Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom

by Sanjeev Sanyal

The official narrative of India's freedom struggle has almost entirely been about the non-violent political movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress. However, it is Sanjeev Sanyal's contention that there was a continuous parallel armed struggle against British colonial rulers that can be traced to the very beginning of colonial occupation. It abated for a while after the First War of Indian Independence in 1857, but re-emerged from the beginning of the twentieth century.

It is not that people are unaware of Rashbehari Bose, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sachindra Nath Sanyal and Subhas Chandra Bose, but the impression one gets from reading historical accounts is that theirs were individual acts of courage that did not have an impact on the larger Independence movement. However, this is not the entire picture, as the revolutionary struggle operated through a conscious network that sustained armed resistance against the British for over half a century. They had well-developed institutions, thinkers and wide popular support. Indeed, as Subhas Bose demonstrated, they were capable of defeating popular candidates in the Congress's internal elections.

In Revolutionaries, Sanyal examines India's freedom struggle from the revolutionary perspective, how the baton was passed from one generation to the next, and, ultimately, why the British were forced to leave India. The book presents an exciting story that interweaves intrigue, high drama, assassination, global espionage and treachery with the courage and heroism of the revolutionaries.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, India, Politics, Indian Literature, Audiobook, History and Politics

364 pages, Paperback

Published January 10, 2023

About the author

Sanjeev Sanyal is an economist, urban theorist and writer. He grew up in Sikkim, Kolkata and Delhi before heading off to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He spent the tumultuous summer of 1993 in South Africa as it transitioned from apartheid, and then extensively travelled through Guatemala as it emerged from civil war. These experiences made him a keen observer of rapidly changing societies, an interest that reflects in many of his varied writings.

Sanjeev spent most of his adult life battling international financial markets, a few years in Mumbai and many in Singapore. One day in 2008, mostly on a whim, he decided to move back to India and travel all over the country with his family. This resulted in his hugely popular second book, Land of the Seven Rivers. Then in 2011, again for no particular reason, he went back to finance and took up a role as the global strategist of one of the world’s largest banks. He also spent the next few years exploring the Indian Ocean rim—Oman, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar, Vietnam, Indonesia, and up and down India’s coastline. These travels resulted in The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History.

Currently Sanjeev lives in New Delhi where he serves as the principal economic adviser to the Indian government.

Reviews

[Kirti Prajapati · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think reading this book made me realize that learning history isn't fun. it breaks your heart, taints your soul, drains your blood, scrapes your insides, ties together all your veins and regenerates you. as painful as it is, it's also necessary. shedding tears wasn't enough for this book, i wanted all my pores throughout my body to cry with me. history is, after all, a narrative. some remain forgotten in a collective amnesia, and some remain blatantly ignored. maybe those perspectives and narratives are what Indians need, to build their future on the foundation of corrected, unBritish history. Jai Hind.

[Robin Rana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instant classic in my opinion. Plugs the gap in understanding of post 1857 independence movement.

Books exposes the connections between almost 4-5 generation of revolutionaries and their inspirations right from Ma Bhawani! to Irish to communism. It lays bare how deep rooted the network of revolutionaries was. Its a rollercoaster of emotions right from treachery to sadness to pride to satisfaction!

Writing style was lucid and storytelling was great. You can really feel the author's passion throughout the book. This book's contribution to set the narrative of not just past but future of our nation will always be remembered.

[Lakshmisha K S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well researched book by the Author Sanjeev Sanyal. And again it touches on those aspects of History that is detailed or discussed in academic curriculum.

The book weaves a comprehensive narrative on the revolutionary side of Indian Freedom struggle. The world is neither black or white and is a mix of grey. And like all historical events, the story is a complex set of events, personas and motivations inter woven resulting in the outcomes that we see as History. The books brings into the focus on the some of these events and personas that have been neglected and shows how it is interconnected.

The book bears witness to effort that has been undertaken to collect the relevant facts, anecdotes and evidences to support the story. The book is well written in a very pleasant narrative and ends up being a story book rather than a text book filled with facts. This book can be read by an high schooler today easily.

This is a must read book for almost everyone who is connected with India.

