Chandrasekhar Azad

 Not sure how many from the current generation remember Chandra Sekhar Azad, or even heard of him. He died this month of February in 1931. Let me take the opportunity to pen a few lines as a tribute to our forgotten hero.

Born in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Chandrasekhar was a born AZAD (free) revolutionary who destested living under the British rule. Once when asked his name, his impromptu answer was Chandrasekhar, followed by Azad. Azad was not his last (sur) name. He coined it to emphasize his penchant for remaining independent as a free man, as free as a bird. 

Chadra Sekhar was a young man with little patience to succumb to the British rule. He, along with his small band of merry men were perennial thorn in the flesh of the local administration. Led by him his gang surreptitiously launched some spectacular guerilla attacks on various British interests.

The French philosopher Russeau said - "Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chain. Fate did not side with Chandra Sekhar for long. Betrayed by one of his close associates he was cornered by the police in a park in Allahabad. He fought tooth and nail until he realized that he was wounded and surrounded with a single bullet left in his repertoire. He shot himself with that bullet, preferring to die free (AZAD) rather than in hands of the British. He was only 24 years old.

We see numerous Gandhi Jayanti, Nehru Jayanti, again Gandhi Jayanti of another kind of Gandhi - Indira, Rajeev et all, living men naming stadiums after them. But rarely we see the forgotten heroes a la Chandrasekhar Azad given their due they earned by their indepth patriotism and fierce sense of independence. My salute to Chandrasekhar Azad on his 91st death Anniversary.