Talk:Indian Freedom Fighters
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
INC[edit]
Founders of INC[edit]
| Freedom Fighter | Home Region | Ethnicity | Ahimsa | Role | Symbolism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ananda Mohan Bose (alias 'Saint Bose') |
E.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee (alias 'Bengali Tiger') |
W.B. | Bengali | Influenced by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Vivekananda, taught Pali and Sanskrit (as well as Bengali and Hindi), his Dr. S.P. Mukherjee would found the Jana Sangh party | ||
| Dr. Atmaram Pandurang Tarkhadkar | Maharashtra | Marathi | Founded Prarthana Samaji | ||
| Bal Gangadhar Tilak (alias 'Lokmanya', 'Father of the Indian Unrest') |
Maharashtra | Marathi | Not strictly | Member (Leader) |
Of the 'extremist' faction within the INC, he established institutions, including the Deccan Education Society and its Fergusson College, popularized Ganesh Chathurti and Shiv Jayanti, as well as wrote important historical works. |
| Dadoba Pandurang Tarkhadkar (alias 'Ek Hindu') |
Maharashtra | Marathi | Paramahansa Mandali, member and key associate of Prarthana Samaj | ||
| Durga Mohan Das | E.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Durgaram Manchharam Dave (alias 'Durgaram Mehta') |
Gujarat | Gujarati | Founded Manav Dharm Sabha and Paramahansa Mandali | ||
| Dwarkanath Ganguly | E.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Ganapathy Subramania Iyer | T.N. | Tamil | Member of Theosophical Society and of Madras Native Association that opposed Christian missionary work | ||
| Janki Nath Ghoshal | W.B. | Bengali | Engaged with Brahmo Samjis, including Keshub Chunder Sen, and with Rabindranath Tagore, Vivekanand, and Sister Nivedita[1] regular contributor of Brahmo-affiliated pro-freedom Indian Mirror newspaper[2], father of Subhas Chandra Bose and Sarat Chandra Bose | ||
| Sir Jotindra Mohan Tagore | W.B. | Bengali | Founded an endowment for the benefit of Hindu widows and setup an annual fund towards a gold keyur to be annually presented to the best student in Sanskrit literature in Calcutta University | ||
| Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu (alias 'Raja Ram Mohan Roy of Andhra') |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Brahmo Samaji, Prarthana Samaji (popularized the Prarthana Samaj in southern India) | ||
| Kashinath Trimbak Telang (alias 'Justice Telang') |
Maharashtra | Marathi | Translated the Bhagavad Gita, and his other important publication (1884) was the historical Sanskrit play Mudrarakshasa of Vishakhadatta | ||
| Krishna Kumar Mitra | E.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Rangachari Balaji Rao | T.N. | Marathi | Member of Madras Mahajana Sabha who opposed Christian missionary work, follower of Vivekanand[3] | ||
| Lalmohan Ghosh | W.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Madan Mohan Malaviya (alias 'Mahaman', 'Pandit') |
U.P. | Malwi | 4-time INC president, founded Bharat Dharma Mahamandala and Hindu Mahasabha | ||
| Mahadev Govind Ranade (alias 'Justice Ranade') |
Maharashtra | Marathi | Member and key associate of Prarthana Samaj | ||
| Monomohun Ghose | E.B. | Bengali | Sanskritist, Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Mudumbai Veeraraghavachariar | T.N. | Tamil | Member of Theosophical Society and of Madras Native Association that opposed Christian missionary work | ||
| Nabagopal Mitra (alias 'National Mitra') |
W.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Sir Narayan Ganesh Chandavarkar (alias 'Mr. Justice') |
Karnataka | Marathi | Usually | Member (Leader-National President) |
Prarthana Samaj member |
| Narendra Nath Sen Gupta (alias 'Father of Indian Psychology') |
E.B. | Bengali | Established Theosophical Society of Bengali, had close friendship with Keshab Chunder Sen, wrote Mechanisms of Ecstasy, which drew ideas from Hindu [and Christian] classics from his passionate study of the psychology of religions and their scriptures | ||
| Nyapati Subba Rao Pantulu (alias 'Andhra Bhishma') |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Inspired by Vivekanand's speeches, he began Hindu Samajam in Rajahmundry (1903) for propagating the Gita and Sanatan Dharm[4] | ||
| Panapakkam Ananda Charlu | T.N. | Tamil | Member of Theosophical Society and of Madras Native Association that opposed Christian missionary work | ||
| Rai Raghunath Rao | T.N. | Marathi | Member of Theosophical Society, statue of Krishna was constructed for him in front of Kumbakonam Town Hall in Kudanthai | ||
| Sir Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar | Maharashtra | Marathi | Member and key associate of Prarthana Samaj | ||
| Romesh Chunder Dutt (alias 'Arcydae', 'Babu Dewan', 'Hindu') |
W.B. | Bengali | Usually | Member (Leader-National President) |