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom not just to understand history, but to uncover the silenced stories of freedom fighters left out of our textbooks. You’ll come to understand why their sacrifices were buried, and it will break your heart. Their pain, their courage, their sacrifice for this Matrubhumi—it all deserves to be felt. You may find yourself weeping, not just for them, but for how we’ve failed to remember them. Highly recommended. Don’t miss it.

[Ujjwala Singhania · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book. The important pages from our forgotten history that we should all know about.

[Aditya Kulkarni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book and something that needed to be written and read by all Indians. Revolutionaries of India made so many innumerable sacrifices for the cause of the nation and it's unfortunate how little has been written about them. Most of them died before India became independent in 1947 and those who survived didn't get much recognition post-independence. The two founding fathers of the revolutionary movement - Aurobindo Ghosh or Sri Aurobindo and Vinayak Damodar "Veer" Savarkar lived beyond 1947 but had long gone aloof from the movement that they had founded.

Whatever I knew about Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, Rajguru, etc was from mostly from movies and not books. Mainstream narrative was that India won freedom only because of the struggle led by the Congress Party. Contributions made by the revolutionaries were conveniently and deliberately ignored by the state. The role played by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Rash Behari Bose, and the Indian National Army (INA) doesn't get the coverage it deserves. The naval mutiny of 1946 which was the biggest reason why the British felt that they could no longer rule India is hardly mentioned in our history books.

The author, Sanjeev Sanyal has written many wonderful books that I have enjoyed reading but this one has to be my favourite. It would say that it should read by every Indian who has passion about history and wants to explore how exactly we won our freedom. A must read book by all means.

[Chandana Kuruganty · Rating 4 out of 5]

“ The revolutionaries, however were never fully forgotten by Indians despite official antipathy. The events were too recent and their activities still vividly remembered in collective memory. The memories of individual revolutionaries were kept alive by friends and families and their native towns/villages. However, they were systematically reduced to no more than passing references in school text books and national events”

I’ve enjoyed this book:
1. The writing style is really fluid and keeps the reader hooked.
2. I’ve come to see the revolutionary aspect of Freedom struggle in a different light, one that they were more connected and integrated than my earlier reading of history suggested. Author provided good footnotes on that front to show linkages across revolutionaries from Punjab to Bengal to Maharashtra.
3. The author also provides tidbits of trivia and an alternate view over things. For example:

“ By taking the northern route through Russia, therefore Subhas Bose escaped the assassination plan. Just two months later, this route would close as Germany would invade Russia.”
So, if it was a two month delay, then he would have had to use route via Iran and Turkey where Britain had its Special Ops Team for his probable assassination* or possible capture

4. The basic premise of the book on showing the role of revolutionaries as far more than an isolated set of events or individuals is clearly on point. Reader will come to agree by the end of the book

What did I not like in the book:

1. There is a bias inherent in the writing but an able reader will be in a position to accept or understand the author’s stance without getting swayed
2. There is a repetition of revolutionaries and their ideas because of the book structure which can be changed to enhance the reader experience

I would recommend this book to people who have not read Modern History apart from the 11th and 12th CBSE Text Books. If you’ve touched Rajiv Ahir’s “ Brief History of Modern India”, you aren’t going to find any new reference except the story like format for each revolutionary, their motives and the aftermath.

Happy Reading guys!

[Lik · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Indian born American, I know little to nothing about India’s history or modern day politics. I wanted to learn something other than the propaganda we have been fed that somehow non violence and Gandhi seemingly saved India. After lots of research, I stumbled upon a book that could teach me the true history of Indian independence. Very fast and inspiring read on the armed resistance of hundreds of brave men and women that contributed to Indian independence.

I will say, this book is very fast paced with lots and lots of names that confused me whenever I picked the book up after putting it down. Many of my questions were answered, but I’m left with more and not sure what other books are as brilliant as this one.

[Aparna Misra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extensively researched and well written. At some points, self-serving and has a biased view of history. Overall, an eye opening account of India's freedom struggle. Recommended for those who read extensively and are not easily swayed.

