Unsung Heroes of Revolutionary Nationalism
Sachindranath Sanyal (1893–1942)
- Born in Varanasi, into a Bengali migrant family.
- Joined the Anushilan Samiti in 1907.
- Played a key role in the 1912 Delhi Conspiracy Case, when a bomb attack injured Viceroy Hardinge.
- Involved in the Ghadar Party Conspiracy (1915) to spark a military revolt; also helped Rashbehari Bose escape to Japan.
- Arrested in 1915 and sent to Cellular Jail (Andamans), where he wrote his classic memoir Bandi Jeevan (A Life of Captivity, 1922) — a seminal revolutionary text.
- After release, co-founded the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), mentoring younger revolutionaries like Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh.
- Arrested again in the Kakori Case (1925) and sent back to Cellular Jail — one of the few revolutionaries imprisoned there twice.
- Later supported Japanese assistance for Indian freedom during WWII; died of tuberculosis in 1942.
Fun fact: He once debated with Gandhi, opposing his gradualist, non-violent approach. Gandhi, in turn, insisted that non-violence was the only practical path forward.
Rajendra Nath Lahiri (1901–1927)
- Mastermind behind the Kakori Conspiracy (1925) and also linked to the Dakshineshwar bombing in Bengal.
- Among the Kakori martyrs, Lahiri was hanged earlier (17 Dec 1927) than scheduled, as the British feared an escape attempt.
- This was the first time in colonial India that a death sentence was executed ahead of schedule, reflecting British nervousness about revolutionary jailbreaks.
Bhagwati Charan Vohra (1904–1930)
- Key member of the HSRA, closely associated with Bhagat Singh and Azad.
- Set up a bomb factory in Lahore (1929).
- Organised the attempted bombing of Viceroy Irwin’s train (Dec 1929), though Irwin survived.
- Gandhi condemned this act in his article “The Cult of the Bomb.” In reply, Vohra (with Azad) wrote the famous “Philosophy of the Bomb”, arguing that violent revolution was justified to awaken a sleeping nation.
- Planned to bomb the jail to free Bhagat Singh, but died tragically while testing a bomb near the Ravi River.
Durgawati Devi (“Durga Bhabhi”)
- Wife of Bhagwati Charan Vohra; affectionately called “Durga Bhabhi” by revolutionaries.
- Active member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha.
- Helped run a bomb factory disguised as “Himalayan Toilets” in Delhi.
- Played a daring role in Bhagat Singh’s escape (1928) after the Saunders killing — posed as Bhagat Singh’s wife, with Rajguru as their servant, and safely escorted him to Calcutta.
- After Bhagat Singh’s arrest, she attempted to assassinate Lord Hailey (Governor of U.P.) in 1931; though Hailey survived, several associates were killed.
- Arrested and imprisoned for 3 years.
- Known as the “Agni of India”, she remains one of the boldest women revolutionaries.
Manmath Nath Gupta (1908–2000)
- Joined the Non-Cooperation Movement at the age of 13.
- Later became an HRA member and participated in the Kakori train robbery (1925).
- Survived long after independence, becoming a prolific writer and chronicler of the revolutionary movement.
- Authored books like Bhartiya Krantikari Andolan Ka Itihas and edited the Hindi literary magazine Aajkal.
- His writings preserved the memories and ideological debates of the revolutionary generation.