How did India get Independence? – A Brief History

It was August 15, 1947, when India attained Independence. This came after a series of historic events involving a great political and social struggle. The ultimate aim was to end the British rule in India. Britain had ruled over India for over 89 years. The initial intention of the Britishers was to carry out trade in India. But over time, they developed political and administrative ambitions.

Some of the first nationalistic revolutionary movements for Indian Independence emerged from Bengal. Here are some of the details of the major Indian Freedom Movements post-1857.

The Indian Freedom Struggle

Indian nationalism began to take shape in the late nineteenth century, immediately after the rebellion of 1857 mutiny. It marked the conscious beginning of the fight for Independence from the British Colonial Empire. The 1857 uprising went by many names, such as the Sepoy Mutiny and the First War of Indian Independence.

The revolt of 1857 initially started as a mutiny. But it soon spread all over the country to overthrow foreign domination. Although this revolt was unsuccessful in 1857, it sparked the fire for Independence. This eventually resulted in a series of Indian nationalistic movements to end the British Raj.

Subsequently, the British East India Company gained much control over India’s internal affairs. However, the spirit of nationalism in India gained ground in the middle of the 19th century. This spirit was eventually strengthened by the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885.

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

The 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in Amritsar. It is yet another landmark portraying the struggle for freedom in India. Jallianwala Bagh involves the killing of hundreds of unarmed Indians and many more who were wounded by the British soldiers when they assembled, demanding freedom from the British Raj.

The Independence Movement Marches Ahead

The authoritative and indifferent attitude of the British towards the Indian sentiments led to the nationalistic movement gaining momentum. Patriotic national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhai Patel, and many others fought for the political and administrative rights of the people of India.

The British were ruthless in their dealings, especially with the leaders who fought for the rights of the Indians. Eventually, the divide-and-rule policy of the British led to the division between the Hindus and the Muslims and the formation of the Muslim League.

Other Indian Freedom Fighters

Shaheed Bhagat Singh

This freedom fighter was involved in two high-profile plots against British authorities in India. He helped galvanize the Indian independence movement against the British. He took part in a plot to slay the police chief responsible for the death of influential Indian politician Lala Lajpat Rai in 1928.

Bhagat Singh was born on September 27, 1907, into a Punjabi Sikh family in a village in the Lyallpur district of Punjab. Born to Vidyavati and her husband, Kishan Singh Sandhu, he was the second son of seven children. Bhagat Singh was hanged to death by the British at the tender age of 23 years.

Chandrashekhar Azad

He is remembered as one of the mightiest freedom fighters. Born on July 23, 1906, in a small village in the Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, Chandrashekhar grew up with the Bhil tribal children. He was extremely fit to challenge and shake the British Empire physically.

On February 27, 1931, Chandra Shekhar Azad was in a fierce gunfight with the British forces. Aged 24, he died on the same day during the battle in a park. He is remembered as one of the companions of revolutionaries alongside the likes of Bhagat Singh and Ram Prasad Bismil. Chandrashekhar Azad was a prominent member of the revolutionary party Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

He is yet another prominent member of the Indian independence movement against British rule. Born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Orissa, he died on August 18, 1945 in Taipei, Taiwan.

Bose studied at Presidency College in Kolkata, where he was expelled 1916 for nationalist activities. His parents then sent him to the University of Cambridge in England to prepare for joining the Indian Civil Services.

As a contemporary of Mohandas K. Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose led an Indian national force against the Western powers from abroad during World War II. Bose is known for his militant approach toward Independence and his leanings toward socialist policies.

Shivram Rajguru

Remembered for his role in the assassination of a British police officer, J P Saunders, Rajguru had planned the assassination along with Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, and Sukhdev. It is said that Rajguru and Bhagat Singh fired the killer shots.

Jayi Rajguru was a stalwart warrior. A remarkable hero with a radiant personality, he was one of this land’s first and foremost martyrs. He fought against the might of British colonizers in the pre-nationalist age. His leadership played a vital role in shaping the freedom struggle.

Sukhdev Thapar

Belonging to a Punjabi Khatri family, Sukhdev Thapar was brought up by his uncle, Lala Achintram, after his father’s death. As a freedom fighter, he was a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. Sukhdev formed several revolutionary cells within Punjab and other areas of Northern India.

As a devoted leader of the Indian independence movement, Sukhdev went on to educate the youth at the National College in Lahore. He inspired them about the glorious past of India. Along with his comrades Bhagat Singh and Rajguru, Sukhdev was hanged on March 23, 1931, in Lahore Jail. The trio cheerfully proceeded towards the gallows, chanting favourite slogans like ‘Inquilab Zindabad.’

