The struggle for India’s freedom from British colonial rule involved numerous leaders who played significant roles. Here is a list of some prominent leaders who participated in India’s freedom movement:
- Mahatma Gandhi (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) – Leader of the non-violent civil disobedience movement, also known as the father of the nation (1869-1948).
- Jawaharlal Nehru – India’s first Prime Minister and a prominent member of the Indian National Congress (1889-1964).
- B. R. Ambedkar – Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served as Law and Justice minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru, and inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement after renouncing Hinduism.
- Subhas Chandra Bose – A nationalist leader and founder of the Indian National Army (INA) (1897-1945).
- Bhagat Singh – A revolutionary socialist who fought against British rule and was executed at a young age (1907-1931).
- Shivaram Rajguru – Rajguru was born on 24 August 1908 at Khed to Parvati Devi and Harinarayan Rajguru in a Marathi Deshastha Brahmin family. Khed was located at the bank of river Bheema near Pune. His father died when he was only six years old and the responsibility of the family fell on his elder brother Dinkar. He was a member of HRA.
- Sukhdev Thapar – Sukhdev Thapar (15 May 1907 – 23 March 1931) was an Indian revolutionary who fought against the British government for the freedom of India. He was a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). He was executed along with Shivaram Rajguru and Bhagat Singh on 23 March 1931.
- Chandra Shekhar Azad – Chandra Shekhar Tiwari (23 July 1906 – 27 February 1931), popularly known as Chandra Shekhar Azad, was an Indian revolutionary who reorganised the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) under its new name of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) after the death of its founder, Ram Prasad Bismil, and three other prominent party leaders, Roshan Singh, Rajendra Nath Lahiri and Ashfaqulla Khan. He hailed from Bardarka village in Unnao district of United Provinces and his parents were Sitaram Tiwari and Jagrani Devi. He often used the pseudonym “Balraj” while signing pamphlets issued as the commander-in-chief of the HSRA.
- Vallabhbhai Patel – Played a crucial role in integrating princely states into independent India and known as the “Iron Man of India” (1875-1950).
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad – A freedom fighter and India’s first Minister of Education (1888-1958).
- Sarojini Naidu – A poet and political activist, also known as the “Nightingale of India” (1879-1949).
- Lala Lajpat Rai – A prominent freedom fighter and part of the Lal Bal Pal trio (1865-1928).
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak – A social reformer and nationalist leader known for his slogan “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it” (1856-1920).
- Rajendra Prasad – The first President of independent India (1884-1963).
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – The first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs of India (1875-1950).
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad – India’s first Minister of Education and a prominent freedom fighter (1888-1958).
- C. Rajagopalachari – The last Governor-General of India and an important leader of the Indian National Congress (1878-1972).
- Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Bacha Khan) – A prominent Pashtun leader known for his non-violent approach (1890-1988).
- Annie Besant – A British socialist, theosophist, and supporter of Indian self-rule (1847-1933).
- Dadabhai Naoroji – A prominent early Indian leader and the first Indian to be elected to the British Parliament (1825-1917).
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale – A social reformer and political leader (1866-1915).
- Aruna Asaf Ali – A freedom fighter and one of the prominent figures in the Quit India Movement (1909-1996).
- Alluri Sitarama Raju – A tribal leader who led the Rampa Rebellion against the British (1897-1924).
This list is by no means exhaustive, as there were numerous other leaders, both men and women, who played significant roles in India’s freedom struggle. Each of them contributed in their unique way to the fight for independence and the formation of modern India.