Remembering the stupendous patriot and hard-core nationalist Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Whenever a person from the Bharatiya subcontinent hears the utterance of the word, ‘Veer’ (meaning brave in Hindi/ Sanskrit and in many other Bharatiya languages), one is inspired to do selfless service to one’s Motherland/ Fatherland. This is the significance of the word ‘Veer’. There are only a few people, who earn the sobriquet, ‘Veer’. They are the most deserving ones. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar became known as ‘Veer’ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar after an incidence of bravery in his childhood. Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was indeed, one of the bravest men in world history and the greatest patriot that the world has ever produced. The proof of this has been given by none other than former poet-prime minister, Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In his own words of poetry in Hindi, Shri. Vajpayee ji said –
‘सावरकर माने तेज, सावरकर माने त्याग, सावरकर माने तप।‘
This means, Savarkar means Speed (it denotes the speed of thoughts, feelings, words, and actions of Veer Savarkar), Savarkar means Sacrifice and Savarkar means meditation!
One can understand the paramount significance of Veer Savarkar from the above lines.
Savarkar was born on the 28th of May in 1883 in Bhagur village near Nasik in erstwhile Bombay presidency in British – Ruled Bharat, which is in the current state of Maharashtra in India. Bharat Mata was not free at that time. She was in cruel chains under British colonial rule. The British had plundered Bharat in many ways, especially – morally, mentally, spiritually, culturally, and materially.
‘Veer’ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was born to Shri. Damodar Savarkar and Smt. Radhabai Savarkar in a Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin Hindu Family. He lost his mother at the young age of eight or nine to an epidemic, which was raging at the time in his native place. He lost his father, too in the next couple of years. He was born with three siblings – Ganesh, Narayan, and Maina. His elder brother, Ganesh Savarkar was also known as Babarao Savarkar. In fact, all three brothers later became famous freedom fighters and were often lodged in different jails during the same as well as different periods of time. His entire family was tremendously patriotic. Savarkar was an extrovert and extremely patriotic from a young age. He organized a group of friends and called it ‘Mitra Mela’. In fact, he took an oath at the young age of fifteen (in 1898) that he would free his motherland from British rule. The two major influences on the life of Savarkar were his brothers and Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Savarkar’s mother used to tell him stories from the epic Ramayana and Maharaj Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Hindu Maratha ruler when Savarkar was a child. In other words, Savarkar became aware of his religion and nation from early times.
He appeared for his matric exam in 1901. He joined Fergusson College in Pune in 1902 and became a regular writer for ‘Aryan’. One of his well-known articles was ‘Saptapadi’. ‘Saptapadi’ is about the seven stages of the evolution of a nation as envisaged by Savarkar.
He had an intellectual bent of mind and read Indian as well as world history and also Indian and Western literature. He read the works of Bhavabuti, Kalidasa, Shakespeare, and Milton. In 1904, the name of ‘Mitra Mela’ founded by Savarkar was changed to ‘Abhinav Bharat’. Abhinav Bharat was a group of Bharatiya revolutionaries who to free India. This society of 100 select members was inspired by Young Italy of Mazinni. Mazzini was an Italian leader who was an inspiration to Savarkar. In 1905, British Governor-General, Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal. The partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon was opposed by the people of Bharat. In the same year, Savarkar protested against the Partition by making a bonfire of foreign goods in Pune under the influence of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. This practice of burning foreign goods on a bonfire was later adopted by even Gandhiji, who had initially criticized the practice of burning foreign goods on a bonfire as being ‘violent’ while being in South Africa. Unfortunately, he was rusticated from Fergusson College on account of all these ‘anti-national’ activities?!!! The truth was that Savarkar was one of those, who were suffering, sacrificing, and sincerely working for the emancipation of Mata Bharat. He was a stupendous patriot and hard-core nationalist. Soon, Savarkar came to side with the extremists’ freedom fighters more and more. He was often on the side of Shri. Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal. He was not on the side of liberals like Shri. Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Savarkar was allowed to take his B.A. degree much later with the help of Shyamji Krishna Verma.
