History Under Your Feet

Kodendara Subbayya Thimayya, nicknamed as Timmy, served as Chief of Army Staff from 1957-61 in the years leading up to the war with China. The only Indian to command an infantry brigade during World War II, and dealt with the repatriation of POWs as head of an UN after the Korean War.Known for his quick wit, fiery temper, a no nonsense attitude, and an independent stance, Thimayya became a legend within military circles. He was also the first to point out the threat from China to Nehru, that was predictably ignored.

Bhagat Singh, a man who was an icon of sorts in the revolutionary spectrum of India’s freedom movement. A man who smilingly went to the gallows, whose only purpose in throwing the bomb was to make the deaf hear. A young man, who did not fear death, and for whom violence was only a last resort to make people take up notice. Books have been written about him, movies have been made on his life,  and to many an idealist, he has been an aspirational figure.

Masterda Surya Sen.

The Bengali revolutionary, who shook the British like none else before. He was the one who led one of the largest ever raids on the British at Chittagong, attacking their armory, cantonment, the exclusive Europeans only club there and the telegraph office there. Never had the British witnessed such a massive assault on their institutions, in such a coordinated manner.  Though the raid was suppressed and it’s perpetrators arrested, the message it had sent out to Indians was clear, take up the arms against the British rule.

Lal Qile se aaee awaaz,

Sehgal Dhillon Shahnawaz

Teenon ki ho Umar Daraaz

Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, one of Netaji's close associates. One of the 3 tried in Red Fort, along with Captain Shah Nawaz Khan and Colonel Prem Kumar Sehgal.  Another forgotten hero who deserves his due.

If only I have eleven more followers like Sriramulu I will win freedom  in a year.- Mahatma Gandhi

The selfless freedom fighter, whose fast unto death resulted in the creation of a separate Andhra State, in 1953,  the first ever state to be formed on linguistic basis. A truly great soul, Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu.

Chattrapathi Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Shivaji Maharaj,a hero who has not got his due unfortunately. A true Chhava( Lion Cub), who refused to surrender and convert to Islam, and was brutally tortured to death by Aurangzeb. A hero who made the supreme sacrifice for cause of Hindu Dharma.

Bijayananda Patnaik, more popularly known as Biju Patnaik, also called the Utkala Shanda, “The Bull of Utkala”, for his stubborn, never say die attitude.

What does one make of a man who flew a daring sortie into Dutch occupied Indonesia and sneaked away their Prime Minister?  Or made equally daring sorties into Kashmir during the first India Pakistan war in 1947?  Or a man who set up industries all over Odisha?

Biju Patnaik was not just a political leader, he was also an aeronautical engineer, a fighter pilot, an industrialist and fought for freedom too. He was a true nationalist, and yet the interests of his beloved Odisha, always were close to his heart. A man of unimpeachable integrity,  and a visionary, that was Biju Patnaik.

My tribute to one of the greatest Indian revolutionaries ever. A legend in his own right.

Chandrashekhar Azad.

Kanneganti Hanumanthu and Uyyalavada Narasimha Reddy, two men from different backgrounds, different eras, both executed on the same date though, February 23. 

One was from a small village in Guntur’s Palnadu region, led the Pullari Satyagraha there, inspired by the Gandhian methods.

Another was the last of the Polygar leaders in Kurnool district, who led a violent guerilla uprising against the British, before being executed by them