Wrote Early Hindu Civilisation, B.C. 2000 to 320 (1927) |
| Romesh Chunder Mitter | W.B. | Bengali | Established Sanskrit Chatuspathi in Bhawanipur, and translated Valmimi Ramayana and Mahabharata into English | ||
| Satyendranath Tagore | W.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji, member of Hindu Mahamela | ||
| Shankar Vishnu Patankar | Maharashtra | Marathi | Prarthana Samaji | ||
| Shib Chandra Deb | W.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Sir Subbier Subramania Iyer (alias 'Lion of South India') |
T.N. | Tamil | President of the Dharma Rakshana Sabha, established 2 Vedic Schools (Madurai and Thiruparankundram), VP of Theosophical Society (1907-1911), established Suddha Dharma Mandala (1915) | ||
| Subodh Chandra Mallick (alias 'Raja') |
W.B. | Bengali | Funded Bande Mataram and Karmayogin newspapers, was a member in Jugantar, and financed Aurobindo's revolutionary activities | ||
| Surendranath Banerjee (alias 'Rashtraguru') |
W.B. | Bengali | Usually | Member (Leader) |
Brahmo Samaji |
| Umesh Chandra Dutta | W.B. | Bengali | Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Vishwanath Narayan Mandlik (alias 'Rao Saheb') |
Maharashtra | Marathi | Wrote several works on Hindu Law in English, including translations of Yajnyawalkya Smriti, the Manu Smriti and Nilakantha's Vyvahara Mayukha, Prarthana Samaji | ||
| Vishnu Bhikaji Sule | Maharashtra | Marathi | Prarthana Samaji | ||
| Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee | W.B. | Bengali | Usually | Member (Leader-National President) |
His maternal lineage traced to the Sanskrit scholar and philosopher Pandit Juggonath Turkopunchanun, linking him to the tradition of Hindu saints, studied at Hindu School at Kolkata, a major institution for blending Western and Sanskrit learning, authored Reform of the Hindu Marriage Laws (1868), which critiqued and proposed changes to Hindu marriage customs to be more ethical |
Later members of INC[edit]
| Freedom Fighter | Home Region | Ethnicity | Ahimsa | Role | Symbolism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambikagiri Raichoudhury (alias 'Assam Kesari') |
Assam | Assami | Yes | Member (Leader, Detector) |
Established Sankardeva Sarcharkas organization to promote Assamese folk songs and cultural elements, including those influenced by Vaishnava traditions (e.g., devotional music and reformist ideas) — work emphasized Assami identity, which Ekasarana Dharm helped shape, criticized British authority for banning puja at Kamakhya Temple (centre of plots against British rule) |
| Ambujammal Desikachari (alias 'Akkamma') |
T.N. | Tamil | Yes | Member (Leader-Local VP) |
Member of WIA, referenced Hindu scriptures in her nationalist and feminist work, translated Tulsi Ramayana into Tamil |
| Annie Besant | England | English | Yes | Member (Leader) |
|
| Arunachalam Vaidyanatha Iyer (alias 'Madurai A.') |
T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Avinashilingam Chettiar | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Awadhesh Pratap Singh | M.P. | Bagheli | Yes | Member (Leader-Local President) |
|
| Baba Kanshi Ram (alias 'Pahari Gandhi', 'Paharan-Da-Bulbul', 'Siyahposh Jarnail') |
H.P. | Kangri Pahari | Not strictly | Member | Incorporated Hindu symbols into his speeches and writings, emphasized dharma |
| Badri Datt Pandey (alias 'Kumaon Kesari', 'Pandit') |
Uttarakhand | Kumaoni | Yes | Member | Blended anti-imperialism with Hindu cultural revival, founded Shakti, wrote about history referencing scriptures, glorified temple patronage, supported maths (i.e., Sanskrit schools like Shivaraj Sanskrit Pathshala) and ashrams (i.e., Sanatan Dharm Maha Mandal), Kuli Begar Movement's first oath was in 1921 at Haru Mandir |
| Bal Krishna Sharma (alias 'Lion of Kanpur', 'Naveen') | M.P. | Malwi | Yes | Member (Leader) |
His poetry often evokes India's ancient glory rooted in Hindu themes like in "Kumkum", "Rashmirekha", "Apalak", and revolutionary verses, wrote Urmila (version of Ramayana) |
| Dr. Bhagwan Das | U.P. | Hindi | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Theosophy Society member, founded Kashi Vidya Peeth, wrote commentaries in English and Hindi on scriptures and concepts (i.e., Pranava-Vada), received Bharat Ratna |
| Bhag Mal Sautha | H.P. | Mahasuvi Pahari | Member (Secretary) |
Founding member of Prem Pracharini Sabha, which encouraged recitation of devotional songs, prayers, and moral conduct as a means of social upliftment and unity among subjects, and Hindu principles like dharm | |
| Bheemanna Khandre | Karnataka | Kannadiga | Yes | Member (Leader) |
President of Akhil Bharata Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha, imprisoned for activism in liberation of Hyderabad from nizam |