[Kaivalya Karkare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accidentally picked up the abridged version of this book (100 pages shorter but well detailed), nonetheless, I had been meaning to read Sanjeev Sanyal for quite some time now and found this to be a good read - well written and brisk.

The book does good service by detailing the riveting/inspiring stories and struggles of freedom fighters involved in the armed resistance against British colonial rule - a part of history that has been left ignored from mainstream history education for reasons (of politics and convenience ?).

Over the course of the book, the reader is told of the stories of Aurobindo, India House, Dhingra, SC Bose, Savarkar, the Ghadar Movement, Bhagat Singh, Azad, the Naval Uprising, Kakori Robbery, and Udham Singh, amidst the socio-political scenario of the times.

Had read about most of these stories via other books before, but it was a good compilation and revisit/refresher!

A must read - especially for the younger generation!

[Ayush Mishra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gripping exploration of the unseen and under-appreciated aspects of India's fight for independence. It meticulously peels back the layers of the freedom struggle, revealing the daring exploits and connections between generations of revolutionaries.

The book shines a light on both the celebrated figures like Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Azad, Sukhdev, etc. and the forgotten heroes like Bagha Jatin, Sachindranath Sanyal and ofcourse Sri Aurobindo. Their stories are filled with sacrifice and audacious acts.

However, Revolutionaries doesn't shy away from the harsh realities. It exposes the disheartening lack of support these revolutionaries received from some mainstream politicians of the time.

The narrative is particularly poignant when it delves into the tragic deaths of revolutionaries who fell just short of witnessing the fruits of their labor. Their sacrifices become even more profound in the face of this bittersweet reality.

Sanjeev Sanyal's writing style makes Revolutionaries a compelling read, even for those well-versed in Indian history. Quite similar to his earlier book on India's geographical history. It is a thought-provoking tribute to the indomitable spirit of those who dared to dream.

[Bhawna Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains the records of revolutionaries who fought for the country's independence.One will learn many unknown facts.
It was believed that only the INC as a group was primarily involved in the independence movement, with the rest of the revolutionaries only performing heroic acts, but this book rebutted this myth by presenting the facts.
The treatment some freedom fighters received after independence is heartbreaking.
Who is to blame for forgetting the sacrifices, and bravery of these freedom fighters? All we can do now is to remember them and to let the next generation know that ‘दी हमें आज़ादी बिना खड्ग बिना ढाल’ is the biggest myth, and it insults the sacrifices of the freedom fighters who fought, endured torture, were imprisoned,and hanged.

[Adarsh ಆದರ್ಶ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A nation that has no consciousness of its past has no future".
Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

After Ajeya by Babu Krishnamurthy biography of chandrshekara Tiwari.
This is the best book on revolutionaries of our freedom struggle.

Our history syllabus in schools started and ended with Gandy and his chelas whose only contribution was whataboutery and dance parade to the tunes of their white masters that affects this country to this day.

1900's - 1935 these were the crucial years in the fight for freedom struggle. Scores of revolutionaries starting from the age of 18-50's emerged for the only cause that was Independence from white barbarous rule.

Though we attained Swatantra its often said it was because of a old man roaming around corpses of Hindus preaching Non Violence. Until recently not much was said about the Hundreds of thousands laid down their lives and scarified their families for this nation. This is one such book that makes you wonder what all have been buried deep under.

Lots of names have been mentioned which i myself may have heard it for the first time and was awestruck by the resilience we showed as countrymen.

1.Bengal the heaven for revolutionaries initial it was here where it all started {You may wonder what has gotten to such a blessed land- obvious answer Communism}.
2.Horrendous Kalapani should be considered as our Gas Chamber equivalent to what Jews suffered.
3.India House itself deserves a separate book for its great contribution.
4.Least known fact about Ghadar party's activities from United states.
5.Mighty H[S]RA compatriots mostly betrayed by brown sepoys lurking behind.
6.Naval Mutiny that obviously was the ultimate reason for their overnight decision for declaration of independence.

Many question of mine which was unanswered for years i have found some answers here.

It is surprising to know a revolution[Italian & Irish] somewhere halfway across the world caused a domino effect far away in a villages in Maharashtra & Central India.
Many revolutionaries were indeed inspired by our Hindu Kings and their Valor.