Veer Damodar Savarkar decided to go to London to study Law under the influence of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He received a scholarship from Shri. Shyamji Krishan Verma of India House. He attended Gray’s Inn Law College in London and became a Barrister. Veer Savarkar founded Free India Society in London. The Free India Society was yet another group of revolutionaries fighting for Bharat’s freedom from outside Bharat. Savarkar began reading Bharatiya and world history extensively while in London. In 1909, his book ‘Indian War of Independence 1857’ was published. Till then, the British had dismissed ‘the First Bharatiya Freedom Struggle for Independence’ as a ‘Mere Mutiny’. Bhikhaji Cama helped to publish the landmark book in the Netherlands, France, and Germany after ‘Not -At- All- Great’ Britain banned the book for inspiring the Bharatiya freedom struggle. The book was considered a kind of ‘essential reading material’ by Bharatiya freedom fighters. It inspired later Bharatiya freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and others. Veer Savarkar was one of the earliest freedom fighters to set the revolutionary trend in the freedom struggle.
On the first of July of 1909, Madan Lal Dhingra shot at the British official, Wyllie Curzon at a public meeting. Madan Lal Dhingra was considered to be a keen follower and friend of Savarkar. Madan Lal Dhingra was hanged by the British. Veer Savarkar was heartbroken by the death of his friend and comrade, Madan Lal Dhingra. He was melancholic and composed some poems as a tribute to Dhingra ji. ‘Veer’ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was arrested on the thirteen of May 1910. Meanwhile in India, Ganesh Savarkar organized protests against Morley Minto reforms in 1919. He was taken to Yerwada Central Jail in Pune. On the 18th of July 1910, he tried to escape from the British by jumping off a ship and swimming to French shores. He was illegally captured by the British on French soil and sentenced to two life imprisonments in the dreaded Andaman and Nicobar Cellular Jail (Kaala Paani). The British imperialists were very cunning and cruel rulers. They were those who didn’t like any Indian freedom fighter to survive to return to struggle for India’s independence. Thus, they handed over two life imprisonment sentences (2 * 25 years) amounting to fifty years to Veer Savarkar at the dreaded Kaala Paani (Cellular Jail) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
During that time at the dreaded Kaala Paani, Savarkar ji {along with other political prisoners (essentially Bharatiya freedom fighters)} were tortured in multiple horrendous ways of morbid physical and mental kinds (the painful description of which is beyond the capability of this sensitive author) over a period of many years. Many political prisoners committed suicide unable to bear the physical and mental torture by the English jail authorities, who displayed special debased animalistic pleasure in torturing their hapless and weakened Bharatiya freedom fighters in their horrendous prisons. This explains why worth-of-emulation Model Bharatiya freedom fighters, who were subject to extreme suffering took to writing the so-called mercy petitions.
The Mercy Petitions:
The British imperialists were tricksters, mass murderers, and devils by nature. Naturally, they used different measures (both ethical and unethical) to maintain supremacy over their Indian subjects and Indian political prisoners. Mercy Petitions were one such weapon wielded by the British imperialists. Very often, there were Mercy Petitions prepared and kept ready by the British officials presiding over Indian jails, who would be waiting for their opportunity to prey upon vulnerable Indian freedom fighters by making the latter undergo extreme mental and physical torture at different levels and in different ways in their prisons. Then, they would get the signature of the political prisoners in the latter’s deepest moments of desperation and despondency. Veer Savarkar was thus, just a victim of bloody British imperialists’ treachery, deceit, criminality, cruelty, inhumanity, and gross human rights violations of the highest level.
These petitions were sent by Bharatiya political prisoners, who were being shattered into smithereens at all levels and made incapacitated leaving them no option but to put their signatures on the miserable mercy petitions. Some political prisoners chose to serve Bharat Mata by dying for her – Shri. Sukhdev, Shri. Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Azad were among those who chose this option. Shri. Savarkar chose to serve Mother India by deciding to keep himself alive as he possessed staggering abilities- especially intellectual ones.
