Chandra Shekhar Azad

दुश्मन की गॊलियों का हम सामना करेंगे । आज़ाद रहे हैं, अज़ाद ही रहेंगें ।

Chandra Shekhar Azad inspired his generation to enter into freedom struggle. Azad was very young when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non – Co-operation Movement. Azad and his followers had committed themselves to absolute independence by any means. So he was the most sought after revolutionary by British police.

Chandra Shekhar Azad, a man of free spirit and indomitable courage, was born to Sitaram Tiwari and Jagrani Devi on July 23, 1906 in Alirajpur, Jhabua Dist of Madhya Pradesh His first name was Moniker Chandra Shekhar Tiwari. After a court incident, he took the name “AZAD”. He was a dedicated follower of lord hanuman.

Drawn into the national movement at a very young age he was apprehended by the British Police during his participation in the Non – Co-operation Movement at Benaras. When in the court he was asked to tell his name in front of the Magistrate, he said “AZAD”, which means “free”. Azad was sentenced to fifteen lashes. With each stroke of the whip the young Chandra Shekhar Azad shouted “BHARAT MATA KI JAI” “MAHATMA GANDHI KI JAI”.

While enjoying the fruits of freedom every Indian must remember the life and contributions of Azad.

Achivements :

Ø Involved in Kakori train robbery (1926).
Ø The attempt to blow up the viceroy’s train (1926).
Ø The shooting of Saunders at Lahore (1928).
Ø To avenge the killing of Lala Lajapath Roy, he formed Hindustan Socialist Republic Association with Bhagath singh, Sukhdev and Raj Guru.

Chandra Shekhar Azad was a great Indian freedom fighter. His fierce patriotism and courage inspired others of his generation to enter freedom struggle. He was deeply troubled by the Jallian Wala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919. Azad actively participated in revolutionary activities. He vowed that he would never be arrested by the British Police and would die as free man.

Azad was a terror to British Police. He was on their hit list and the British badly wanted to capture him dead or alive. On February 27,1931 he met two of his comrades at Alfred Park Allahabad. He was betrayed by an informer who had informed the British Police. The Police surrounded the park and ORDERED Chandra Shekhar Azad to surrender. He fought alone valiantly and killed 3 policemen. But finding himself surrounded and seeing no route for escape, Azad shot himself. Thus he kept his pledge of not being caught alive.

ఇంతటి ధైర్య సాహసాలు, త్యాగ నిరతి, దేశ భక్తిగల చంద్రశేఖర్ అజాద్ నేటి భారతీయులందరికీ ఆదర్శప్రాయుడు. అజాద్ విప్లవ వీరుడే కాదు, ఆతనొక మానవతావాది. అమరుడైన అజాద్ చిరస్మరణీయుడు.

भारत माता की जय। अज़ाद अमर रहे ।

- V. Bhaskara Achari. TGT Social Science.