| Bipin Chandra Pal | W.B. | Bengali | Part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio that promulgated the Swadeshi movement, was a Brahmo Samaji | ||
| Birama (alias 'Swami Keshwanand') |
Rajasthan | Marwari | Organized celebrations to honour Sikh, Namdhari-Sikh, Bishnoi-Vaishnav, and Jain gurus, was Udasin member himself, founded 300 schools (including a Sanskrit one), 50 hostels and social centres | ||
| Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya | Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Member (Leader) |
Wrote positively about Hindu heritage and civilizational continuity | |
| Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy | Bihar | Bengali | Member (Leader) |
Supported movements framed around Hindu protection and social organization (e.g., relief efforts tied to Hindu communities) | |
| Bishnu Prasad Rabha (alias 'Kalaguru') |
Assam | Assami | Not strictly | Member | Drew an imaginary portrait of Sankardev, sang Borgeets (Vaishnava devotional songs), drew cultural inspiration from him for Assami identity |
| Chakravarti Rajagopalacari (alias 'Rajaji') |
T.N. | Tamil | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Retold Rama in Chakravarti Thirumagan portraying Ram as the ideal upholder of righteousness/dharma, viewed Hindu principles as moral foundations for nationalism |
| Chinnaswami Subramaniyan (alias 'Subbayya Bhartiyar', 'Mahakavi') |
T.N. | Tamil | Not strictly | Member | |
| Chittaranjan Das (alias 'Deshbandhu') |
W.B. | Bengali | Quoted the Gita, occasionally praised Shivaji, influenced by Brahmo Samajis | ||
| Cunjen Kesavan | Kerala | Malayali | Member (Leader) |
Used Hindu principles to argue that caste discrimination contradicted Hindu philosophical ideals | |
| Diwan Rajagopala Balaji Rao | T.N. | Tamil | Member of Madras Mahajana Sabha who opposed Christian missionary work | ||
| Dorothy Jinarajadasa | England | English | Mainly | Non-Member (Event Attendant) |
Worked closely with Gandhi and attended INC events like its Session at Kolkata (1917) and Malabar District Conference (1918) |
| Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya (alias 'Chirala Rama Das', 'Andhra Ratna') |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Established the Rama Dandu (Rama's Army) to promote swaraj and its members wore saffron clothes, rudraksha beads, and vermillion, and established in 1921 Ramanagara as a Ram Rajya utopian settlement of 13,000 residents (religious idiom used to mobilize Congress mass politics) |
| Durgabai Deshmukh (alias 'Iron Lady of Andhra') |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Yes | Member (Leader-Local Chairperson) |
Emphasized dharm as duty, service, and moral responsibility, especially in public life and social reform |
| Dwarka Prasad Mishra | M.P. | Malwi | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Wrote Krishnayana and emphasized Krishna's struggle against tyrant Kamsa akin to Indians fighting for independence against British imperialists, other writings (i.e., Living an Era) and speeches occassionally invoked India's ancient Hindu heritage |
| Ela Bhatt | Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Member | Founder of SEWA and women’s rights activist, mentioned Hindu law in academic contexts (e.g., her gold medal in Hindu law studies). |
| Gangadharrao Deshpande | Karnataka | Kannadiga | Yes | Member (Leader-Local Chairperson) |
Expressed admiration of Savarkar and RSS, wrote letter to V.J. Patel in December 1947 |
| Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi | U.P. | Hindi | Member (Leader, Journalist) |
Martyred when rescuing Hindus from a Muslim mob during a riot in Kanpur (1931), protested with other INC members against Islamic communalism to Moolgang Mosque in retaliation for its Muslims having attacked a Hindu procession's musical band, used Hindu symbolism like Ram Rajya as a just and moral society in speeches and writings | |
| Ghanshyam Das Birla | Rajasthan | Marwari | Funded Hindu institutions like temples and Harijan Sevak Sangh, and funded INC and educational institutions, wrote June 1924 letter to Gandhi supporting conversions of Muslims to Hinduism | ||
| Gogineni Ranga Nayukulu (alias 'Acharya Ranga') |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Member (Leader) |
His autobiography and writings refer to Gandhi’s religious philosophy and its Hindu roots, discussed Indian village life through the lens of dharmic ethics | |
| Gopabandhu Das (alias 'Utkalmani') |
Odisha | Odia | Member (Leader-Local President) |
Founded institutions rooted in service (seva), dharma, and Hindu ethics | |
| Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar | Karnataka | Kannada | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Referenced Hindu philosophical ideas, especially in his writings (i.e., Americadalli Gorur, wherein he referenced Upanishads and living by dharma), including essays that invoked Hindu principles for moral nationalism and social reform |