Never knew the fact that Akhadas were such a big thing in raising the awareness of patriotism which is often considered as medieval body building or modern day gym alternative.

It says a lot about our education system or Post Independence governments ignorance and discriminating policies that Sanjeev Sanyal's grand Uncle the sanyal brothers and their fellow patriots had suffered so much and lost everything and many died in recluse they needed a family member to write about it after 75 years of independence.

Everyone must read this it will help you debunk myths and rebuke with facts to many ignorants constant trolling with WA university tag.

What British did to Bharata in their horrific invasion will bound to catch them in the form of Islamic invasion a curse they carried upon themselves. Much more is in shelf for them.

Vande Mataram!
May Bharata get back to its glorious Stature..

[Harsh Agrawal]

Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom
Author: Sanjeev Sanyal
Published by HarperCollins
Non-Fiction/History
Pages: 350
MRP: Rs. 599/-
Thank you @harpercollinsin for a media copy of the book.

In Revolutionaries, Sanjeev Sanyal offers a comprehensive and captivating account of India's armed struggle against British colonial occupation. The book asserts that the Indian independence movement was an organized network of resistance, involving a large number of young men and women over multiple generations. Sanyal's writing is fact-based, focusing on the narrative and leaving aside the anger that often pervades historical accounts. The author covers the various actors involved in the movement, including Sri Aurobindo, Veer Savarkar, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose, and others. Sanyal also covers the influence of international events and the role of overseas Indian communities in the resistance effort. The book highlights the diverse nature of the movement and its members, who, at various points, supported Gandhi's nonviolent approach and, later, went back to their old ways. Revolutionaries is a comprehensive, well-researched and entertaining read for anyone interested in Indian history and the struggle for independence.
Before Mohandas Gandhi became known as Mahatma Gandhi, he visited Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in London. Savarkar was cooking prawns for a group of young Indian revolutionaries who were willing to fight and die for freedom at the India House. The meeting between Gandhi and Savarkar was not cordial, with Savarkar inviting Gandhi to join them for a meal. However, Gandhi declined the invitation as he was a strict vegetarian. Savarkar reportedly asked Gandhi, "If you cannot eat with us, how can you work with us?" This highlights the differences in ideologies between Gandhi and the revolutionary leaders of India.
Years later, Sachindra Nath Sanyal wrote an open letter to Gandhi in "Young India," criticizing Gandhi's non-violent approach to freedom struggles. In 1939, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose ran for re-election as the president of the Indian National Congress, but was opposed by Gandhi-loyalist Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Despite Bose winning the election, Gandhi loyalists refused to work with him and eventually, Bose was forced to resign.

Continue reading on the blog. https://www.keetabikeeda.in/post/the-...

[Diya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book opened my eyes to the armed struggle for India’s independence something that has often been overshadowed by the dominant narrative of non-violence we're taught in schools. I truly hope that changes soon, so future generations can remember not just Gandhi, but also the brave revolutionaries who laid down their lives for our freedom.

Revolutionaries is filled with stories of unbelievable courage, ingenious plots, and heartbreaking failures. Yet, in the end, India achieved independence albeit at the cost of Partition, first Pakistan and later Bangladesh. While many of us are familiar with the Revolt of 1857, few know about the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny. I learned about it through this book, and also the fact that Clement Attlee, in a 1956 interview with Justice Phani Bhushan Chakravarti, said that the decision to grant India independence was influenced largely by the Indian National Army (INA) and the RIN revolt.

The book traces the journey of several revolutionaries like Sri Aurobindo, Veer Savarkar ji, Madan Lal Dhingra, Rashbehari Bose and movements like the Ghadar Party, Anushilan Samiti, and HRA. What’s especially heartbreaking is how often these movements failed or how the revolutionaries were captured due to betrayal by insiders.

The epilogue moved me deeply. It sheds light on the post-independence lives of these heroes many suffered from PTSD, and several never received the recognition they deserved from the very country they fought for. That injustice still lingers.

