Guru Radha Kishan

Guru Radha Kishan was born in 1925 on Krishna Janmashtami in Bid village of district Harda (previously in Hoshangabad district) of Madhya Pradesh in a Brahmin family of farmers. He had to experience the hardships of the life very early, as his father died while he was a child. It was the passion for studies and firm belief that education is a must for progress in life that he got himself enrolled for studies in a school at Chipawad near Khirkiya, which was miles away from his native village.

There he read a book authored by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin on the revolutionary struggle of Russia and an article about Indian revolutionaries Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, Sukhdev Thapar, Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad. He began his revolutionary career influenced by the martyrdom of these revolutionaries and hoisted the tricolour in his school and was sent to a reformatory school by the colonial authorities. It was the period Mahatma Gandhi visited Harda in December, 1933 when he listened to Mahatma Gandhi and decided to leave his native place for the freedom struggle of India.

Jayaprakash Narayan

Jayaprakash Narayan (Hindi:जयप्रकाश नारायण,Jayprakāśh Narāyan) (11 October 1902 – 8 October 1979), widely known as JP Narayan, Jayaprakash, or Loknayak, was an Indian independence activist and political leader, remembered especially for leading the opposition to Indira Gandhi in the 1970s and for giving a call for peaceful Total Revolution. His biography, Jayaprakash, was written by his nationalist friend and an eminent writer of Hindi literature, Ramavriksha Benipuri. In 1998, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in recognition of his social work. Other awards include the Magsaysay award for Public Service in 1965. The airport of Patna is also named after him.

Motilal Nehru

Motilal Nehru (6 May 1861 – 6 February 1931) was a lawyer, an activist of the Indian National Movement and an important leader of the Indian National Congress, who also served as the Congress President twice, 1919–1920 and 1928–1929. He was the founder patriarch of India's most powerful political family, the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The Nehru's were originally Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir[2], settled in Delhi in the beginning of 18th century, where Motilal Nehru's grandfather, Lakshmi Narayan, became the first lawyer (Vakil) of the East India Company at the Mughal Imperial Court of Delhi after 1812. His father Gangadhar, was a police constable (Kotwal) in Delhi in 1857[3], and during the Bengal Mutiny, when the British troops began shelling their way into the city, he fled to Agra along with his wife Jeorani and four children. He died here four years later, and 3 months after his death, his youngest son Motilal was born.[citation needed]

He spent the early part of childhood in Khetri, second largest thikana estate within the princely Jaipur State, now in Rajasthan, where his elder brother, Nandlal was Diwan (Chief Minister). Thereafter in 1870, when Nandlal left his job, qualified as a lawyer and started practicing English law at Agra, the family moved with him. Subsequently the High Court shifted base to Allahabad, and the family settled there.[1][4][5][6][7]

He became one of the first generation of young Hindu's to receive a Western-style college education. He passed the matriculation examination from Kanpur, and went on to attend Muir Central College at Allahabad,[1] but failed to appear for the final year B.A. examinations. Later he qualified "Bar at law" from University of Cambridge and then enlisted as a lawyer in the English courts. Honored with “Proud Past Alumni" in the list of 42 members, from "Allahabad University Alumni Association", NCR[8]

Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagoreα[›]β[›] (Bengali: রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941),γ[›] sobriquet Gurudev,δ[›] was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse",[2] he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.[3] In translation his poetry was viewed as spiritual and mercurial; his seemingly mesmeric personality, flowing hair, and other-worldly dress earned him a prophet-like reputation in the West. His "elegant prose and magical poetry" remain largely unknown outside Bengal.[4] Tagore introduced new prose and verse forms and the use of colloquial language into Bengali literature, thereby freeing it from traditional models based on classical Sanskrit. He was highly influential in introducing the best of Indian culture to the West and vice versa, and he is generally regarded as the outstanding creative artist of modern India.[5]

A Pirali Brahmin[6][7][8][9] from Calcutta, Tagore wrote poetry as an eight-year-old.[10] At age sixteen, he released his first substantial poems under the pseudonym Bhānusiṃha ("Sun Lion"), which were seized upon by literary authorities as long-lost classics.[5][11] He graduated to his first short stories and dramas—and the aegis of his birth name—by 1877. As a humanist, universalist internationalist, and strident anti-nationalist he denounced the Raj and advocated independence from Britain. As an exponent of the Bengal Renaissance, he advanced a vast canon that comprised paintings, sketches and doodles, hundreds of texts, and some two thousand songs; his legacy endures also in the institution he founded, Visva-Bharati University.[12]

Tagore modernised Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced), and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed—or panned—for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: the Republic of India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla. The composer of Sri Lanka's national anthem: Sri Lanka Matha was a student of Tagore, and the song is inspired by Tagore's style.[13]

A. K. Fazlul Huq

Abul Kasem Fazlul Huq (Urdu: ابو قاسم فضلول حق; Bengali: আবুল কাসেম ফজলুল হক; 26 October 1873—27 April 1962)[1]; popularize as Sher-e-Bangla (Urdu phrase meaning The Tiger of Bengal), was a well-known East-Pakistani politician and a notable Bengali statesman in the first half of the 20th century.