| Govind Ballabh Pant | U.P. | Marathi | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Reference to Ram Rajya like in Constituent Assembly debate (1948), to Krishna for issues like cow protection, supported Hindu Code Bill reforms, first U.P. CM of independent India, "Real Swaraj means Ram Rajya. If secular State means that our children will not know about the Ramayana or listen to the Gita or the Koran or the Granth what is the political freedom worth? Sir, by 'Ram' I mean Hindu God and also Christian God." 1939: "We want Ram Rajya, we want Sarvodaya. But for achieving them it is necessary that every..." |
| Gulzarilal Nanda[5] | Punjab | Punjabi | Member (Leader) |
"Nanda ji developed the great cultural and religious heritage of Kurukshetra by facilitating it for 22 years,..." says Kurukhshetra University. He wrote "A Sacred Legacy" about Baba Sitaramdas Omkarnath[6], founded the Bharat Sadhu Samaj along with other persons | |
| Haladhar Bhuyan | Assam | Assami | Yes | Member | Established Srimanta Sankardev Sangha to protect Sankardev's Ekasarana Vaishnava sect from adopting unethical traits and to promulgate the sect's teachings, was jailed for participation in freedom struggle |
| Hansa Mehta (alias 'A founding mother of the Indian republic') |
Gujarat | Gujarati | Member | Translated the Valmiki Ramayana's chapters "Aranyakanda", "Balakanda" and "Sundarakanda", and ensured MS University Baroda undertook projects to publish other scriptures of ancient India | |
| Hanuman Prasad Poddar | Rajasthan | Marwari | Not strictly | Non-Member (Attendant, Rally Protestor) |
Founder of Gita Press (provided more accurate translations of Hindu texts) and Kalyan magazine, affiliated with Hindu Mahasabha and RSS |
| Hardekar Manjappa (alias 'Gandhi of Karnataka') |
Karnataka | Kannadiga | Yes | Non-Member (Volunteer) |
Used Basava's teachings as a symbol against British rule, promoted Basava's teachings through celebrations (i.e., starting Basava Jayanti festival) and writings (wrote over 40 books, like Basava Charithre), presented a book on Basava to Gandhi, was part of Basweshara Seva Dala, organized first Ganesh Chaturthi in Belgaum (1905), which inspired Tilak to nationalize festival and utilize it for freedom struggle |
| Haribhau Upadhyaya (alias 'Pandit') |
M.P. | Malwi | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Wrote works on Hindu scriptures, such as Bhagwat Geeta, Sadhana ke Path Par, and Yug Dharm |
| Himmatlal Ramchandra Dave (alias 'Swami Anand') |
Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Member (Administrator) |
A swami and Joint Secretary of the Bharat Sadhu Samaj, which he founded along with other persons |
| Jagat Narain Lal | Bihar | Bhojpuri | Member (Leader) |
His Light Unto a Cell references Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Isha Upanishad, among others | |
| Jayaprakash Narayan Srivastava (alias 'Loknayak') |
Bihar | Bhojpuri | Yes | Member (Leader-National GS) |
Frequently invoked Ram Rajya as an ideal of moral, decentralized, and just governance in his later writings and the Total Revolution Movement (1970s), describing it as a society based on dharm, equality, and ethical rule, reference Hindu ethical concepts of dharm, ahimsa, and selfless action positively while blending them with social ideals |
| Jhaverchand Meghani (alias 'Rashtriya Shayar') |
Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Non-Member (Rally Protestor) |
A poet and folklorist that mentioned Hindu figures in patriotic literature, his works invoked cultural nationalism |
| Jivatram Bhagwandas Kripalani (alias 'Acharya Kripalani') |
Sindh | Sindhi | Yes | Member (Leader-National President) |
|
| Jugal Chandra Ghosh | W.B. | Bengali | Member | Worked with groups mobilizing around Hindu protection and identity, including during the pro-Pakistan Direct Action Day riots in Kolkata | |
| Jugal Kishore Birla | Maharashtra | Marwari | Funded both INC and Hindu groups like HM and RSS, and funded Kolkata Medical College, Marwadi Balika Vidyalaya in Kolkata and other such institutions | ||
| Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay | Karnataka | Kannadiga | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Promoted Hindu arts (theatre), crafts (handicrafts), and civilizational heritage |
| Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi | Gujarat | Gujarati | Shifting view | Member (Leader) |
Promoted Hindu cultural revival, founded Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, mentioned figures like Shivaji for nationalism, used pro-Hindu symbolism in writings |
| Keshava Pillai (alias 'Bodheswaran') |
