CHANDRASHEKHAR AZAD : A REVOLUTIONARY MAN

Chandrasekhar Azad was born on 23 July 1906 in Bhabra, a tribal village. His father Pandit Sitaram Tiwari was a resident of Badar village in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh. Azad's family settled in village Bhabra due to severe famine. His early life was spent in this village. It was here that he learned to operate the bow and arrow. The name of Chandrashekhar Azad, the fearless great patriot and revolutionary involved in the Kakori train robbery and the murder of Sanders, holds an important place in the history of Indian freedom struggle.

As a child, Azad was strongly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. In December 1921, when Gandhiji had the initial phase of non-cooperation movement, at the age of just 14, Chandrasekhar became a part of this movement. In this the British also arrested him and then presented before the magistrate. Here, the magistrate was also shaken after hearing the answers given to the magistrate's questions. Actually, when Azad was produced before the magistrate, he first asked his name. In response, he said 'Azad'. The second question of the magistrate was the father's name. Azad said freedom. When the magistrate asked his home address in the third question, his answer was jail. With these answers, the magistrate was badly stung and sentenced to 15 lashes. On every whip, he kept saying 'Vande Mataram' and 'Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai'. Only then was Azad added in front of his name.

But when Gandhi postponed the non-cooperation movement in 1922, Azad was quite upset. After this, he was determined to liberate the country. After this, a young revolutionary introduced him to Ram Prasad Bismil, the founder of 'Hindustan Republican Association Revolutionary Party'. The Hindustan Republican Association was established in 1925. Azad was very impressed with Bismil. Seeing his dedication and loyalty, Bismil made Azad an active member of his organization. Azad along with his colleagues used to collect funds for the institution. Most of this money was looted and collected from the British government.

Chandrashekhar Azad made Jhansi his stronghold for a set time. He used to shoot with his comrades in the forests of Orchha, fifteen kilometers from Jhansi. Chandrasekhar Azad, being an inflexible shooter, used to train other revolutionaries as well as teach children in the name of Pandit Harishankar Brahmachari. He had become very popular among the locals with his pseudonym in Dhimarpur village. While living in Jhansi, Chandrasekhar Azad had also learned to drive.

In February 1931, at the behest of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, he went to Anand Bhavan to meet Jawaharlal Nehru in Allahabad. But there Nehru refused to meet him. He then moved to Alfred Park in a rage. Sukhdev was also with him at this time. He was preparing his upcoming strategy here, when at the behest of an informer, a British contingent surrounded him there. Realizing the danger, Azad immediately removed Sukhdev from there and fired on the British. But when he had one last bullet left, he proved his words to be true by taking his own life from him. India will never forget this sacrifice made by him on 27 February 1931 at Alfred Park. After independence, this park was later renamed Chandrashekhar Azad Park and the Dhimarpura village in Madhya Pradesh where he lived was renamed Azadpura.