By C P Radhakrishnan
On the occasion of the 80th Independence Day celebrations of Bharat, I extend my heartiest congratulations to each Bharatvasi. I also pay my respectful tributes to all freedom fighters who sacrificed themselves to secure independence for Bharat.
Last week, during my visit to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, I had the honour of hoisting our National Flag as a part of the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign and paying homage and commemorating the first hoisting of the Tiranga by our great patriot Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. It was indeed a deeply moving experience for me to stand on that very sacred soil where Netaji’s Azad Hind Fauj first raised the Tiranga on Indian territory on
December 30, 1943.
Another deeply inspiring moment was my visit to the National Memorial Cellular Jail, where the great sons of Mother Bharat Veer Savarkar, Yogendra Shukla, Batukeshwar Dutt, Sachindra Nath Sanyal, and many others were imprisoned and kept in solitary confinement by the colonial forces. The visit inspired me to pen down this article as a homage to all the torchbearers who ignited the flame of patriotism, leading the nation
towards independence.
I was immensely pleased to launch the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign in the Andaman Islands on 9 August, as we commemorated the Quit India Movement. Today, thanks to the generation that stood against the colonial forces of their day, we are fortunate to breathe the air of freedom and live with constitutional rights under a democratic system.
The valour of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, the enduring symbol of resistance during the First War of Independence; the courage of Mangal Pandey, the fearless call of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who awakened a nation with the declaration, “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it” – every voice strengthened the march
towards freedom. V O Chidambaram Pillai challenged colonial economic domination by launching India’s first indigenous shipping enterprise, proving that the fight for independence was waged not only on the battlefield but also in commerce.
The revolutionary zeal of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev inspired generations to embrace sacrifice in the cause of liberty, while the indomitable spirit of Rani Gaidinliu kept the flame of resistance burning in the North-East against British rule.
In Assam, the young Kanaklata Baruaji, carrying the National Flag with unflinching courage, laid down her life while leading the Quit India Movement. Bhagwan Birsa Mundaji and many other tribal leaders led historic resistance against colonial rule. Many more are the stories of resilience, courage and determination that can be pulled out from the pages of history.
As we celebrate this Independence Day, I pay homage to Tiruppur Kumaran, popularly known as KodiKaatha Kumaran (Kumaran, the Protector of the Flag). He came to be known by this title after sacrificing his life in Tiruppur (my native place) during the freedom struggle, refusing to let the national flag fall even in the face of death. Inspired by the call of “Swaraj (self-rule) is our birthright”, he joined the freedom struggle.
Kumaran led a march on January 10, 1932, during the Civil Disobedience Movement. Holding the nationalist flag in his hands and accompanied by a few brave souls, the powerful chants of ‘Vande Mataram’ echoed on the streets of Tiruppur. The colonial forces attacked the group, with ‘Vande Mataram’ on his lips and the flag held close to his body, Kumaran sustained head injuries and laid down his life for the Nation. He was only 27 years old at the time of his death.
As I pen down the age of Tiruppur Kumaran, I am reminded of the several other youths who martyred their lives for Mother Bharat. Young souls, to name a few: Bhagat Singh (23), Sukhdev (23), Rajguru (22), Khudiram Bose (18), Kanaklata Barua (18), Anant Laxman Kanhere (19), Vanchinathan (25), and many others sacrificed their mortality, becoming immortal in the pages of the Indian
Freedom Movement.
I commend the initiative of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi in bringing the unsung heroes of our National Movement to the centre stage. I pay my tributes to the known and the unknown
freedom fighters.
On this momentous occasion, let us reflect and renew our commitment to our Motherland. Let us dedicate ourselves to building a Viksit Bharat @ 2047 in this Amrit Kaal and work together for the progress and prosperity of our nation. That will be the most fitting tribute
we can pay to the bravehearts who fought with unwavering courage and sacrificed their lives to win
our freedom.
Jai Hind! Long Live Mother Bharat!
(The author is Vice-President of Bharat.)