On the 2nd of May 1921, the Savarkar brothers were moved to a jail in Ratnagiri, where they continued to be tortured under horrendous conditions pushing Savarkar to the extreme limits of mental and physical pain and later to Yerwada Central Jail. He was released on the 6th of January 1924 under stringent restrictions by the British ruling dispensation in India amidst mounting pressure from the general Bharatiya public and INC after 13 years of absolute and horrendous misery. He was ordered not to leave the Ratnagiri district and was to refrain from political activities for the next 5 years by the evil British masters.
However, V D Savarkar did not waste the years after his return to Ratnagiri. He organized many religious functions. He convened many Mahar conferences. He was against the caste system and especially against the practice of untouchability, which he found very evil.
Savarkar became President of the Hindu Mahasabha in 1937 and remained its President till 1943. The Hindu Mahasabha protested against Gandhi ji holding consultations with Jinnah in 1941.
Personal life:
Veer Savarkar was married to Yamunabai. His children were Vishwas, Prabhakar, and Prabhat Chiplunkar.
Cow worship and Savarkar:
Savarkar was not in favour of cow worship. He considered the cow to be just another animal.
Savarkar’s views on Hindu society:
Savarkar said that there were seven shackles that were keeping the Hindu society in chains. They include Vedoktabandi. Vedoktabandi means keeping the sacred Vedas in chains. Savarkar believed that the knowledge regarding the Vedas was universal. According to Savarkar, this knowledge about the Vedas cannot be restricted to any one caste. He strongly believed that whosoever has the aptitude, discipline, and desire should be allowed to study the Vedas. He also believed that there should be no Vyavasaaybandi or that no one should be forced to join any profession. In 1922, Gandhi ji had written – ‘hereditary occupation for maintaining societal order cannot be shaken.’ Savarkar believed that a human should be free to choose their profession based on their talent, merit, and nature.
Savarkar was also against the evil practice of untouchability. He also believed that Sparshbandi or the practice of untouchability was wrong and that it was a sin. Let us understand this ‘deviance’ from the ‘kind and compassionate’ Gandhiji who advised Shudras to move away to maintain peace and ‘brotherhood’ when there was a fight between the Shudra and Savarna communities. Savarkar did not appreciate the ancient practice of not letting Hindus travel overseas. Savarkar also considered Samudrabandi or the practice of not travelling overseas as a backward practice. He believed that Europe’s naval traditions were what made them strong We must not forget that the Cholas of ancient Tamil Nadu were great naval powers in ancient Bharat. He also did not like the practice of Shuddibandi. Shuddibandi means the practice of not letting an individual reconvert back into the mother religion (Gharwapsi). Savarkar believed that everyone should be allowed to return to their root religion or mother religion. He also opposed Rotibandi. In other words, Savarkar favoured inter-caste dining. He was also against Betibandi and believed that there should be inter-caste marriages within the Hindu religion.
Thus, Savarkar contributed in multiple ways –
First and foremost, he was a freedom fighter and patriot incomparable. His travails as a freedom fighter can be forgotten. His bravery in the face of excessive physical and mental torture should never be underestimated.
Second, he was a grand litterateur. Savarkar was a poet, novelist, short story writer, and playwright. He worked to purify the Marathi language. One of his more famous songs is ‘Sagaraprantalamala’, which was written after his close associate, Madan Lal Dhingra (whom many claim that he had influenced greatly) was sent to the gallows in London after Dhingra murdered Wylie. Dhingra’s death along with other circumstances weakened Savarkar’s overall health. It was during the aftermath of all this that he sang ‘Sagara’. In fact, he is a literary genius who sang as he composed the song. The song was immortalized by the emotional music of Hridaynath’s music and sung by the famous Mangeshkar siblings (Usha, Lata, Asha, and Hriday). The song is as follows (translated into English from Marathi) –
‘O Ocean, take me back to my motherland; My soul is tormented.