Educated at the Calcutta University, he was originally the senior figure of the Congress Party, but defected to Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1930s. He played a crucial role in drafting the Lahore Resolution and had active public position in British India advocating for the Pakistan Movement in 1940s. After the establishment of Pakistan, he was appointed as chief minister of East Bengal in in 1954, but left the position after ascending as Interior Minister of Pakistan. In 1956, he was appointed as Governor of East Pakistan on platform of Communist Party led United Front and presided the provisional state until 1958 when he was ousted by the Awami League.[2] After a brief illness, he died in Dacca in 1962 and is buried at the Suhrawardy Udyan.

Subhas Chandra Bose

ubhas Chandra Bose ( listen (help·info); 23 January 1897 – unknown^[2]) also known as Netaji (Hindi/Bengali: “Respected Leader”), was one of the most prominent Indian nationalist leaders who attempted to liberate India from British rule during the waning years of World War II. Bose, who had been ousted from the Indian National Congress in 1939 following differences with the more conservative high command,^[3] and subsequently placed under house arrest by the British, escaped from India in early 1941.^[4] He turned to the Axis powers for help in gaining India's independence by force.^[5] With Japanese support, he organised the Indian National Army, composed largely of Indian soldiers of the British Indian army who had been captured in the Battle of Singapore by the Japanese. As the war turned against them the Japanese came to support a number of countries to form provisional governments in the captured regions, including those in Burma, the Philippines and Vietnam, and in addition, the Provisional Government of Azad Hind, presided by Bose.^[5] Bose's effort, however, was short lived; in 1945 the British army first halted and then reversed the Japanese U Go offensive, beginning the successful part of the Burma Campaign. Bose's Indian National Army was driven down the Malay Peninsula, and surrendered with the recapture of Singapore. It was reported that Bose died soon thereafter from third degree burns received after attempting to escape in an overloaded Japanese plane which crashed in Taiwan,^[6] which is disputed as there are no evidences.^[7] The trials of the INA soldiers at Red Fort, Delhi, in late 1945 caused huge public

Ramakrishna

Ramakrishna (Bengali: রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস About this sound Ramkṛiṣṇo Pôromôhongśo (help·info)) (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886), born Gadadhar Chattopadhyay[2] (Bengali: গদাধর চট্টোপাধ্যায় Gôdadhor Chôṭṭopaddhae), was a famous mystic of 19th-century India.[3] His religious school of thought led to the formation of the Ramakrishna Mission by his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda[4][5][6][7] – both were influential figures in the Bengali Renaissance[8] as well as the Hindu renaissance during the 19th and 20th centuries.[9][10][11] Many of his disciples and devotees believe he was an Avatar or incarnation of God.[12] He is also referred to as "Paramahamsa" by his devotees, as such he is popularly known as Ramkrishna Paramhamsa.

Ramakrishna was born in a poor Brahmin Vaishnava family in rural Bengal. He became a priest of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple, dedicated to the goddess Kali, which had the influence of the main strands of Bengali bhakti tradition.[2] The most widely known amongst his first spiritual teachers was an ascetic woman, called Bhairavi Brahmani skilled in Tantra and Vaishnava bhakti.[13] Later an Advaita Vedantin ascetic taught him non-dual meditation, and according to Ramakrishna, he experienced nirvikalpa samadhi under his guidance. Ramakrishna also experimented with other religions, notably Islam and Christianity, and said that they all lead to the same God.[2] Though he quit conventional education, he attracted the attention of the middle class, upper middle class and numerous Bengali intellectuals.[citation needed]

Syed Ahmed Khan

Javad-ud Daula, Arif Jang, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, KCSI[1] (October 17, 1817 – March 27, 1898), also known as Syed Ahmed Taqvi,[2] commonly known as Sir Syed,[3] was an Indian educator and politician, and an Islamic reformer and modernist.[4][5] Sir Syed pioneered modern education for the Muslim community in India by founding the Muhammedan Anglo-Oriental College, which later developed into the Aligarh Muslim University. His work gave rise to a new generation of Muslim entrepreneurs and politicians who composed the Aligarh movement to secure the political future of Muslims of India.

