Category: Indian Independence Movement

The Hyderabad Saga: Part One

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August 1947 – India attains Independence, but at a cost. Three princely states are still posing fight, maintaining their sovereignity, refusing accession. One of these is situated in the heart of the Indian Union – Hyderabad.

There are several characters at play in this saga. The Nizam of Hyderabad, the head of an amataeur militant faction – Kasim Razvi, and the Indian Government led by Nehru and Sardar Patel. Who will prevail? How does Hyderabad ultimately accede to India and at what cost?

This is a tale of high-octane drama, theatrics, brutal politics and raging violence. The Hyderabad Saga narrates the on-ground realities and behind-the-scene politics that ultimately shaped India as the Independent Union it is today. Split in two parts, the first article traces the build-up to the violence that exploded in the months of August and Septembet 1948.

Click to know more! … Continue readingThe Hyderabad Saga: Part One

Rajkumari Amrit Kaur – A Princess Like No Other

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Rajkumari Amrit Kaur – ‘A Princess like no other’.

Born in a royal family, Amrit Kaur changed the course of her life when she chose to involve herself in the fight against the British. An exceptional woman, with a list of achievements beside her name, Amrit Kaur became India’s First Female Cabinet Minister, holding the portfolio of the Ministry of Health.

But that is not it. Kaur’s life was an exceptional one, and very unlike a princess’s .

Click on the title above to know more about this ‘One of a kind Woman’ … Continue readingRajkumari Amrit Kaur – A Princess Like No Other

Jinnah – Beyond the Pages…

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‘Muhammad Ali Jinnah’ – a name that we know little about beyond his life as the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah’s career as a barrister and a lawyer is an extremely impressive one, and one that isn’t well-known to us.

As I wrote this article, so many details about this leader, who is now remembered as the ‘Quaid-e-Azam’ of Pakistan, came to light. From his campaigning for the creation of a secular India to his demand for the creation Pakistan, Jinnah’s life and story is a fascinating journey and makes for a riveting read!

Click on the title above to read about – “Jinnah – Beyond the Pages…” … Continue readingJinnah – Beyond the Pages…

Subhash Chandra Bose – Dead or Alive?

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23rd August 1945, news of Bose’s sudden death breaks out in British India. However, the Viceroy of India, along with a lot of other Indians, refuses to believe it. Questions and theories start floating across the entire country. Why would the great Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose fake his own death? What was he hiding? What really happened to him on the fateful afternoon of 17th August 1945?
This continues to be one of the biggest questions that haunts India till date. Click on the title above to read more about the theories surrounding Subhash Chandra Bose’s death, as I attempt to unravel this mystery … Continue readingSubhash Chandra Bose – Dead or Alive?

‘Man of peace’ – Lal Bahadur Shastri

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When someone asks you what’s so special about the 2nd of October, what would your answer be? Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. But most of tend to forget about another extremely significant figure who was born on this very day – Lal Bahadur Shastri. Independent India’s Second Prime Minister, was born on this day in 1904 in Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh. Unfortunately, in less than 2 years, he passed away due to a supposed ‘heart attack’, a theory which his wife and family refused to believe in, giving rise to a lot of suspicion and subsequently – several controversial theories. Even today, his death remains clouded in mystery. But, what is even sadder, is that while everybody celebrates Gandhi Ji on the 2nd of October, very few remember this exceptional man.
Click on the title above to read more about the ‘Man of Peace’ – Lal Bahadur Shastri and to access a rare unseen footage from his funeral … Continue reading‘Man of peace’ – Lal Bahadur Shastri