Kerala | Malayali | Yes | Member | Disciple of Narayana Guru and Swamikal, promoted Hindu values, especially for reform |
| Konda Venkatappayya (alias 'Lion of Andhra') |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Member | His journalism framed Indian nationalism as rooted in Sanatan cultural continuity | |
| Koyapalli Kelappan (alias 'Gandhi of Kerala', 'Dakshin ka Gandhi') |
Kerala | Malayali | Yes | Member (Leader-Local President) |
Lived in Brahmacharya, and spoke of Hindu principles like dharm and sarvoday and worked to restore the historically-ruined Tali Temple |
| Krishna Nath Sarmah | Assam | Assami | Yes | Member (Secretary) |
Prominent Gandhian freedom fighter, social reformer, and participant in movements like the Dandi March and Civil Disobedience, actively referenced and utilized Vaishnava institutions by inviting Mahatma Gandhi in 1934 to inaugurate/open his family namghar |
| Krishnalal Shridharani[7] | Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | A writer, mentioned Hindu figures in nonviolence discussions | |
| Krishnanand Swami | H.P. | Mandyali Pahari | A swami | ||
| Kushal Konwar | Assam | Assami | Member | Influenced by reading the Gita near death | |
| Lajpat Rai (alias 'Lala Rai', 'Punjab Kesari') |
Punjab | Punjabi | Not strictly | Member (Leader) |
Arya Samaj member |
| Lal Bahadur Srivastava (Shastri) (alias 'Shastriji', 'Man of Peace') |
U.P. | Bhojpuri | Quoted Gita, spoke of Ram Rajya, occasionally praised Shivaji | ||
| Lal Chand Prarthi | H.P. | Kullavi Pahari | Not strictly | Member (Leader) |
Documented Hindu folklore, village deities, and rituals, portraying them as symbols of cultural resistance against imperial and feudal oppression, supported Hindu institutions by advocating for preservation of local temples and festivals as part of regional identity |
| Laxman Vasudev Paranjape | Maharashtra | Marathi | Member | Involved in organizations promoting Hindu cultural and social revival | |
| Madhavrao Sapre | M.P. | Marathi | Usually | Member (Leader) |
Translated into Hindi Tilak's Gita Rahasya, Samarth Ramdas' Dasbodh, Chintamani Vinayak Vaidya's Mahabharat Mimansa, and other Marathi works (i.e., Shri Ram Charitra, Ekanath Charitra, Atma Vidya) |
| Mahadev Desai | Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Member (Personal Assistant, Journalist) |
Gandhi’s secretary, mentioned Hindu figures like Krishna [in Gita translations], his statements promoted Gandhian Hinduism as tolerant and inclusive |
| Mahadev Govind Ranade (alias 'Nyayamurti Ranade') |
Maharashtra | Marathi | Usually | Member (Leader) |
Founded Prarthana Samaj |
| Makhanlal Chaturvedi (alias 'Pandit Ji', 'Yug Charan', 'Ek Bhartiya Atma') |
M.P. | Hindi | Non-Member (Rally Protestor) |
Used Hindu imagery, including of Ram and Krishna, in his literature, and drew on spiritual themes to foster nationalism against British rule | |
| Maurice Frydman (alias 'Swami Bharatanand') |
Poland | Polish | Jewish convert to Hinduism, became rajyaguru to Anudh princely state's Raja Bala Sahib and drafted a constitution for the kingdom, lived at Gandhi's ashram and worked with him, worked with fellow Pole Gandhian Umadevi | ||
| Laxminarayan Das | Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarhi | Yes | Member | Was mahant of Jaitu Sao Math in Raipur, used symbolisms like saffron robes, spoke of Ram in devotional contexts |
| Malangi Shivalingiah Gurupadaswamy | Karnataka | Kannada | Yes | Member | Referenced Hindu culture and scriptures positively context of "Indianisation," suggesting in a Constituent Assembly speech that Muslims should respect Hindu scriptures and culture for national unity |
| Margaret Cousins | Ireland | Irish | Usually | Non-Member (Attendant) |
Worked closely with Gandhi and attended INC events like INC Session at Kolkata (1917) and Gandhi's meetings and campaigns |
| Manikya Lal Verma (alias 'Gandhi of Mewar') |
Rajasthan | Mewari | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Worked closely with Arya Samaj |
| Morarji Desai | Gujarat | Gujarati | Not strictly | Member (Leader) |
Made pro-Hindu statements like "Hinduism is the most tolerant religion" and emphasized Hindu moral values, referenced Hindu philosophy in governance but balanced with secularism |
| Nana Bhatt | Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Educationist and Nai Talim pioneer, promoted Hindu ethical values like simplicity and self-reliance in education but without sectarian pro-Hindu statements, referenced Hindu cultural inheritance in educational philosophy | |
| Nand Lal (alias 'Master Ji') |
Punjab | Punjabi | Member | He wrote the Ramayan in a drama form and organized a play on the same on Navratras and Dussehra festivals (he played Dasrath in the play) | |
| Dr. Narayan Subbarao Hardikar | Karnataka | Marathi | Yes | Member (Leader-Local GS) |
