Jagrani Devi wanted her boychild to become a Sanskrit scholar. Sitaram Tiwari was her husband. The Brahmin couple gave birth to Chandra Shekhar Tiwari on 23 July 1906 and never would have thought that he would be remembered as one of the greatest freedom fighters of India, Chandra Shekhar Azad.
Born in Bhabra Village, in the princely state of Alirajpur (now Madhya Pradesh state) the Indian Freedom Fighter led the Hindustan Socialistic Republic Association (HSRA) in the fight against British colonial rule. The boy with a lot of self-respect stood tall against the atrocities of British rule in India, so much so that, he joined the non-cooperation movement against the British at the tender age of 15.
He was arrested for being part of the non-cooperation movement, and when produced before a district magistrate and upon asking his details he proudly mentioned his name as Azad (Free) and his father’s name as Swatantrata (Independence) and his residence as Jail. Such was his self-respect and devotion towards the nation.
Chandra Shekhar Azad relentlessly fought against the British. When the non-cooperation movement was abruptly ended by MK Gandhi, he felt disappointed, yet he didn’t want to stop the battle against the colonial rule to get Swatantrata.
Unfazed by the 15 lashes he got as punishment for uttering words of Azad, Swantrata and Jail in front of the Judge, he joined the Hindustan Republic Association (HRA), an organization that is formed to fight against British atrocities and free India from their colonial rule by all means.
The revolutionary organization HRA was renamed HSRA by Chandra Shekhar Azad after the death of Ram Prasad Biswal to uphold socialistic principles. The tough man always stood by his colleagues and fellow Indians’ lives. When Lala Lajpat Rai was killed by British police in a lathi charge he tried to avenge his death by killing the responsible police officer.
To fight against the British he trained himself and other troops in forest areas. He used to sleep on the stone slab. Life was never easy. He was a leader who always led by example and cared less about his life. He always desired to live and die with freedom.
Chandra Shekhar Azad fought against the British till 27th February 1931 holding to his pledge to always remain Azad (Free) and never be captured alive, he shot himself in the head when British troops surrounded him to kill him when he was peacefully meeting with his colleagues. He saved his colleague Raj but laid his life.
These days we have a lot of drama in the name of Janeu Brahmin and venom spewed on Brahmins, let us question that ugly behaviour and remember the great Indian freedom fighter.
