List of Freedom Fighters of India (1857-1947)

Let us talk about some great Indian freedom fighters. Their efforts helped India win its freedom struggle.

Mahatma Gandhi

• Also known as the “Father of the Nation”, Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. 

• People know him for popularising the concept of non-violent resistance, also known as Satyagraha. He led major movements like the Champaran protest (1917 indigo protest) and the Kheda revolt (1918 tax protest). 

• He also led the 1930 Dandi Salt March and the 1942 Quit India Movement. 

• He based these movements on this ideology. 

• He was also a prominent figure in movements like the Civil Disobedience and the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Subhash Chandra Bose

• Subhash Chandra Bose, known as “Netaji”, was a nationalist freedom fighter. He opposed Gandhi’s non-violent ideals. He supported a more militant path to independence. 

• He escaped British custody in 1941. He formed the Azad Hind government. He also organized the Indian National Army (INA) with Japanese support. 

• Under his leadership, the INA fought against the British Army in Burma/ Myanmar in an effort to liberate India. 

• People still remember him for inspiring the youth with slogans like “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.” 

• His socialist approach, while different from Mahatma Gandhi, had a large influence on the freedom struggle.

Jawaharlal Nehru

• Indian National Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru became independent India’s first Prime Minister. 

• He was a follower of Gandhian ideology and spoke in support of India’s youth and nationalists. 

• Before Independence, he played a key role in the independence struggle. He also led the 1929 Lahore Congress. There, they declared “Purna Swaraj,” or complete independence.

Bhagat Singh

• A young revolutionary, Bhagat Singh is remembered for his bravery and martyrdom. To avenge Lala Rajpat Rai’s death, he tried to attack a British officer. 

• Shivaram Rajguru who fired first, and Bhagat Singh fired multiple follow-up shots.

• The officer was Assistant Superintendent Saunders. 

• He killed Saunders by mistake. 

• He fled the scene. Later, he threw bombs at the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. He did this to protest regressive British laws such as the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Disputes Bill. 

• When authorities jailed him, he also led a hunger strike for prisoners’ rights. He was later executed at age 23. He left a brave legacy, made famous by his slogan, “Inquilab Zindabad.”

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

• Known as the “Iron Man of India,” Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was India’s first Home Minister after independence. 

• He also served as India’s first Deputy Prime Minister. 

• A pragmatic Congress leader from Gujarat, Patel organized peasants and farmers in nonviolent Satyagrahas. Notably, he led Kheda in 1918 and Bardoli in 1928. 

• The Bardoli campaign won reduced taxes, and its success earned him the title "Sardar". 

• After independence, he played a major role in bringing the princely states into the Indian Union. He did this without violence or bloodshed. Because of this, people also call him the “Unifier of India.”

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak, also known as Lokmanya Tilak, was a radical nationalist leader. He was part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio. 

• A teacher, nationalist and activist, Tilak popularized the use of Hindu symbols (Ganesh and Shivaji festivals) to unite people. 

• Gandhi called him the "Maker of Modern India." 

• Nehru dubbed him the "Father of the Indian Revolution." 

• They honored him for laying the groundwork for mass nationalism. 

• He helped draft the 1916 Lucknow Pact (Hindu-Muslim unity), and pioneered forms of protest (boycott of British goods). 

• He gave the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it,” and it became a rallying cry for the independence struggle.

Lala Lajpat Rai

• Lala Lajpat Rai earned the title “Punjab Kesari” (Lion of Punjab) for his key role in the freedom struggle. 

• He was part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio. 

• Being a social reformer, he supported Swadeshi and direct action. 

• In 1928, he led major protests in Punjab against the Simon Commission as the Commission had no Indian members. 

• Police harshly beat him with lathis, and he died from his injuries. His death sparked outrage, and Bhagat Singh avenged it. 

Chandrashekhar Azad

• An early member of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), Chandrashekhar Azad reorganized the group (later HSRA - Hindustan Socialist Republican Association). 

• He joined revolutionary activities early in life. This is clear because the authorities arrested him at 15 for joining the Non-Cooperation Movement. 

• He gave himself the name “Azad,” which means free. True to his name, he shot himself in 1931 to avoid capture by British police when they surrounded him. This led to his untimely death at the age of 24.

Mangal Pandey

• Mangal Pandey was a soldier in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry. He famously rebelled against orders on 29 March 1857. The dispute involved rifle cartridges rumored to be greased with animal fat.

• His revolt at Barrackpore helped ignite the larger Sepoy Mutiny (First War of Independence 1857). 

• Many sources say people often attribute the “title of first freedom fighter” to Mangal Pandey.

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Lal Bahadur Shastri

• Lal Bahadur Shastri was the 2nd Prime Minister of independent India. He was also the 6th Home Minister. He joined the freedom struggle at 17. He took part in the Non-Cooperation Movement, Salt Satyagraha, and Quit India Movement. 

• A staunch follower of Gandhi’s teachings, he played an active role in the Indian National Congress.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

• Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a nationalist and social reformer. He played a key role in promoting education, economic reforms, and self-rule. 

• He was a mentor to Mahatma Gandhi and instilled in him the values that shaped Gandhi’s political views.

Bipin Chandra Pal

• An important Indian nationalist, journalist and orator, Bipin Chandra Pal was one third of the Lal-Bal-Pal group. 

• He was an outspoken advocate of radical nationalism, Swadeshi and Swaraj. He fiercely protested the use of British goods and promoted the use of indigenous goods. 

• He was also opposed to the Partition of Bengal in 1905 which he saw as a move to break the unity of Bengalis. 

• People hail him as the “Father of Revolutionary Thoughts.”

Nana Saheb

• Nana Saheb was a key leader in the Revolt of 1857.

• He strongly fought the British when they denied him the pension of his adoptive father, Peshwa Baji Rao II.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

• Dr B R Ambedkar was the principal architect of the Indian Constitution and Chairman of the Drafting Committee. 

• He shaped key provisions on social justice, equality, and abolition of untouchability.

• He also led Dalit emancipation movements like the Mahad Satyagraha. He founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha to support Dalit education and upliftment. 

• He was the first Law Minister of independent India. He introduced reforms, including the Hindu Code Bill. It promoted gender equality and social reform. 

• He converted to Buddhism in 1956, inspiring millions of Dalits to reject caste discrimination and seek social equality.