Vasudeo Balwant Phadke - father of the armed struggle
Phadke is called father of armed struggle in India's fight for indepandance. He was one of the earliest freedom fighters, who thought about the future of india far before. He made a group of fighters called Ramoshis to kick the British people out of India.
Phadke was born on 04/11/1845 in Shirdhon village in Raigad district, Maharashtra. He used to play many bravery games in his childhood, and he became expert in them soon. Then he did many jobs, left the school for it. In 1870, he joined a public agitation in Pune that aimed at addressing 'jan-jagruti'. Phadke then founded an institution, the Aikya Vardhini Sabha, to educate the youth.
In 1875, after that Gaikwad, ruler of Baroda was deposed by the British, Phadke launched protest speeches against the government. He tried hard for getting people awre about British people's strategies, but he was unable to get support from the educated classes. So, he turned to the Ramosis, Kolis, Bhils and Dangars, and organised around 300 men into an insurgent group. He established a secret organization called 'Ramoshi sanghatana'.
He and his groups attacked on many british treasury, looted money from many british people and used them to help poor people of India like farmers, workers etc. Phadke came into the limelight when he attacked the city of Pune itself and caught the British soldiers off guard. He had a complete hold on Pune for few days.
However, Phadke's plans to organize several simultaneously attacks across the country met with very limited success. He once had a direct face to face battle with the British army in the village of Ghanur whereafter the government offered a bounty for his capture. Not to be outdone, Phadke in turned offered a bounty for the capture of the Governer of Bombay announced a reward for the killing of each European, and issued other threats to the government. He then fled to Hyderabad State to recruit Rohilla and Arabs into his organisation. The British move to offer a bounty for his capture met with success: someone betrayed Phadke, and he was captured after a fierce fight at Hyderabad on 21 July 1879.
His own diary and autobiography provided evidence to have him sentenced for life. Phadke was incarcerated at Aden and hanged on 17 February 1885 for having committed high treason against the crown.
Phadke was born on 04/11/1845 in Shirdhon village in Raigad district, Maharashtra. He used to play many bravery games in his childhood, and he became expert in them soon. Then he did many jobs, left the school for it. In 1870, he joined a public agitation in Pune that aimed at addressing 'jan-jagruti'. Phadke then founded an institution, the Aikya Vardhini Sabha, to educate the youth.
In 1875, after that Gaikwad, ruler of Baroda was deposed by the British, Phadke launched protest speeches against the government. He tried hard for getting people awre about British people's strategies, but he was unable to get support from the educated classes. So, he turned to the Ramosis, Kolis, Bhils and Dangars, and organised around 300 men into an insurgent group. He established a secret organization called 'Ramoshi sanghatana'.
He and his groups attacked on many british treasury, looted money from many british people and used them to help poor people of India like farmers, workers etc. Phadke came into the limelight when he attacked the city of Pune itself and caught the British soldiers off guard. He had a complete hold on Pune for few days.
However, Phadke's plans to organize several simultaneously attacks across the country met with very limited success. He once had a direct face to face battle with the British army in the village of Ghanur whereafter the government offered a bounty for his capture. Not to be outdone, Phadke in turned offered a bounty for the capture of the Governer of Bombay announced a reward for the killing of each European, and issued other threats to the government. He then fled to Hyderabad State to recruit Rohilla and Arabs into his organisation. The British move to offer a bounty for his capture met with success: someone betrayed Phadke, and he was captured after a fierce fight at Hyderabad on 21 July 1879.
His own diary and autobiography provided evidence to have him sentenced for life. Phadke was incarcerated at Aden and hanged on 17 February 1885 for having committed high treason against the crown.