I had always seen you,
Washing the feet of my motherland.
You led me to a different country,
To experience the diversity of nature there.
Knowing that my mother’s heart was full of anguish,
You promised her that you would take me back;
I was reassured.
I believed that my experience of the world,
Would help me to serve her better.
Saying that I would return soon,
I took leave of her.
Oh, Ocean, I am now pining for my motherland
Like a doe caught in a snare,
The promise you made was deceptive!
I cannot suffer the separation anymore,
Darkness envelops me everywhere.
I had accumulated flowers of virtues,
In the hope that my mother will be rendered fragrant with their smell.
What use, this burden of knowledge and virtues
If my mother cannot prosper from it?
I miss the love of the mango tree, the flowers in my garden back home the blossoming creepers, and the blooming rose… I feel desolate…
Oh Ocean, I am pining for her… Take me back to my motherland
Oh Ocean, I am pining for her…’
In my personal opinion as a poet, I find the above poem passionately patriotic.
In cellular jail, Savarkar wrote another poem “Jayostute” (Victory to you) in Marathi.
‘Jayostute’ deserves to be our National Anthem as this was written by our freedom fighter, Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the most tumultuous of sufferings undergone by a genuine patriot. There are no doubts or suspicions regarding the circumstances under which this patriotic song has been composed. This is quite unlike another song, which many claims was written to please British masters.
In ‘Jayostute’, Savarkar sang paeans to the Goddess of Freedom.
Jayostute
(original in Marathi)
ज्योस्तु तेश्रीमहन्मंगले। शिवास्पदे शुभदे
स्वतंत्रते भगवति। त्वामहं यशोयुतां वंदे
राष्ट्राचेचैतन्य मूर्त तूं नीतिसंपदांची
स्वतंत्रते भगवति। श्रीमतीराज्ञीतूत्यांची
परवशतेच्यानभांत तूंचीआकाशीहोशी
स्वतंत्रते भगवती। चांदणी चमचम लखलखशी।।
गालावरच्याकुसुमीकिंवाकुसुमांच्यागाली
स्वतंत्रते भगवती। तूचजीविलसतसे लाली
तूं सूर्याचेतेजउदधिचेगांभीर्यहि तूंची
स्वतंत्रते भगवती। अन्यथा ग्रहण नष्ट तेंची।।
मोक्ष मुक्तिहीतुझीच रूपें तुलाच वेदांती
स्वतंत्रते भगवतीIयोगिजनपरब्रह्म वदती
जेजेउत्तमउदात्तउन्नतमहन्मधुर तेंतें
स्वतंत्रते भगवती। सर्व तवसहचारी होते।।
हे अधम रक्त रंजिते। सुजन-पुजिते! श्रीस्वतंत्रते
तुजसाठिं मरण तें जनन
तुजविणजननतेमरण
तुजसकलचराचरशरण
स्वतंत्रते भगवतीIत्वामहं यशोयुतांवंदे।।
The following is the translation of ‘Jayostute’ into English –
Victory to you, O Auspicious One, the Munificent, and Holy!
O Goddess of Freedom, I seek your blessings for success
You are the embodiment of our national spirit, our morality, and our accomplishments
O glorious Goddess of Freedom, you are the Queen of righteousness
In the dark skies of enslavement
O Goddess of Freedom, you are the shining star of hope.
Whether on flowers as soft as cheeks or on cheeks as soft as flowers!
O Goddess of Freedom, You are that blush of confidence!
You are the radiance of the Sun, the majesty of the Ocean
O Goddess of Freedom, but for you, the Sun of Freedom is eclipsed.
O Goddess of Freedom, you are the face of eternal happiness and liberation,
That is why the scriptures hail you as the supreme soul.
All that is ideal, magnificent, and sweet,
O Goddess of Freedom is associated with you
You are the destroyer of evil (stained with their blood), O Goddess of Freedom
Life is to die for you,
Death is to live without you.
