Lala Lajpat Rai Biography

Lala Lajpat Rai, popularly known as Punjab Kesari or Lion of Punjab, was born on January 28, 1865 in Jagraon in Ludhiana. He was the eldest son of Munshi Kishan Azad and Gulab Devi who inculcated strong moral values in him. He studied law from Government College in Lahore and thereafter started his legal practice in Hissar.

His political career started in 1888 with the Indian National Congress Session at Allahabad. At the next session at Bombay in 1889, he was linked with other two leading freedom fighters Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The trio was popularly known as Lal-Bal-Pal. Lalaji was actively involved in struggle against partition of Bengal. During the struggle he galvanized Indians for a campaign of Swadeshi and was imprisoned for six months for creating turmoil.

After his release in 1907, he went to Britain in April 1914 to explain the position of India. During his stay in Britain, the First World War broke out but he was unable to return. So, he went to USA for promoting the cause of India’s freedom struggle. There he founded the India Home League Society of America. He returned to India in 1920 and formed the Congress Independence Party in protest against the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre and Non Cooperation Movement.

In 1928, Simon Commission that came to India to discuss constitutional reforms was protested by Lalaji because the commission had no Indian members. The shrewd Britishers brutally lathicharged Lalaji during the protest and because of severe head injuries he expired on November 17, 1928.

Bhikaji Cama - Freedom Fighters

Bhikaji Cama, also known as Madam Cama, was an outstanding lady of great courage, fearlessness, integrity, perseverance and passion for freedom. Madam Bhikhaji Cama was a pioneer amongst those who martyred their lives for India’s freedom and was considered the mother of Indian Revolution.

Cama was born on September 24, 1861 in a rich Parsi family at Bombay. She had her early education from Alexandra Native Girl’s English Institution and was open to learn all languages. She got married to a British lawyer Rustom Cama in 1885 but unfortunately they were poles apart and she involved herself in various social activities.

In 1896, Bombay Presidency was adversely hit by plague. Being a nationalist and a social worker Cama voluntarily worked for the victims of plague and at the end she herself was caught by the disease. She was saved but became very weak and was advised to go to Europe for rest and further treatment. In 1902 she left for London and there too she worked for promoting India’ freedom struggle. For some time, she worked as private secretary to Dadabhai Navaroji, a great Indian leader.

She was constantly making people realize the importance of freedom from British rule. Britishers unpleased with her popularity concocted an assassination but fortunately Cama came to know about the planned murder and escaped to France.

In France, she made her house a secret shelter for revolutionaries around the world. She was constantly helping revolutionaries by sending materials and money across the seas as and when required. As the British saw her influence they requested French Government to send her back but the request was refused. In return, the Britishers exiled Cama from her motherland.

In 1905, Cama along with her friends designed the India’s first tricolor flag with green, saffron and red stripes bearing the immortal words – Bande Matram. This flag was raised by Madam Cama On August 22, 1907, for India's Independence at the International Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. After 35 years fighting for India’s independence on foreign land she returned to India and died on August 13, 1936.