Lone Wolf Adda

Dhondo  Keshav Karve, also known affectionately as Annasaheb. For the 100 odd years of his life on earth, he lit the lamps in the lives of many a child widow, and women, fought for their emancipation.

Kandukuri Veeresalingam, often regarded as  the father of Modern Andhra Pradesh,  social reformer, activist, writer, the quintessential Renaissance man.

Jallianwala Bagh,a name that evokes painful memories in our history, a reminder of the brutality of the British rule. 1500 massacred here on April 13,1919 on the orders Gen Reginald Dyer, on a Baisakhi Day.

Rani  Tarabai Bhonsle the daughter in law of Chattrapathi Shivaji Maharaj, who took over the Maratha Empire at a critical juncture, fought back Aurangzeb, and saved the Empire from destruction. T

Lala Hardayal, the man who co founded the Ghadar Party in US, along with Sohan Singh Bhakna. A legend among revolutionaries, one of the key members of India House in London along with Shyamji Krishna Varma, Veer Savarkar and Madame Bhikaji Cama.

Kanneganti Hanumanthu, was famous for the Pullari Satyagraha, against the draconian tax imposed by the British on the peasants for grazing their cattle or gathering wood in the forests of Palnadu.

Uyyalavada Narasimha Reddy, born in Rupanagudi  and grew up in Uyyalavada, had around 66 villages under his control in Bellary, Kadapa, Anantapur, Kurnool districts, and was a patron of arts and literature. One of the heroes of the Polygar Wars against the British.

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar one of the greatest Indian scientists of the modern era, who was an equally good writer. To most Indians, his name would be familiar with CSIR, that he founded as well as the awards given out in his name to aspiring scientists.  Yet not many know that he was also an equally good Urdu poet under the name of Seemab, and composed the Kulgeet for Benaras Hindu University i...

The brave queen of Kittur, who took on the British.

Vasudev Balwant Phadke, often called as the father of the Indian armed revolt, an inspiration to many a revolutionary. He was an inspiration for Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s landmark novel Anand Math, which incorporated many references from his life. A Chitpavan Brahmin from Konkan, who rallied the lower peasant castes like Dhangars, Kolis, Bhils as well as warrior communities like Ramoshis against...

On the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami and Saraswathi Puja, I take a look at it's significance.

Peshwa Madhav Rao, the youngest of the Peshwas who bought the Maratha empire back to it's glory after the Panipat debacle.

Tilka Manjhi tribal leader who led a major uprising against the British in and around Bhagalpur.

Telanga Kharia from the Kharia tribe in Jharkhand who led an intense uprising against the British in Gumla. 

Vikram Sarabhai,  the father of India’s space program, regarded as one of the greatest scientists of modern India. And who also made a signficant contribution to the nuclear program.

Shivaji Maharaj routs the Adil Shahi forces once again at the Battle of Kolhapur in 1659, as their commander Rustom Zaman flees the battlefield. This victory would make Aurangzeb take notice of him.

Lance Naik Albert Ekka, the man who saved Agartala during the 1971  War, PVC recipient for his sheer courage under fire during the capture of Gangasagar, one of Jharkhand's most famous icons.

Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, founder of Benares Hindu University, educationist, thinker, freedom fighter, social reformer, a truly great soul or Mahamana as he was called.

Srinivasa Ramanujan, one of the greatest mathematicians of  the modern era. A genius, and a true maverick.

Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Thakur Roshan Singh are hanged to death on this date for ther involvement in the Kakori Conspiracy.

The commander of the Maratha Army at the 3rd Battle of Panipat, a hero often judged harshly for that one failure.

Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it. Lokamanya #BalGangadharTilak a personality to whom words would do no justice. An inspiration for many revolutionaries. The father of the Indian unrest.

The man who designed the Indian national flag. Also a geologist and agriculturist.

The father of modern Indian Chemistry, the first Indian to set up a pharma company, and a pioneer of modern chemical industries in India. But Ray was more than just a mere chemist, he worked actively in the fields of education. One of the greatest Indian scientists of modern era.

Dheeran Chinnamalai, a rather forgotten hero, of the Polygar Wars in the Kongu region. My tribute to him on this date when he was hanged by the British at Sankaragiri Fort, in 1805.