History

Bhil Tribe and Tatya Mama

The Bhil tribe are one of India’s largest tribal communities, historically rooted in forested regions of western and central India and known for their rich culture and warrior traditions. From this community emerged Tatya Mama Bhil, a 19th-century resistance leader who used guerrilla tactics against British rule and exploitative forces. Remembered as a folk hero and symbol of tribal pride, his legacy highlights the vital role of Adivasi communities in India’s early anti-colonial struggles.

Lala Lajpat Rai and his contributions

Lala Lajpat Rai was not only a prominent freedom fighter but also an influential writer and journalist who used literature to promote nationalism and social reform. Through newspapers, journals, and books, he exposed the economic and political exploitation under British rule and emphasized the need for national education and social upliftment. His works such as England’s Debt to India, Young India, and The Story of My Deportation connected India’s struggle with global movements for freedom. His writings played a vital role in shaping political awareness and inspiring participation in the Indian independence movement.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Subhas Chandra Bose, popularly known as Netaji, was one of the most dynamic and radical leaders of India’s freedom struggle. Born in 1897 in Cuttack, he resigned from the Indian Civil Services to join the national movement and later rose to become President of the Indian National Congress in 1938 and 1939. Due to ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi, he formed the Forward Bloc and pursued a more militant path to independence.

During World War II, Bose reorganized the Indian National Army (INA) and established the Provisional Government of Azad Hind with foreign support, inspiring Indians with slogans like “Delhi Chalo” and “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.” His courage, leadership, and spirit of sacrifice gave a powerful international and military dimension to India’s struggle for freedom, leaving behind an enduring legacy of patriotism and determination.

ZEHANPORA & THE EVOLUTION OF BUDDHISM IN KASHMIR

The Zehanpora archaeological site in North Kashmir is a major Kushan-period Buddhist complex that provides crucial evidence of Kashmir’s role as a centre of Buddhist architecture, learning, and Mahayana thought, as well as its position on ancient trade and cultural exchange routes connecting India with Central Asia.

RASH BEHARI BOSE

Rash Behari Bose was a revolutionary nationalist who played a pivotal role in extending India’s freedom struggle beyond its borders. From early militant activities in India to organising overseas resistance through the Ghadar Movement, Indian Independence League, and Azad Hind Fauj, he laid the foundation for organised armed struggle abroad and left a lasting legacy in India’s independence movement.

PIPRAHWA RELICS & LIVING HERITAGE IN INDIA

The Piprahwa relics, associated with the mortal remains of the Buddha, hold immense archaeological, spiritual, and civilisational significance for India. Their reunification and exhibition highlight issues of ethical stewardship, museum reform, and heritage repatriation, while reinforcing India’s role as the land of the Buddha and a key centre of global Buddhist heritage.

SRIMANTA SANKARDEVA - PIONEER OF ASSAMESE NEO - VAISHNAVISM

Srimanta Sankardeva was a 15th–16th century saint, reformer, poet, and cultural icon from Assam who laid the foundations of Neo-Vaishnavism and Ekasarana Dharma, emphasising devotion to a single God, ethical living, and social equality over ritualism and caste hierarchy. He pioneered a powerful cultural renaissance through Borgeet, Bhaona, Ankia Naat, Namghar, and Sattras, which became enduring institutions of Assamese society. His movement promoted egalitarianism, women’s participation, and community worship, reshaping Assam’s religious and cultural identity. Sankardeva’s legacy continues to influence literature, music, theatre, and social reform across the region, making him one of the most transformative spiritual leaders in Indian history.

BATTLE OF BASANTAR

The Battle of Basantar was a decisive engagement fought during the 1971 Indo–Pakistan War in the Shakargarh Bulge region near the Basantar River. Indian forces crossed heavily mined areas, repelled repeated Pakistani armoured counterattacks and destroyed a large number of Patton tanks. The battle protected the vital Jammu–Pathankot axis and prevented Pakistan from threatening India’s land link to Jammu and Kashmir. It became one of the largest tank battles after World War II and highlighted exceptional bravery, especially that of 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal of the Poona Horse, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.

COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA AT 100

The Communist movement in India grew out of global socialist ideas and Indian anti-imperialist conditions, formally taking organisational shape in 1925 at Kanpur. It played an active role in organising workers and peasants during the freedom struggle, faced repression through conspiracy cases, and later led major agrarian movements like Tebhaga and Telangana. After Independence, the movement debated between armed revolution and parliamentary democracy, eventually becoming a major force in electoral politics in states such as Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. The 1964 split between CPI and CPI(M) marked a major ideological division, and although the Left later faced electoral decline and new socio-economic challenges, it continues to remain relevant by highlighting issues of inequality, labour rights and social justice in contemporary India.

How Delhi became the new capital of British India

Delhi’s emergence as India’s capital was shaped by its strategic location, imperial legacy, and colonial administrative needs. Declared the capital in 1911 during the Delhi Durbar, the city evolved into New Delhi through planned colonial architecture and governance structures, and later retained its central role after Independence, symbolising continuity of power and national administration.

BENGAL'S MULTIDIMENSIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN INDEPENDENCE

Bengal played a pioneering role in the Indian National Movement by shaping its ideological foundations, organisational structure, and methods of struggle. From the Bengal Renaissance and Swadeshi Movement to revolutionary activism, mass mobilisation, and cultural nationalism, the region acted as the vanguard of anti-colonial resistance. Bengal’s leaders, institutions, and movements profoundly influenced the direction and character of India’s freedom struggle.

RAJAGOPALACHARI (RAJAJI): LIFE, CONTRIBUTIONS, RAJAJI FORMULA & LEGACY

C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) was a prominent freedom fighter, close associate of Gandhi, and the only Indian to serve as the Governor-General of India. A lawyer-turned-nationalist, he played key roles in major movements, led the Vedaranyam Salt March, and proposed the Rajaji Formula to break the Congress–Muslim League deadlock. After independence, he served as West Bengal’s Governor, Union Home Minister, and Chief Minister of Madras. Disillusioned with socialism, he founded the Swatantra Party, advocating economic freedom and limited state control. A respected writer and thinker, Rajaji left a legacy of moral leadership, political pragmatism, and intellectual clarity.