All creation surrenders unto you!
Victory to you, O Auspicious One, the Munificent, and Holy!
O Goddess of Freedom, I seek your blessings for success.
Savarkar composed his first poem when he was eleven. He wrote ‘Swadeshichaphatka’ at the tender age of 11 when he was still in school. He wrote poems throughout his entire adult life. He wrote hundreds of poems on the walls of his cell in the A&N Islands. It is estimated that he wrote up to 6000 poems on the walls. His famous plays were ‘Usshap’, ‘Sanyastakhadga’ and ‘Uttarkriya’.
His contribution to Marathi literature is immense. He composed pawadas (ballads). One of his famous poems is Raarakaaspahun. His other famous poems include ‘Sagara’ and ‘Jayostute’. He also wrote poems opposing the cruel practice of ‘untouchability’.
Third, he was also a very good Historian, who had read countless books of history and who had keenly observed the Independence Movement in India. He wrote – Joseph Mazzini, the biography of the Italian revolutionary, 1857 Che Swatantra Samar (First Independence Struggle 1857), Shikhancha Itihas – The History of the Sikhs, Mazi Janmathep (narrating his ordeals at Kaala Paani), Kale Pani and many others. His other well-known books were Hindu-Pad-Padshaahi on Maratha history and ‘Six Glorious Epochs.’
Fourth, He was also a proponent of Hindutva Philosophy. His book of 1922, ‘The Essence of Hindutva’ revolutionized the nation. He wrote the book in Ratnagiri jail ‘Hindutva’ as defined by Veer Savarkar is –‘Everyone, who considers this land, from the river Sindhu till the sea as his or her fatherland/motherland and holy land is a Hindu.’ His book, ‘Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?’ is yet another remarkable book.
Fifth, he worked to abolish the evil practice of ‘Untouchability’. He believed that the caste system should be done away with to bring greater unity among the Hindus.
Sixth, he called for a single unifying language to unite India. He wished that should be one common link language in India.
Seventh, he inspired countless freedom fighters like Madan Lal Dhingra, Chandrasekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and S C Bose. British Officer, J P Saunders was assassinated by Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev, and all three freedom fighters were hanged.
Eighth, everyone appreciated the valour and greatness of Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar including the likes of Rash Behari Bose – the founder of the Indian National Army, Subhas Chandra Bose – the successor of R C Bose and the Legal Luminary and champion of the Socially Depressed classes, Shri. B R Ambedkar.
Ninth, Savarkar helped to design the first Indian National Flag, which Madam Cama unfurled at the World Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany.
Banned books:
Eight works of Savarkar were banned by the British government. They included ‘Mazzini’, the biography of the Italian Patriot who fought for Italy’s unification and Independence. Mazzini was a great inspiration to Savarkar. Savarkar was influenced by both Bharatiya freedom fighters and freedom fighters outside Bharath, too. He respected heroes from other nations but was devoted to Bharat. He greatly admired Chhatrapati Shivaji. His drama Usshaap was banned. His brother ran a magazine called ‘Shraddhanand’. The magazine used to carry his articles regularly. The magazine was banned by the British.
A visit to Kaala Paani must be made compulsory for all Bharatiyas. This will instill the spirit of patriotism in the people of Bharat. Educational institutions must take their students to Kaala Paani for field trips. This will ensure that both school and college students are aware of the sufferings and sacrifices of India’s freedom fighters. Likewise, it will be a wonderful initiative on behalf of parents if they could take their children to the various cells in cellular jails in the Andamans so that they and their children will be able to envisage the sufferings of our freedom fighters.