Established the Hindustani Seva Mandal (later became Rashtriya Seva Dal) in 1923, established the Arya Bala Sabha, taught the Gita during his student days in Kolkata[1], was a fan of Lokmanya Tilak, and had enthusiastically worked with Lala Rai |
| Narendra Dev (alias 'Acharya Dev') |
U.P. | Hindi | Shifting view | Member (Leader) |
Referenced Ram Rajya as socialist utopia, and Hindu ethical traditions and figures like Krishna as sources of moral inspiration for selfless action and justice |
| Narhari Dwarkadas Parikh | Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Non-Member (Attendant, Rally Protestor, Volunteer) |
Referenced Hindu ethics in satyagraha |
| Naurang Rai (alias 'Swami Sahajanand Saraswati') |
U.P. | Bhojpuri | Not strictly | Member | Wrote books in Sanskrit and Hindi, on Hinduism and independence, helped form All India Kisan Sabha, in which he was its first President, worked with INC, Swatantra (N.G. Ranga ), and CPI (E.M.S. Namboodiripad), organized Bakasht Movement in Bihar in 1937–1938, built ashram at Bihta, Bihar |
| Nautamlal Bhagavanji Mehta (alias 'Nagar Seth of Jetpur') |
Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Non-Member | Supporter of Gandhi — coined 'Mahatma' for him, invoking Hindu reverence, promoted Hindu unity in nationalism |
| Padam Dev (alias 'Pandit,' 'Kaviraj') |
H.P. | Mahasuvi Pahari | Yes | Member (Leader-Local GS) |
Arya Samaj preacher — promoted shuddhi (even converting American Samuel Evans Stokes), referenced Hindu scriptures in his campaigns (i.e., against Begar or forced labour and reet or feudal tax, speeches invoked figures like Dayanand |
| Pandurang Mahadev Bapat ('Senapati Bapat') |
Maharashtra | Marathi | No (revolutionary) |
Non-Member (Attendant) |
Hindu symbolism (Shivaji, dharma) in speeches, including religious symbolism in anti-colonial struggle |
| Pandurang Sadashiv Khankhoje | Maharashtra | Marathi | No (revolutionary) |
||
| Pandurang Sadashiv Sane (alias 'Sane Guruji', 'Gandhi of Maharashtra') |
Maharashtra | Marathi | Yes | Member | Wrote the Geeta Hridaya, from his notes on the lectures in prison that Acharya Bhave delivered in the same jail, the latter compiled the Gita Pravachane book, orgaqnizations Akhil Bharatiya Sane Guruji Kathamala, Antar Bharati, and Rashtriya Smarak Samiti were modelled on Guruji's teachings |
| Pandurang Vitthalapanta Valame (alias 'Rang Avadhoot'[8]) |
Gujarat | Marathi | A mystic saint, mentioned Hindu figures like Dattatreya, used devotional slogans like "Jai Guru", teachings were spiritual | ||
| Purushottam Das Tandon | U.P. | Hindi | Yes | Member (Leader-National President) |
Advocated for Hindu militarism to fight perceived threats in India, used Hindu cultural symbolism (i.e., Ram Rajya), worked with K.M. Munshi in the Constituent Assembly against forced or induced conversions, was Sanskrit scholar, supported education in Vedas, Upanishads and Gita |
| Ramaswamy Aiyer Krishnamurthy (alias 'Kalki Krishnamurthy') |
T.N. | Tamil | Yes | Member | Adopted the name Kalki, his works like Ponniyin Selvan and Sivagamiyin Sapatham drew heavily from Tamil/Hindu epics and they used Hindu themes to evoke modern nationalism |
| Raghunath Vinayak Dhulekar | U.P. | Marathi | Yes | Member | Wrote commentaries about shastras and ideas, like Shweta-Shwatrupanishad Bhasya on Shvetashvatara Upanishad and Shaivism, Prashnapanishad Saral Bhashya on the Prashna Upanishad, Atmadarshi Geeta Bhashya on the Gita, Chaturvedanugami Bhashya on Vedas, and Pillars of Vedant on Vedanta |
| Dr. Rajendra Prasad | Bihar | Bhojpuri | Yes | Member (Leader-National President) |
Strongly defended traditional Hindu dharm and personal laws against the Hindi Code Bill, arguing to Nehru that changes would undermine core Hindu scriptural and cultural traditions (i.e., family structure rooted in shastras and dharm), referenced Hindu concepts like dharm positively as the ethical foundation of Indian society and expressed respect for figures like Ram and Krishna as moral ideals |
| Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia | U.P. | Marwari | Shifting view | Member (Leader-National Secretary) |
Wrote essay "Ram, Krishna, aur Shiva" as "India's three great dreams", invoked Ram Rajya positively, engaged positively with Gita and Hindu ethical concepts like dharm, and praised Krishna's call for nishkam karma as model for selfless struggle and social change, used Hindu figures to foster cultural confidence and mass mobilization (i.e., Ramayana Mela at Chitrakoot, U.P.) to connect with tural and traditional audiences, argued Hindu symbols could transcend narrow religious boundaries and promote unity |
| Ram Prasad (alias 'Agyat', 'Bismil', 'Pandit') |
U.P. | Hindi | No (revolutionary) |
Non-Member (Attendant, Volunteer) |