5 stars aren’t enough for this book. I'm glad it's being adapted into a web series by Prime Video. It will bring these forgotten heroes to a wider audience especially those who may not pick up a book but will be moved by their stories on screen.

Isn’t that what these revolutionaries truly wanted to be remembered by future generations, not for fame or wealth, but for their sacrifice and love for their motherland?

[Umang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would highly recommend this book for every Indian (or anyone) interested to understand a larger context of India’s freedom struggle beyond the Gandhi & Congress contributions. This book isn’t meant to put leftists or Gandhi/Nehru down, but rather to tell a very captivating true story which has often been sidelined and has faded away in memories of many.

As I was reading this book, I felt disappointment and a bit of agony towards the incomplete history that I like many other in India have been indoctrinated with, in our schools. The armed revolution has been often cited as an aberration, a mishap, a few sporadic incidents and a provocation by freedom fighters, too young. However, all of this is absolutely false.

This book while doesn’t deep dive into every armed revolution or a particular revolutionary, it paints a very fascinating, lucid, fast paced, heart wrenching & warming landscape covering how different freedom fighters, intellectuals right from (now) Bengal, Punjab, Bangladesh, Pakistan worked on a common mission of Free India and collaborated/ were inspired with counterparts, supporters in US,Europe, SE Asia for a large period of the British Empire in India.

With umpteenth details, plethora of information available via various sources, Sanjeev Sanyal, the author, does a conscious and an incredible job in putting the entire story armed revolution in a conscise way which makes it easy to read thereby striking a balance between enough facts, a few observations and stirring emotions to make it more than just a good read.

[Uzair Qadri · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the outset, it needs underscoring that the book 'Revolutionaries' by 'Sanjeev Sanyal' is a brilliant combination of widespread research and conscious effort at making the book easy to understand. Thoroughly loved the flow in the book. After going through this book, it is quite apparent that the historical narrative about India's freedom struggle was pockmarked with flaws. Many of those flaws had been intentionally put into use, and many of the details given short shrift in the books commonly available on the subject. At an individual level, it was always baffling to read such truncated versions giving only a single dimension of history, glossing over the pitfalls of the individuals involved, reducing the revolutionary aspects to the margins and flaunting the theoretical ethics all through. This book is one properly researched work which highlights those flaws alongside making the importance of revolutionary aspect of the movement felt.

Any struggle in the world runs on two strands, both complementing each other, step by step. One is a strand of normal politics, argumentations, demonstrations and agitations. Another is the strand of revolutionary activities, using meaningful violence to make one's point heard. It is exactly the latter one, which was missing for a larger part of the narrativization of Indian Freedom Struggle. It is heartening to learn about that portion of the struggle being driven by proper planning and coordination, and not just being the expression of any rag-tag, misled and crude group of youth.

Throughout the book, one gets to learn about the people and organisations, which were presented in footnotes only till now. Anushilan Samiti and its role in acting as a fountain-head has been presented in the most exquisite detail. All the revolutionaries from Vasudev Balwant Phadke, Chapekar brothers, V.S.Chiplunkar, Aurobindo Ghosh, Barin Ghose, V.V.S Aiyar, Taraknath Das, Rashbehari Bose, Sohan Singh Bakhna, Pandurang Khankhote etc to Subhas Bose and Bhagat Ram Talwar have been described in detail. Ghadar Movement, India House in London and the patronization of the revolutionaries overseas by Shyamji Krishna Varma have been elucidated in the book like never before.

Substantive portions of the book are so rich that a reader wants to complete it in one go. The intrigues of the intelligence agencies, pervasive moles in every revolutionary group and the conditional help of the German sleuths make for a very persuasive read. It surely speaks volumes about the character of the revolutionaries, remaining single-minded in their striving for achieving their goal, in the face of extraordinary repression from the side of the British. The acts of the revolutionaries, as one understands, remain just one hit away from their realisation, whether it be Ghadarites or the Jugantar group.