Savarkar was not a very religious person but a highly spiritual one. He was more of an atheist. Nevertheless, he was most closely connected with the coining and propagation of the ‘Hindutva’ ideology. Savarkar smoked and drank more so after his return from the Andaman Islands dreaded ‘Kaala Paani’. It is most likely his extreme physical and mental torture as well as denial of home bliss during his incarceration might have led him to choose means to feel free and happy. He was also a non-vegetarian from his youth. He ate fish, prawn, and meat dishes too. In this, he differed from Gandhi ji, who was a pure vegetarian. Savarkar found it ridiculous that anyone who did not consume ‘animal protein’ would be able to stand up against the might of the mighty British imperialists. But we must remember that bad habits do not make a person, a bad person. Savarkar was not a bad person, at all. In fact, he was a good, great, and brave person save for his minor shortcomings. It is absurd to expect perfection in a human being. Savarkar life was almost blemishless. Here was a man who had fought for the freedom of his motherland and his religion. Here was a man, who wanted to promote unity in his country by bringing a common language to unite. This is actually a very good idea. English is the main language used in England, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. French is the language of France. German is the language of Germany. Italian is the language of Italy. Korean is the language of Korea. Japanese is the language of Japan. Mandarin Chinese is the widely spoken language in China. A common language is useful to connect the people of a region or land. It is time to adopt a common language for communication in Bharat as well. We can continue to give importance to our vernacular languages and mother tongues…Nevertheless, we should be taught one common language other than English in our educational institutions. That other language may be Kashmiri, Tamil or Telugu or Hindu or Sanskrit, or any other Bharatiya language. The visionary New National Education Policy appears to envisage these lines.
There are people right inside Bharat, who spew venom about him. They don’t understand the personality who was convicted indirectly for the murder of A T M Jackson, the Collector of Nasik. Jackson was supposedly sympathetic toward Indian aspirations. They fail to realize that Savarkar was a very intelligent man. He knew that the British who ruled India was cruel, cunning, and pretentious. He knew that the British officials only pretended to be sympathetic to Indian aspirations and even if they were really sympathetic, it was insufficient to get rid of our British imperialist masters from Bharatiya soil. He knew that we Indians would need to pick up the cudgels against each and every British official in British-ruled India. He knew that each and every British official would need to leave India. They were foreigners, who had zero justification to rule India. The British Isles are small Islands in some obscure part of this world with little natural resources including limited human resources…. How dare they tried to dominate the world with their few men and resources?? There are times, places, and situations when those practicing the language of deceit, cruelty, cunning, pretentiousness, and venom need to receive answers in the same language. Savarkar understood all this.
Many valuable books have been written including two valuable volumes on Savarkar by Author and Historian, Vikram Sampath and books on Savarkar by S G Suryah. Shri. Ashutosh Deshmukh wrote ‘Braveheart Savarkar’.
There was a slogan coined by Savarkar – ‘One Country, One God, One Caste, One Mind, brothers… all of us without a difference.’ The important point to note is that what Savarkar wanted was that all Bharatiya people should realize that we are brothers and sisters without differences of land, religion, or caste. Nevertheless, it is important to respect different identities.
It is to be remembered that from times immemorial the polity of a place has not been kept distinct from the religion of the place. In other words, polity and religion were not mutually exclusive like nowadays. The fundamental flaw is that in modern India, we have separated politics from religion. ‘The King’ was always considered ‘a divine being’ since ancient times in Bharat. One is of the opinion that we must return to our roots in this aspect and the distinction between politics and religion must be wiped out. Bharat should have a state religion like say, Vatican City which has Catholic Christianity as the state religion, or like Saudi Arabia, which has Islam as its country’s religion. In a similar manner, ‘India’ should resume its former name, ‘Bharat’, and make Hinduism, the state religion of Bharat as the whole world is aware that Hinduism is the ancient religion of Bharat from times immemorial. All other religions made their appearance in Bharat only a while ago. It is only right and just for Hinduism to become the state religion in India. The Hindus will be the nation and other religions may remain as communities. This is the lasting way for establishing communal harmony in India. Hinduism is the legitimate religion of Bharat and its ancient religion from times immemorial.
