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| Vinayak, Narayan and Ganesh Savarkar
Ganesh Damodhar Savarkar |
Ganesh Damodhar Savarkar @ Babarao Savarkar Born 13th June 1879 – 16th March 1945, Vinayak Damodhar Savarkar born 28th May 1883 – 26th February 1966. They were born in the Brahmin family to Damodar and Radhabai Savarkar in the village of Bhagur, near Nasik, Maharashtra. They had two other siblings namely Narayan, and a sister named Maina. In first mob lynching in independent India, Narayan Savarkar was lynched alongwith 8000 other Brahmins by congress mobs following assassination of Karamchand Gandhi in 1948. Mobs came for Vinayak Savarkar too, but he kept them at Bay by his pistol. Ganesh Savarkar had expired earlier in 1945.
In 1906, Ganesh and Vinayak Savarkar founded a secret society called “Abhinav Bharat Society” to work towards securing India’s freedom. In India, Ganesh Savarkar organized an armed revolt against the Morley-Minto law of 1909. He was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Cellular Jail on the Andaman Islands also known as Kala Paani.
In London, Vinayak Savarkar planned armed rebellion to free India from British rule at ‘India House’ and took active part in ‘Free India Society’. He inspired several freedom fighters by his speeches and writings. He was arrested on 13th March 1910 for procurement and distribution of arms and waging war against the King Emperor. In 1911 at the age of 28 years, Vinayak Savarkar was sentenced to double life imprisonment of 50 years. Vinayak D. Savarkar is the only freedom fighter to have been given double life imprisonment by Britishers. Such was the extent of fear in the minds of Britishers. While in Jail, he wrote his book "Essentials of Hindutva" which was published in Nagpur in 1923. Savarkar was the longest imprisoned freedom fighter, he spent 12 years in Cellular Jail, Andaman, 3 years in Ratnagiri prison and the next 12 years under house arrest at Ratnagiri, totaling 27 years in captivity which no other freedom fighter has spent.
(Veer) Vinayak D. Savarkar - Subash Chandra Bose - Indian National Army – first Government of Free India – ‘Azad Hind’,
On 29th June 1940, Subash Chandra Bose came to ‘Savarkar Sadan’ to solicit support of Savarkar for removal of Holwell monument from Calcutta. Holwell Monument was erected by G Holwell. It was a symbol representing savagery of last Nawab of Bengal, ‘Sirajuddawla’ and bravery of British Soldiers who sacrificed their lives. At the meeting, Savarkar advised Bose not to waste time on petty matters but instead go to Germany, meet Hitler and get released Hindu ‘prisoners of war’, arrested by Germany and use them in fight against British. Congress had helped British to recruit lakhs of Hindus to defend British Empire and to fight against Germany. Several of them had been captured and held as prisoners of war by Germany. Savarkar also advised Subash C. Bose to meet Rash Bihari Bose in Japan where Rash B. Bose had formed ‘Indian Independence League’ with help of similar prisoners of war captured by Japan. At the meeting Savarkar also showed Subash Bose, a letter received by him from Rash B. Bose. Subash C. Bose went back to Calcutta, Holwell monument was removed but Subash C. Bose was arrested. He escaped from prison in December, 1940. After traversing several countries escaping from the British, Subash reached Germany in April 1941 met Hitler on 29th May, 1942, got released Indian prisoners of war held by Germany, named the force as ‘Indian Legion’. He then went to Japan, took command of ‘Indian Independence league’ from Rash Bihari Bose on September 1, 1942 and renamed it as ‘Indian National Army’. On 21st October, 1943, Subash declared provincial Govt. of free India at Singapore, also called ‘Azad Hind’ with himself as its Prime Minster with a full cabinet. The Govt. of ‘Azad Hind’ had its own Army, Currency, Court and Civil Code. The Govt. was recognized by 8 countries; Germany, Japan, Italy China Thailand, Burma, Croatia and Philippine. Veer (Vinayak Damodhar Savarkar) acted as a catalyst that propelled Subash Bose from a person who was seeking help in removal of a monument to being the first Prime Minster of Govt. of ‘free India’ recognized by eight countries.
Savarkars and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
In Nagpur, Keshav Baliram Hedgewar organised anti-British activities through the ‘Kranti Dal’ and participated in freedom movement during Tilak's Home Rule campaign in 1918. Hedgewar felt that such activities were not enough to overthrow the heavily armed British. After reading V. D. Savarkar's ' Hindutva' and meeting Savarkar in the Ratnagiri prison in 1925, Hedgewar realized that freedom cannot be achieved unless Hindus are first united, infused with valor, civic character and spirit of nationalism. Ganesh Savarkar was released in 1922. The initial meeting for the formation of the RSS was held on Vijaya Dashami day of 1925 between B. S. Moonje, L. V. Paranjpe, Dr Tholkar, Ganesh @ Babarao Savarkar and Hedgewar. Ganesh Savarkar's essay on nationalism "Rashtra Mimansa" was abridged into "We, and our Nationhood, Defined", by Golwalkar, in 1938, which was the first systematic statement of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideology.
There could not be freedom from heavily armed British unless there was a trained force at least double the number of British Army. Both Hedgewar and Ganesh Savarkar worked to spread the RSS ‘Shakhas’ in Maharashtra, Panjab, Delhi, and other states by initiating contacts with locals. But before Indians could be unified and trained in sufficient numbers to make a fighting force; England, USA, France, Russia etc and 100+ nations colonized by them declared war on Hitler in 1939-40. War ended in 1945 and soon thereafter England and France freed all 100+ nations colonized by them. RSS workers who put ‘Nation first’ continued to work selflessly to secure life and property of citizens under both natural or accidental calamities/disasters and act as second line in defense of Bharat. RSS force is about 50-60 lakhs.
When history is selectively remembered, truth becomes uncomfortable. In 1910, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was sentenced to 50 years of Kala Pani — one of the harshest punishments ever given to any freedom fighter. And who pronounced this judgment? Narayan Ganesh Chandavarkar — A former President of the Indian National Congress. A man later knighted by the British. Let that sink in. A revolutionary who dared to challenge the British Empire… was punished by a system where Indian elites aligned with colonial power and sat in judgment. This is not just history. This is a reminder. 👉 Freedom wasn’t just a fight against foreigners… It was also a fight against those who chose Comfort,Power and Privileges over courage. Savarkar endured Cellular Jail, chains, torture, isolation — but never surrendered his vision for Bharat. Some became legends. Some became footnotes. And some… became tools. History deserves to be told completely — not conveniently. 🇮🇳