The rise of M.N.Roy, Communist Party of India, Hindustan Republican Army and the influence of Socialism on it have been given adequate enough weightage. Kudos to the author, for not just writing the book, but actually teaching its readers about some minute details of the freedom struggle. The genesis of the Indian National Army, its order and organisation and its final moments of action have been dealt with from the zeroth principles. Royal Indian Navy (RIN) mutiny has been explained in details heretofore not mentioned any where in the books. Loved it.

The trajectories of the lives of revolutionaries have been followed till the end. Saddening it is to learn that some of them lived very penurious lives after falling off the radar of the public eye. Some of them changed sides, rather evolved, from one side of the ideological spectrum to the other. The case in point here is of Ulaskar Dutt and his heart-breaking love story. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, who goes on to lay the foundation of Revolutionary Socialist Party, resisting any intrusion from the externally-guided Communists. Quite interesting is the case of Pandurang Khankhote, who goes on to become a leading agriculturist the world over, after being associated, pith and marrow, with revolutionaries in the Indian Freedom Struggle.

Goes without saying that the book is a fabulous read. But there are certain pitfalls in the book, which flow tangentially to the accepted principles of historiography. One can't, must not, follow any emotionally-driven line of thought, while writing history. Historians report the facts of history as they are, and not give judgement about what the real-time actors of those times must have felt while carrying out their actions. Phrases like "they must have felt..", "remembering the past..", "allegedly..." are simply meaningless, no matter what colour they are ornated with.

Vinayak Savarkar did suffer the travails of Cellular Jail in Andamans (the book mentions the etymology of the word Andaman), but to ascribe his animosity towards Muslims to his treatment by Muslim men in jail is ridiculous. Savarkar had every right to critique Gandhiji's wagon-hitching with Muslims on the issue of Khilafat. But to whip up anger against Muslims for no definitive reason is crass communalism. Savarkar, in 1939, raked up the threat of Muslim takeover of India. It was simply a manifestation of ugly hatred inhabiting his psyche. The author going to a length in explaining things on behalf of Savarkar is very poor in taste.

Author has given a wide-eyed view of the pedigree he comes from. Dr. Nalinaksha Sanyal is the great-grandfather of the author, a brilliant revolutionary, excellent economist and a sportsperson. Good that we get to learn about him.

For the book's whining tone and tenor, the rating for the work goes down to 3.5 out of 5. Otherwise, it would have been 4 out of 5.

[Amandeep Singh Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the book you will be able to understand the hardship that revolutionaries had to go through but they were never got the deserving acknowledgement. It is heart breaking to know that the revolutionaries took so much pain but every efforts got failed at last moment due to internal and external factors.
Last 2 chapters are worth reading..

Really appreciate the efforts and pain taken by the authors especially Naval Mutiny of 1946 which was never covered or discussed in general in India's Independence Struggle.

[Khyati · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well curated book on people and incidents related to the freedom struggle; who are almost forgotten now. Few of us might not even know these people ever existed or such incidents ever occurred; it is not an exaggeration.

The author remains committed throughout, did not digress from the purpose of revisiting the multiple aspects of an incident that, until now have largely been viewed from a unidimensional perspective.

A book that will not disappoint, in any aspect.

[Soumya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book really introduced me to a lot of incidents and people I barely or did not even know about. It was also valuable to read how differently people conceptualised freedom and the counter narratives that existed to all 'mainstream' freedom struggles.

However, the constant jumping back and forth between timelines was a bit confusing at times and affected the flow a bit. While the book is only intended to be a primer of sorts, I still feel I would have enjoyed it if it had some more depth in places and not raced to cover as much as it currently attempts to.

[Arpit Katre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant absolutely brilliant!!!! 100% recommended for a history enthusiast.

[Aditya Saraff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hallways of history have been hijacked in such a manner that many figures, central to our freedom movement, have been forgotten over time. This book reminds us of the deeds done by all of them in an often heart-rending, emotional narrative that will move anyone! A brilliant read, no doubt.

[Girish Querido II · Rating 5 out of 5]

The other side of the Freedom struggle!

[Prateek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. I just didnt want to stop reading. So many names that I had never heard of sadly. Puts so many things in perspective. The Epilogue was also so interesting as it talks about their lives after the war. " Not a war of good over evil, war between two evil empires for supremacy."