In 1842, Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II revived upon Syed Ahmad Khan the title of Javad-ud Daulah, conferred upon Syed Ahmad’s grandfather Syed Hadi by Emperor Shah Alam II in about the middle of the 18th century. The Emperor added to it the additional title of Arif Jang. The conferment of these titles was symbolic of Syed Ahmad Khan’s incorporation into the nobility of Delhi.[6]

Born into Muslim nobility, Sir Syed earned a reputation as a distinguished scholar while working as a jurist for the British East India Company. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 he remained loyal to the British and was noted for his actions in saving European lives.[4] After the rebellion he penned the booklet Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind (The Causes of the Indian Mutiny) — a daring critique, at the time, of British policies that he blamed for causing the revolt. Believing that the future of Muslims was threatened by the rigidity of their orthodox outlook, Sir Syed began promoting Western-style scientific education by founding modern schools and journals and organising Muslim entrepreneurs. Towards this goal, Sir Syed founded the Muhammedan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875 with the aim of promoting social and economic development of Indian Muslims.

One of the most influential Muslim politicians of his time, Sir Syed was suspicious of the Indian independence movement and called upon Muslims to loyally serve the British Raj. He denounced nationalist organisations such as the Indian National Congress, instead forming organisations to promote Muslim unity and pro-British attitudes and activities. Sir Syed promoted the adoption of Urdu as the lingua franca of all Indian Muslims, and mentored a rising generation of Muslim politicians and entrepreneurs. Prior to the Hindi–Urdu controversy, he was Interested in the education of Muslims and Hindus both and this was the period in which Sir Syed visualised India as a beautiful bride whose one eye was Hindu and the other Muslim and due to this stance Sir Syed was regarded as a reformer and nationalist leader but there was a sudden change in his policies after the Hindi–Urdu controversy. His Education and reformist policies became Muslim specific and he fought for the status of Urdu until his last breath.Maulana Hali, in his book Hayat-e-Javed, writes "One day as Sir Syed was discussing educational affairs of Muslims with Mr Shakespeare, the then Commissioner of Banaras. Mr Shakespeare looked surprised and asked him, ‘This is the first time when I have heard you talking specifically about Muslims. Before this you used to talk about the welfare of the common Indians.'" He then told him, "Now I am convinced the two communities will not put their hearts in any venture together. This is nothing [it is just the beginning], in the coming times an ever increasing hatred and animosity appears on the horizon simply because of those who are regarded as educated. Those who will be around will witness it." Therefore in Pakistan, he is hailed as the father of Two Nation Theory and one of the founding fathers of Pakistan with Allama Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.[7]

Muhammad Iqbal

Sir Muhammad Iqbal (Urdu: محمد اقبال) (November 9, 1877 – April 21, 1938), also known as Allama Iqbal (Urdu: علامہ اقبال), was a philosopher, poet and politician[1] in British India who is widely regarded as having inspired the Pakistan Movement. He is considered one of the most important figures in Urdu literature,[2] with literary work in both the Urdu and Persian languages.[1][2]

Iqbal is admired as a prominent classical poet by Pakistani, Indian and other international scholars of literature.[3][4] Though Iqbal is best known as an eminent poet, he is also a highly acclaimed "Muslim philosophical thinker of modern times".[1][4] His first poetry book, Asrar-e-Khudi, appeared in the Persian language in 1915, and other books of poetry include Rumuz-i-Bekhudi, Payam-i-Mashriq and Zabur-i-Ajam. Amongst these his best known Urdu works are Bang-i-Dara, Bal-i-Jibril, Zarb-i Kalim and a part of Armughan-e-Hijaz.[5] In Iran and Afghanistan he is famous as Iqbāl-e Lāhorī (اقبال لاهوری‎) (Iqbal of Lahore), and he is most appreciated for his Persian work.[6] Along with his Urdu and Persian poetry, his various Urdu and English lectures and letters have been very influential in cultural, social, religious and political disputes over the years.[5]

In 1922, he was knighted by King George V,[6][7] giving him the title "Sir".[8]

While studying law and philosophy in England, Iqbal became a member of the London branch of the All India Muslim League.[4][5] Later, in one of his most famous speeches, Iqbal pushed for the creation of a Muslim state in Northwest India. This took place in his presidential speech in the League's December 1930 session.[4][5] He was very close to the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.[5]