The beloved child of Bharat Mata passed away on the 26th of February of 1966 at the age of 82 after a long-drawn fast.
Savarkar had to endure many sufferings, cruelty, injustice, loss of domestic bliss, and development of health issues and coping mechanisms due to his long years under torturous conditions in the dreaded cellular jail (Kaala Paani) at the Andaman Islands.
So, if anyone has any problems with calling Savarkar a patriot or who calls him a coward -one is quite tempted to bless such an individual with some years in incarceration like Savarkar and see how they cope with life! Sometimes, empathy needs to teach to the traitors of Bharat Mata.
The most shocking revelation is that it was Shri. Jawaharlal Nehru who signed a Mercy Bond to escape prison after spending a mere two weeks in Nabha prison in 1923. He had been sentenced to two years imprisonment for defying an order barring entry into the Princely State of Nabha. He got out of jail under the influence of his famous lawyer father, Shri. Motilal Nehru. Now tell me, who is the real coward? Who is the real traitor? Who is the shameless person, who could not bear ill-treatment for two weeks?
Compare this with the Great Veer Damodar Savarkar, who was brutalized for more than thirteen years first in the Andaman jail and then in Ratnagiri jail!
Bharat Mata knows the real patriot. Bharat Mata knows the real coward.
It is time for all Bharatiya people to realize the truth and put an end to any kind of slander against Veer Damodar Savarkar. Bharat Mata will never forgive any treacherous person, who spews venom against her most beloved child of all time – Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar!
There is a portrait of Veer Savarkar in India’s Parliament. It was unveiled by then Prime Minister, Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji in the presence of the President of India, Shri. A P J Abdul Kalam ji. Veer Damodar Savarkar has been celebrated by none other than our present Prime Minister, Shri. Narendra Damodardas Modi who is currently serving Bharat Mata as Prime Minister for the second term. The tremendous services of the Central government have ensured that the present dispensation is highly likely to continue into a third term.
Even Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi recognized and honored the legacy of the great patriot Veer Savarkar by issuing a commemorative stamp on Veer Savarkar in 1970. She also donated a sum of Rs.11,000 from her personal account to Savarkar Trust. She also ordered the films division of India to produce a documentary film on the life of the ‘Great Revolutionary’ on the life of Veer Savarkar that she personally cleared in 1983.
Thus, the contributions of Savarkar in his one life cannot be replicated easily. There are only a few great achievers in this mortal sphere like Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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She has an abiding passion for English literature. She wrote her first poem when she was seven years old.She is the author of seven books including four collections of poetry -‘Great Heights’, ‘The Glittering Galaxy’, ‘Galaxy’ and ‘New Poems’, a novel –‘The Fiery Women’ and two collections of short stories -‘Fragments’ and ‘Surreal Stories’. She has been included in the landmark book, ‘A Critical Survey of Indo- English Poetry’ (2016) and is also one of the fifty women poets writing in English in India, who have been covered in the colossal work, ‘History of Contemporary Indian English Poetry’ (2019). She is also an associate editor of the poetry anthology, ‘Muse of Now Paradigm- An Entry into Poepro’, published in India in 2020. She is also the founder of ‘IndLit Camerata’, a Whatsapp group of Indian litterateurs. In addition, she has been a part of multiple collaborative poetry books like ‘Confluence Volume 2’, ‘Confluence Volume 3’, ‘Confluence Volume 4’ and ‘Madras Hues, Myriad Views’.Her poetry has been published in India, U.K., U.S.A. and South Korea. In addition to poems, short stories and a novel, she has written essays, general articles, critical articles, research articles, book reviews and forewords.
She was the chief guest of 'Poets League', a poetry initiative organised by the post-graduate department of English of Kristu Jayanthi College, Bangalore in 2020.
She has received two letters of appreciation for her poetry from 'THE MISSILE MAN', Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.
Thus, Dr.S.Padmapriya has a multifaceted personality and has established herself as a fine Author, Educator, Orator and Thinker.
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