[Gaurav Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A long awaited glimpse into our forgotten heroes. The painful realisation of how Indians have been kept in the dark about the significant” other” just because the surviving so called historians shared the same benefactors even post independence.

It’s heart wrenching to acknowledge that those who remained disloyal to their own nation claimed the kings share of benefits while our real heroes not only remained unsung but mostly left no kith and kin to even share their stories to future generations.

Thankyou Sanyal sir for bringing this to light , veiled punches on many of the injustices will surely hit the mark. The heroics of our revolutionaries should be celebrated and sincere best wishes for more scholarly work without pulling the punches .

Ensuring that my son and daughter read this and keep our heroes in their memory and donot consider our freedom struggle as a pusillanimous attempt of the past generations in the name of non violence and freedom as a handout .

[Dhruva Narayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am disappointed.
Disappointed with my school for not teaching me about this, with the Indian media for not discussing this, and with myself for not learning about this sooner.
And what is this? It is the other story of how India won its freedom.

What logic, we ask, is there in asking the country to traverse a non-violent path when the world atmosphere is surcharged with violence and exploitation of the weak? -Hindustan Republican Association’s manifesto, 1925

Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom is an incredible book about courage and sacrifice. It talks about the oft-ignored and mostly forgotten armed insurrections against the British Raj that took place alongside the much more celebrated non-violence movement. It recounts the triumphs and tribulations of revered martyrs like Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad and the equally deserving, though lesser-known, freedom fighters like Rash Behari Bose and Sachindra Nath Sanyal.

This book shattered my perception of the armed revolution for Independence. I learned that the armed uprising against British rule was not a scattered series of events fueled by misguided heroism, doomed to fail in their ultimate goals from the start. It was the doings of a well-planned network of revolutionary cells that stretched not just across the country, but across the world. Delving into the writings of figures like Aurobindo Ghosh and Sachindra Nath Sanyal, the book reveals a different perspective on their actions and goals. Rather than the "extremists" and “terrorists” portrayed by the British and their Indian loyalists, these works showcase mature, rational individuals driven by a deep love for their nation.

The resilience and fortitude shown by the revolutionaries in this book is very inspiring. It was incredible to see how even after seeing generation after generation of revolutionaries before them, beaten back by the British in region after region, thousands of Indians were still willing to give their lives up for the chance of Freedom.

Ultimately this book turns into a tragedy when we are shown how only a handful of these revolutionaries lived to see an independent India (as opposed to the majority of the Gandhian faction). It was heartbreaking to see the plight of these revolutionaries and their families in newly independent India - neglected by the very nation they helped liberate. Did you know that the soldiers of the INA or the naval ratings who took part in the naval mutiny of 1946 were not reinstated into independent India’s armed forces? It gets worse. In Pakistan, Jinnah allowed Muslim generals of the INA to join the army that fought wars with India, over Kashmir in 1947-48. In a bitter twist of irony, the only battles the veterans of the Azad Hind Fauj fought in after independence, were against an Azad Hind!

Like all of Sanjeev Sanyal’s books, Revolutionaries is extremely well-researched and thorough. I like how the author has traveled to many of the places spoken about in this book and talked to us from there. From the site of the little curry restaurant Rash Behari Bose opened in Japan to the winding Calcutta gullies that witnessed Subhas Chandra Bose's daring escape to Germany, we get a rich sense of place alongside the historical narrative.

If you are interested in Indian history and want to hear the voices of the unsung heroes who sacrificed their lives at the altar of Bharat Mata, then this book is for you. It will rewrite your understanding of Indian independence.
I highly recommend it.

[Prakash Pujare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous eye opener!

Inspiring, motivates one to delve even deeper into our recent history. Would recommend, nay, insist that this book should be mandatory reading for all students of history.

[Revanth Mopidevi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched and gripping account of the systematically edited out portion of India’s freedom movement. No further elaboration necessary.

[Saurav Mandal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all interested in knowing the real history of Indian Independence and the contribution of Revolutionaries. May more and more people get to know and acknowledge their contributions.

[Sriram Venugopal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read book on the Indian Independence struggle that is kept hidden from history books