Tag: Poona
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In the history of India’s Swadeshi movement, it was Vinayak Damodar (Veer) Savarkar, not ‘Mahatma’ Gandhi, who first organized a public bonfire of foreign goods. A fact which gets often sidelined or ignored by ‘biased INC’ historians. In 1905, when he was in his early twenties, Vinayak Damodar (Veer) Savarkar became a passionate student leader…
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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…
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In 1897, Poona reeled under a brutal bubonic plague and even harsher British repression. To control the outbreak, British officials led by Collector Walter Rand enforced draconian measures – homes were raided, women harassed, and dignity trampled. While most of society watched in helpless silence, the Chapekar brothers – Damodar, Balakrishna, and Vasudev – chose…
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In 1905, being in his early twenties, Vinayak Damodar (Veer) Savarkar emerged as a fiery student leader in Poona, galvanizing youth against British imperialism. A staunch proponent of Swadeshi, Savarkar saw the boycott of foreign goods as the moral counterpart to the political opposition to the Partition of Bengal by Viceroy Lord Curzon planned to…
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On 24 January 1902, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar enrolled at the prestigious Fergusson College in Poona, undertaking a major in the arts with the aim of securing a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. At the turn of the century, Fergusson College had become a vibrant hub of nationalist thought and reformist energy. It attracted some of…
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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…
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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…