In much of Southern Asia, Iqbal is regarded as the Shair-e-Mashriq (شاعر مشرق) (Poet of the East).[9][10][11] He is also called Muffakir-e-Pakistan(مفکر پاکستان) (The Thinker of Pakistan) and Hakeem-ul-Ummat (حکیم الامت) (The Sage of the Ummah). The Pakistan government officially named him a "national poet".[4] His birthday Yōm-e Welādat-e Muḥammad Iqbāl (یوم ولادت محمد اقبال) or (Iqbal Day) is a public holiday in Pakistan.[12]

Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo (Bengali: শ্রী অরবিন্দ Sri Ôrobindo) (15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950), born Aurobindo Ghosh or Ghose (Bengali: অরবিন্দ ঘোষ Ôrobindo Ghosh), was an Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru, and poet.[2][3] He joined the Indian movement for freedom from British rule and for a duration became one of its most important leaders,[4] before developing his own vision of human progress and spiritual evolution. He was also one of the famous Radical leaders of India during the Indian National Movement.

The central theme of Aurobindo's vision was the evolution of human life into life divine. He wrote: "Man is a transitional being. He is not final. The step from man to superman is the next approaching achievement in the earth evolution. It is inevitable because it is at once the intention of the inner spirit and the logic of nature's process."[5] Thus, Aurobindo created a dialectic mode of salvation not only for the individual but for all mankind.

Aurobindo's writings synthesized Eastern and Western philosophy, religion, literature, and psychology. Aurobindo was the first Indian to create a major literary corpus in English.[6] His works include philosophy; poetry; translations of and commentaries on the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Gita; plays; literary, social, political, and historical criticism; devotional works; spiritual journals and three volumes of letters. His voluminous, complex, and sometimes chaotic literary output includes philosophical pondering, poetry, plays, and other works. Among his works are The Life Divine (1940), The Human Cycle (1949), The Ideal of Human Unity (1949), On the Veda (1956), Collected Poems and Plays (1942), Essays on the Gita (1928), The Synthesis of Yoga (1948), and Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol (1950)

Dayananda Saraswati

was an important Hindu religious scholar, reformer, and founder of the Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement. He was the first to give the call for Swarajya[2] – "India for Indians" – in 1876, later taken up by Lokmanya Tilak.[3][4] Denouncing the idolatry and ritualistic worship prevalent in Hinduism at the time, he worked towards reviving Vedic ideologies. Subsequently the philosopher and President of India, S. Radhakrishnan, called him one of the "makers of Modern India," as did Sri Aurobindo.[5][6][7]

One of his notable disciples was Shyamji Krishna Varma, who founded India House in London and guided other revolutionaries. Others who were influenced by and followed him included Madam Cama, Pran Sukh Yadav, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Lala Hardayal, Madan Lal Dhingra, Ram Prasad Bismil, Bhagat Singh, Mahadev Govind Ranade[8] Swami Shraddhanand. Mahatma Hansraj and Lala Lajpat Rai.[9][10] One of his most influential works is the book Satyarth Prakash, which contributed to the Indian independence movement. He was a sanyasi (ascetic) from boyhood, and a scholar, who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas.

Dayananda advocated the doctrine of karma and skepticism in dogma, and emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya (celibacy) and devotion to God. The Theosophical Society and the Arya Samaj were united from 1878 to 1882, becoming the Theosophical Society of the Arya Samaj.[11] Among Maharishi Dayananda's contributions are his promoting of the equal rights for women, such as the right to education and reading of Indian scriptures, and his translation of the Vedas from Sanskrit into Hindi so that the common man might be able to read them.Dayanand was the first to give the word of Swadeshi long before Mahatma Gandhi[12]

Ram Mohan Roy

Ram Mohun Roy, Ram Mohun also spelled Rammohun, Rammohan, or Ram Mohan (Bengali: রাজা রামমোহন রায়; 14 August 1774 – 27 September 1833), was an Indian religious, social, and educational reformer who challenged traditional Hindu culture and indicated the lines of progress for Indian society under British rule. He is sometimes called the "Maker of Modern India".[1] He, along with Dwarkanath Tagore and other Bengalis, founded the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, which engendered the Brahmo Samaj, an influential Indian socio-religious reform movement during the Bengal Renaissance. His influence was apparent in the fields of politics, public administration, and education, as well as religion. He is known for his efforts to abolish sati, child marriage, the Hindu funeral practice in which the widow immolated herself on her husband's funeral pyre.[2][3]