During his school days, he organized Shivaji Utsav and Ganesh Utsav, which was initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and during these utsavs, he staged plays based on nationalist idea. He as well organized Mitra Mela. He motivated the youth to do their best to attain complete freedom of the country by whatever means possible. He was capable of encouraging the youth and engaged themselves in physical training for the movement. In the year 1899, there was an outbreak of plague in the country and the youth of this organization severed during this time but regrettably, he lost his father in the contagion.
In 1901 Savarkar married Yamunabai and in 1902, he joined the Fergusson College in Pune. His tangible participation in Indian revolutionary movement started during his days in Fergusson College and during this time he got entailed in several revolutionary activities and was capable of motivating his companions to participate in the freedom movement. He was formed a group with the students who dressed similarly.
In the year 1904, he founded the Abhinav Bharat with the unchanged dogma as the Mitra Mela and in 1905; he began the first public beaconing of foreign clothes in Pune. He dynamically participated in the Swadeshi Movement, which was began by Tilak and he very soon joined the Swaraj Party formed by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Despite of successfully completing his graduation in 1905, the British Government withdrew his degree owing to his provocative speeches and activities against the colonial rule, which made them furious.
In 1906, he left for London to become a lawyer and there as well he continued with his struggle for freedom of India. There he congregated Indian students and provoked them against the British Government. There he formed the Free India society, which celebrated all the main Indian festivals and the milestones of freedom movement. This society carried out debates related to the freedom of India and Savarkar believed and supported that India can gain freedom only with arm revolution. He formed a group of Indians in England and equipped them with arms to give result to his thoughts and beliefs. In the year 1908 he published a book name "The Indian War of Independence 1857", which was an unswerving research work of the The Great Indian Revolt, which the British termed as "Sepoy Mutiny" of 1857. This book created a lot of mayhem in Indian and Britain, which made the British Government to proscribe the publication of the book in England and India. However, Madame Bhikaiji Cama published it in Holland and was smuggled to India to reach the Indian revolutionaries.
In 1909, when Madanlal Dhingra, shot Sir Wyllie after a failed attempt to kill Viceroy, Lord Curzor he did not evidently confront the act. Later, when a youth was assassinated the then British Collector of Nasik, A.M.T. Jackson, Veer Savarkar fell into the ensnare of British and he was caught up for alluding to the murder. On March 13, 1910, Savarkar was arrested in London and was sent back to India. He was accused of offensive speeches, haulaging of illegal weapons and sedation. He was sentenced to imprisonment of 50 years and was sent to Kalapani at Andaman Cellular Jail.
In 1920, due to the demand of his release by prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Vithalbhai Patel and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he was relocated to Ratnagir Jail in 1921. During his imprisonment in the Ratnagiri Jail, he wrote the book “Hindutva” and finally on 6th January, 1924, he was released under the condition that he will not leave Ratnagiri district and will desist from politics as well as avant-garde activities. On 23rd January 1924 after he was released from Jail, he formed the Ratnagiri Hindu Sabha with the idea of conserving the rich ancient Indian culture and work for social benefit. Later, he again joined the Swaraj Party and got involved in the freedom struggle. He formed a separate party with the name of Hindu Mahasabha and became the President of the party, which worked for building Hindu Nationalism. The party was totally against the partition of India and forming separate nations. He also actively took part in the Quit India Movement.
In the year 1948, when a worker of Hindu Mahasabha, named Nathuram Godsey assassinated Mahatma Gandhi and Savarkar was arrested along with Nathuram Godsey as the then Government arraigned his involvement in the act, but due to lack of evidence the Supreme Court of India released him. But, Nathuram Godsey was given death sentence. At the age of 83 years, on 26th February, 1966, Veer Savarkar died.
Birth: 28[SUP]th[/SUP] May 1883
Death: 26th February 1966
Achievements: Founded the Abhinav Bharat Society and Free India Society and founded Hindu Mahasabha.