The Untold Stories of India's Freedom Struggle

Introduction: Beyond the Textbooks

India’s struggle for independence is often told through the lens of well-known leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Sardar Patel. While these figures played crucial roles, the freedom movement was powered by countless lesser-known warriors whose sacrifices have faded into history.

This article sheds light on some of these forgotten heroes who risked everything for a free India.

1. Matangini Hazra: The 72-Year-Old Rebel

Matangini Hazra was not a typical revolutionary. At an age when most people retire, she became one of the fiercest voices of resistance against British rule.

Born in 1869 in a small village in Bengal, Matangini actively participated in the Quit India Movement of 1942. She led a procession towards Tamluk, despite knowing the dangers. When the British police ordered her to stop, she kept marching, holding the national flag high.

As the bullets hit her, she fell, still chanting "Vande Mataram" until her last breath. Today, Kolkata honors her with a statue, yet many outside Bengal do not know her name.

2. Peer Ali Khan: India’s First Revolutionary Bookseller

Long before the well-documented freedom movements of the 20th century, Peer Ali Khan was waging his own battle against the British in 1857. A bookseller by trade, he used his shop as a front to distribute anti-British pamphlets and organize resistance.

When the first war of independence erupted, Peer Ali was at the center of it in Patna. He was later captured and hanged by the British for treason. Unlike Mangal Pandey, his story remains largely forgotten.

3. Velu Nachiyar: India’s First Woman Warrior Against the British

When we think of women warriors, names like Rani Lakshmibai come to mind. But decades before her, Velu Nachiyar, the Queen of Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu), was already fighting the British.

After her kingdom was invaded and her husband was killed, she fled to Mysore and trained in guerrilla warfare for eight years. With support from Hyder Ali, she launched an attack and reclaimed her kingdom, becoming the first Indian queen to fight against the British.

Her strategy was unique—she sent a woman warrior, Kuyili, to destroy British ammunition by setting herself on fire inside their weapons storage. This was possibly India's first recorded suicide bombing.

4. Kanaklata Barua: The 17-Year-Old Martyr

Kanaklata Barua was a young Assamese girl who refused to be a silent spectator during the Quit India Movement. She led a group of freedom fighters to hoist the Indian flag at a British police station in 1942.

The British officers opened fire, and Kanaklata was shot, but even as she collapsed, she clung to the flag, ensuring it never touched the ground. Her bravery is remembered in Assam, but outside the state, her name is barely known.

5. Khudiram Bose: The Teenage Revolutionary Who Smiled at Death

Imagine being just 18 years old and standing on the gallows with a smile. That was Khudiram Bose, one of the youngest martyrs of India’s freedom struggle.

Born in Bengal, Khudiram was drawn to the revolutionary movement at an early age. He and his partner Prafulla Chaki attempted to assassinate a British judge, but their plan failed. Prafulla chose to end his life to avoid capture, while Khudiram was arrested.

At his execution, the British officers were stunned—he walked to the gallows smiling and chanting "Vande Mataram." His fearless sacrifice shook the British Raj, proving that even teenagers were ready to die for India’s freedom.

6. Lakshmi Sahgal: The Woman Who Led the Indian National Army

While Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is celebrated for leading the Indian National Army (INA), many forget about Captain Lakshmi Sahgal—the woman who commanded its all-female regiment, the Rani of Jhansi Brigade.

A doctor by profession, she joined Netaji in the 1940s and trained women to fight alongside men. She fearlessly led the INA on the battlefield, proving that women were not just supporters of the freedom movement but active participants in the fight.

7. Bagha Jatin: The Man Who Almost Uprooted British Rule

Jatindranath Mukherjee, popularly known as Bagha Jatin, was one of India’s most fearless revolutionaries. The British themselves admitted that had he lived longer, he would have changed India’s fate.

Jatin was instrumental in the German Plot, where he coordinated with the Germans to bring arms into India for an armed revolution against the British. However, the British caught wind of his plan, leading to a fierce gunfight in 1915. Wounded and outnumbered, Jatin continued fighting till his last breath.

His last words to the British? "You can only kill one Jatindranath, but many will rise."

Conclusion: The Forgotten Heroes of Freedom

India’s independence wasn’t won in a single day, nor was it achieved by a handful of leaders. Thousands of ordinary men and women gave their lives for the cause, yet history remembers only a select few.

It is our duty to honor and remember these untold heroes, whose bravery and sacrifices ensured the birth of a free India.