Sardar Udham Singh

He is yet another Indian revolutionary belonging to the Ghadar Party and Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. The group is best known for assassinating Michael O’Dwyer, the former British lieutenant governor of Punjab in India involved in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Bhagat Singh was the ideal for Sardar Udham Singh. He detested what happened in Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919, which piqued his anger against British rule. He emerged as yet another youth of Punjab who had vowed to avenge this ruthless incident.

Sardar Udham Singh met Bhagat Singh in jail. He addressed Bhagat Singh as his ‘guru’. The influence of Bhagat Singh on Udham Singh was powerful and motivating. In 1924, Udham Singh joined the Ghadar Party. He was keen to organize overseas Indians to overthrow colonial rule.

Sardar Udham Singh shot Michael O’Dwyer on March 13, 1940, at Caxton Hall in London. He was charged and convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Subsequently, he was hanged and buried in Pentonville Prison on July 31, 1940.

The Role of Mahatma Gandhi in the Fight for Freedom

The Non-cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi during the 1920-1922 A.D. was aggressive against the British. This Civil Disobedience Movement for Independence continued throughout the 1930s. But it only gained ground during the Second World War.

The Civil Disobedience Movement further signalled a new stage in the struggle for self-rule. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-1931) was relaunched by the Salt March. It was a demanding case for discerning civil resistance.

The 1930-1931 Salt Satyagraha

The Salt ‘Satyagraha’ further facilitated the downfall of the British Empire in India. It drew upon a traditional South Asian cultural practice of the ‘Padyatra.’ It involved a long spiritual march that became a model of strategic action for many social movements to follow.

Gandhi, a leader of the Civil Disobedience Movement, reached the beach, scooped up a handful of mud, and declared that he was shaking the foundations of the British Empire. The seawater was then boiled to produce illegal salt. This act was then repeated by thousands of marchers, leading to the arrest of an estimated 60,000-100,000 men and women who participated in this mass public demonstration.

Widespread civil disobedience protests followed by grassroots actions took place nationwide. Picketing of shops selling foreign cloth and liquor took place, and bonfires were organized to burn British cloth. Other issues like Hindu-Muslim unity also came to the fore in the campaign, including an attack on the caste system and the elimination of ‘untouchability’.

Nevertheless, the Salt Satyagraha and other attempts failed to bring about Independence. However, it seriously undermined the power of the British authority and united the people of India in a movement for Independence under the leadership of the INC (Indian National Congress).

Gandhi encouraged the Dalits to participate in the struggle for freedom. He called them Harijan, meaning ‘Children of God.’ Masses were delighted to welcome him and started calling him ‘Mahatma’ (Great Soul). Mahatma Gandhi then took up many other relevant issues to determine the emerging characteristics of Indian society.

Nonetheless, the Indian National Congress cooperated with the British in war efforts during the Second World War. It was hoped that the British would leave India when it was over. But the British did not relent. Then Mahatma Gandhi began The ‘Quit India Movement’, which was started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942. It was in 1947 that the British eventually realized they had to leave India for good.

Extremist Views Among the Indian National Congress Members

The spirit of nationalism received an impetus during the early 20th century. However, there were some extremist views among the Indian National Congress members. They did not favour the moderate stance taken by some national leaders and criticized the British for their overbearing and autocratic attitude toward the Indians.

The Rise of the Muslim League & Pakistan

The Muslim League sought Pakistan as a separate nation for them. The League was concerned that independent India would have Hindus at the helm of affairs.

However, it was planned that power would be divided between the Hindus and Muslims as proposed by the Cabinet Mission proposal. Yet, a senior leader of the Muslim League, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, did not agree to it.

The League favoured direct action, which led to Hindu-Muslim riots. In March 1947, Lord Mountbatten came to India and favoured the partition of Punjab and Bengal despite the civil war.

Gandhi did not favour partition and suggested that Jinnah should become the leader of a United India. However, this idea did not find the approval of many nationalist leaders within the INC. Eventually, the British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act, which formed India and Pakistan as two separate countries.

Important Dates in India’s Struggle for Freedom

A Force To Recon With

Today, India is a sovereign republic and a force to reckon with. It is now considered the largest democracy in the world and has retained its secular identity. Nevertheless, thanks to the visionary approach of the founding fathers, there is a great potential this South Asian country exhibits, which is determined to shape the future of life and harmonious living on earth.