Arya Samaj member that encouraged shuddhi for Muslims |
| Ravishankar Shukla | M.P. | Hindi | Yes | Member (Leader-Premier) |
Headed Kanyakubja Sabha and collaborated with Malaviya to mobilize Brahmans, joined Theosophical Society to explore vastness of Hindu canon, 1st CM of independent M.P. |
| Ravishankar Vyas (alias 'Maharaj', 'Father of Gujarat') |
Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Non-Member (Rally Protestor) |
Mentioned Hindu dharma in Gandhian contexts |
| Sarojini Naidu | Telangana | Bengali | Yes | Member (Leader-National President) |
Used women like Sita, Savitri, Gargi, and Damayanti as ideals for women's empowerment, used Hindi ideas of tolerance for harmony between communities |
| Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (alias 'Philosopher President', 'Bridge Builder') |
T.N. | Telugu | Usually | Authored a highly influential commentary called The Bhagavad Gita (1948, praising it as the pinnacle of Hindu philosophy and a universal guide to ethics, dharm, and spiritual realization, celebrated Hindu scriptures (Gita, Vedanta, Upanishads) as profound expressions of eternal truth, dharm as moral order, and Krishna as a symbol of divine wisdom and action within his works Indian Philosophy and The Hindu View of Life | |
| Savalai Ramaswami Mudaliar | Puducherry | Tamil | Usually | Member (Leader) |
|
| Seshadri Srinivasa Iyengar (alias 'Lion of the South') |
T.N. | Tamil | Devout Sri Vaishnava that authored a book on Mayne's Hindu Laws, became monk (Swami Anvananda) later in life | ||
| Seth Govind Das (alias 'Mahakoshal Kesari') |
M.P. | Hindi | Yes | Member (Leader-Local President) |
Invoked Hindu scriptures (including Vedas, Upanishads, Vishnu Purana, and Brahma Purana) and figures in Constituent Assembly, wrote drama plays and texts of Hindu subject matter, partook in demonstration against cow slaughter in 1966 led by RSS, VHP, and RRP |
| Shankar Trimbak Dharmadhikari (alias 'Dada Dharmadhikari') |
M.P. | Marathi | Yes | Non-Member | Mentioned Hindu figures like Krishna in philosophical contexts, was studying Shankaracharya's works for about a year before joining independence movement |
| Shankarlal Banker | Gujarat | Gujarati | Yes | Non-Member (Rally Protestor) |
Referenced Hindu ethics in labor reforms |
| Shiv Prasad Gupta | U.P. | Hindi | Yes | Member (Financier) |
Founded Kashi Vidya Peeth for Indian and Hindu studies, funded Hindu institutions like BHU, built Bharat Mata Mandir, held the First National Congress at his residence, Gandhi called him Rashtra Ratna |
| Sohan Lal Dwivedi (alias 'Rashtrakavi') |
U.P. | Hindi | Yes | Non-Member | Mentioned Ram Rajya, like in Bharavi collection of poems, used both Krishna and Rama in patriotic poetry to describe India as the privilaged land they lived in |
| Sonaram Sutiya | Assam | Assami | Yes | Vaishnav pandit that [through the Srimanta Sankardev Sangha] promoted nam-kirtan, satras and namghars, and Sankardev's teachings | |
| Subbier Subramania Iyer (alias 'Grand Old Man of South India') |
T.N. | Tamil | Usually | Member | |
| Subhadra Kumari Chauhan | U.P. | Mentions Hindu figures in her poetry, like Ram in" Vijayadashmi", and Krishna in a few like "Ye Kadamb Ka Ped", "Vida", "Bhaiya Krishna!", "Krishna-Yashoda" | |||
| Sundara Satyamurti (alias 'Firebrand of South India', 'Dheerar') |
T.N. | Tamil | Yes | Member (Leader-National President) |
Engaged with Hindu scriptures, sometimes invoked dharma for moral nationalism |
| Dr. Sampurnanand | U.P. | Hindi | Yes | Member (Leader-Local Secretary) |
Wrote books like Yogadarshan and commentaries on Vedic texts, portrayed Hinduism as the nationalistic force for strengthening India, mentioned Ram Rajya, openly discussed the threats of Muslim disloyalty |
| Subramaniya Siva | T.N. | Tamil | Used Tamil-Hindu cultural imagery in poetry | ||
| Swami Purnanand | H.P. | Mandyali Pahari | Member (Leader) |
A swami | |
| Tanguturi Prakasam (alias 'Andhra Kesari', 'Prakasam Pantulu') |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Member (Leader) |
His public rhetoric frequently invoked dharma and the moral authority of Hindu epics, quoted Gita, occasionally invoked Krishna and Ram as moral exemplar in speeches, occasionally praised Shivaji, supported protection of Hindu religious institutions and saw them as part of national heritage | |
| Valangaiman Sankaranarayana Srinivasa Sastri | T.N. | Tamil | Member | Public lectures frequently praised Sanskrit literature and ethical universality of Hindu scriptures, presented Hindu philosophy to Western audiences as one of India’s greatest contributions to world civilization | |
| Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai (alias 'Kappalottiya Tamizhan') |
