Chandrasekhar Azaad
Created | Updated Apr 13, 2013
"I dedicate my life to the service of my country. The British police will never again catch me alive! I'll always remain free. I'm Azaad."
Chandrasekhar Azad was a great revolutionary who faught for India's freedom from British imperialism.
Chandrasekhar was born in 1906, in Bhanwara, a village in Alirajpur state, Central Provinces. Since his childhood, he had a thirst for knowledge and was fearless too. He had learnt shooting arrows from his Bhil friends, and was soon adept in it.
One day, he got acquainted to a pearl-trader from Bombay, with whom he left for the city on the trader's way back. In Bombay, he worked for a few months as a painter in the docks. Then, he thought instead he'd leave for Varanasi to become a scholar in Sanskrit. He had heard from his father that food and lodging were free there for students.
The next day, he boarded a train for Varanasi, and as soon as he reached there, he enrolled himself in a Sanskrit school.
It was the year 1921. People had risen in revolt against British rule. Mahatma Gandhi's Non-cooperation Movement was in full swing. There were anti-government processions in Varanasi almost everyday. Fired by patriotic zeal, Chandrasekhar one day joined a procession of young nationalists, and was among the first to be arrested. He was produced before a magistrate, and when the latter asked him what his name was, he answered "Azaad", meaning freedom. The magistrate again asked,
"What is your father's name? Where do you live?"
Chandrasekhar answered,
"Freedom is my father's name, and jail my home."The magistrate was furious and sentenced him for caning.
When news of this reached the revolutionaries, Chandrasekhar was given a public freception. In his speech, he said,
"I dedicate my life to the service of my country. The British police will never again catch me alive! I'll always remain free. I'm Azaad."
After that, the name Azaad stuck to him.
Hindustan Republican Association Ramprasad Bismil Ashfaqullah Khan Rajendra Prasad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramprasad_bismil
