“As India changes very fast in this e-age and as our independence becomes a distant event for new generations, work like that will be a constant reminder to us that how much we owe our today to the sacrifices of freedom fighters”, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who has written preface in a book “1857-1947 Forgotten Heroes and Martyrs of India’s Freedom Movement”, launched the Chief Minister here this evening at her office chamber.
Compiled and edited by Special Broadcasting Service (SBS Radio, Sydney, Australia) journalist Shivnath Jha and his educationist wife Neena Jha, the book, is the fifth in the series of ‘Andolan Ek Pustak Se’. It will be launched in all state capitals throughout the year as a part to impart information about the freedom movement’s revolutionaries and martyrs and give a dignified, if not luxurious, life to the living descendants of forgotten heroes and martyrs of freedom movement. Shiv Nath Jha today presented copies of the book to Sheila Dikshit at her office.
“This book will give a new life to Bijender Singh Tomar, the one and only living bloodline of Martyr Ram Prasad Bismil living in anonymity and penury in the country side”, Jha said. Bismil was hanged on December 14, 1927 for his involvement in the Kakori train robbery case.
Union Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid - the man behind the mission - who has penned foreword says, “This work undoubtedly inspire a new generation of young Indians to give their best to the nation that got its freedom through fearless struggle of their ancestors.”
Khurshid further mentioned “the context of struggle may have changed dramatically; the nature of call to the service of the nation may have been transformed profoundly; the quality of objectives may well be different; but the sense is the same, of giving altruistically. Given that we encounter hypocracy, cynicism, selfishness, intellectual dishonesty, corruption in abundance and ideology as well as leadership is scare, the heroes of our time need mental endurance much more than physical strength.”
Published under the aegis of “Andolan Ek Pustak Se”, the book is a crusade to bring to light the miserable conditions of descendants and families of freedom fighters as well as an attempt to bring about a change,” Jha, who has spent more than seven years to locate 30 descendants’ families so far, said.
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