T.N. | Tamil | Not strictly | Member | Met Swami Ramakrishnananda (Vivekanand’s brother) in Chennai and was advised by him to serve the nation as a form of dharm (spiritual duty), became a member of the militant Bharatha Matha Sangam, his literature includes the commentaries Thirukural (1917) and Tolkappiam (1928), memorials to him exist in places like Theni district, erected by the Shaiv Vellalar community, his promotion of Tamil literature often intersected with Shaiv devotional texts (Tirumurai, Periya Puranam), was active in organizations like the Shaiva Siddhanta Sangam (Madurai) |
| Dr. Vavilala Gopalakrishnayya (alias 'Andhra Gandhi', 'Telugu Bhishma')[9] |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Yes | Spoke of Ram Rajya in the context of democratic accountability, welfare state ideals ("land of dharma and a real of peace"), and political morality (nonviolence to achieve goals) | |
| Vinayak Narahar Bhave (alias 'Acharya Vinoba') |
Gujarat | Marathi | Yes | Non-Member | Bhoodan leader, mentioned Hindu figures like Krishna in philosophical contexts, used slogans like "Jai Jagat" (Victory to the World), his statements emphasized spiritual equality and non-violence, drawing from Hindu texts for universal humanism, spoke of Ram Rajya like in Bhoodan movement discource |
| Vyenkatesh Bhagvanrao Khedgikar (alias 'Swami Ramanand Tirtha') |
Karnataka | Kannada | Yes | Member (Leader) |
Was an Arya Samaj monk, drew from scriptures like Gita, rallied people against Nizam, became first President of the Hyderabad State Congress in 1947 |
| Wanda Dynowska (alias 'Umadevi') |
Poland | Polish | Established Polish-Indian Library (translated Hindu and Bauddh scriptures into Polish to share with fellow Poles), worked with fellow Pole Gandhian Swami Bharatanand |
Non-aligned[edit]
| Freedom Fighter | Home Region | Ethnicity | Ahimsa | Role | Symbolism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alluri Sitarama Raju | Telangana | Telugu | Took sanyas, used to teach Gita to people | ||
| Ayodhya Prasad Upadhyay | U.P. | Volunteered lecturing Hindi at the Banaras Hindu University, wrote important works | |||
| Arani Subramaniya Sastri | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Akkur Ananthachari | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Chatursen Shastri | U.P. | Yes | Wrote works both religious and sociopolitical, even critiquing Gandhi's nonviolent stance and in independent India, Nehru attempted to ban his books | ||
| Sir Chetput Pattabhirama Ramaswami Aiyar | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Kattamuthu Ocha Thevar (alias 'Pappapatti Kattamuthu Mookiah') |
T.N. | Tamil | Was disciple of Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar | ||
| Natesa Iyer (alias 'Father Gangadhara Shastri') |
T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Sakkottai Krishnaswamy Iyengar | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Kallidaikurichi S. Subramaniya Iyer | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Mandayam Parthasarathi Tirumal Acharya | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Nanak Bheel | Bhili | Propagated the movement of Govind Guru (disciple of Swami Dayanand) among tribals, organized public gatherings that incorporated bhajans and patriotic songs, and was martyred by British imperialist forces | |||
| Pothiram Upadhyay ('Swaroopanand Saraswati', 'Revolutionary Sadhu') |
M.P. | Yes | A participant in 1942 Quit India Movement, he later 1st president of ABRRP, supported reclaiming Ram Janmabhumi and including shastras in curriculum, was Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Peeth from 1982 and before that of Jyotir Math, Badrinath (1973), mentioned Hindu figures like Ram, Krishna, Hanuman, and Shiva in speeches | ||
| Ramanathapuram Sankara Venkatarama Iyer | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Rangaswami Iyengar (alias 'Alathur') |
T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Seshayengar Srinivasa Raghavaiyangar | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Dr. Swaminatha Sastri | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Thakur Akshay Singh Ratnu | M.P. | Renovated the Karni Mata temple, wrote devotional works like "Maa Karni Vandana Stotram", in his family memoirs is credited with instilling "Sanskaras of Sanatan Hindu Dharma", wrote about Maharana Pratap, known as Sahityabhushana | |||
| Tiruppur Subrahmanya | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar (alias 'Pasumpon') |
T.N. | Tamil | Lived as a sadhu, combined political activism with Hindu spirituality and community leadership, kept strong links to Hindu religious networks in T.N., had temple-centered authority | ||
| Varahaneri Venkatesa Subramaniam Aiyar | T.N. | Tamil | |||
| Veer Narayan Singh | Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarhi |
- ↑ Dr. N.S. Hardiker By Ranganath Ramachandra Diwakar
