Tag: Independence


  • Savarkar’s Plea for a Right to Resistance

    Political Dimension of Hindutva, Part 6 The Concept of “Responsive Resistance” Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was deeply influenced by the idea of “Responsive Resistance,” a term coined by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. This concept proposed that Indian cooperation with British colonial rule should be directly proportional to the level of political reforms granted by the British. More…

  • The Free India Society: Savarkar’s Revolutionary Vanguard in London

    As soon as Vinayak Damodar Savarkar established himself in London, he founded the Free India Society in 1906. The organization became a crucible of revolutionary thought and action at the heart of the British Empire. Publicly open but ideologically radical, the Society was modeled after Giuseppe Mazzini’s Young Italy and served as the overseas face…

  • Savarkar’s Abhinav Bharat and the Dream of a New India

    In 1904, a young Vinayak Damodar Savarkar stood solemnly before a portrait of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and proposed a bold and electrifying idea. He renamed his earlier organization, Mitra Mela, to Abhinav Bharat – meaning “New India” – a title that soon echoed as a threat in the corridors of British power, not just in…

  • The Importance of Social Reforms in Savarkar’s Life and Work

    Social-Reformist Dimension of Hindutva, Part 3 Savarkar: The Social Reformer Who Saw Beyond Political Independence Vinayak Damodar (Veer) Savarkar was more than just a political figure. He was a profound social reformer who understood the intrinsic link between social transformation and lasting political freedom. While his political contributions are widely recognized, his insights into the…

  • Social Reforms in India: A Historical Perspective with a Focus on Maharashtra

    Social-Reformist Dimension of Hindutva, Part 2 The discourse on social reforms in India remains a subject of debate even in the 21st century. The need for such reforms arose as a result of the interaction between the indigenous Hindu social structure and external influences, particularly under British rule. The colonial era introduced a new paradigm…