Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Freedom Fighter, Thinker
Freedom Fighter, Thinker

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Born 28 May 1883 · Maharashtra — Died 26 February 1966

Developed the Hindu nationalist ideology of Hindutva while imprisoned in Ratnagiri in 1922.

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was an Indian politician and ideologue. Savarkar developed the Hindu nationalist political ideology of Hindutva while confined at Ratnagiri in 1922. The prefix "Veer" was given by himself when he penned his own biography under the pseudonym Chitragupta. He was a leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Savarkar gave himself the title "Veer" when writing his own biography under the pseudonym Chitragupta.

The Story

1
In 1903, in Nasik, 20-year-old Vinayak Damodar Savarkar co-founded the secret revolutionary society Mitra Mela, marking his early plunge into militant nationalism.
2
🚢 While studying law in London, Savarkar connected with India House and published The Indian War of Independence (1909), a history of the 1857 rebellion banned by the British for its fiery call to revolution.
3In 1910, British authorities arrested Savarkar for his revolutionary activities, sentencing him to 50 years in the Cellular Jail at the Andaman Islands, a remote prison known for brutal conditions.
4✍️ Confined at Ratnagiri in 1922, Savarkar penned the political doctrine of Hindutva, coining Hindu nationalism as a response to colonial rule and communal tensions.

🏅 Awards & Honours

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🔍 One thing most people don't know

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At just 12 years old, Savarkar led an attack on a mosque during Hindu-Muslim riots in his village, showing early involvement in communal conflict.

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Through the Years

4 photographs from the archives
Hindu Mahasabha formed
Hindu Mahasabha formed
1912
Mercy petition submitted by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar to British authorities (1918)
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar wearing jail clothes during imprisonment (1960)
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar seated among accused in Mahatma Gandhi assassination custody (null)

🗓️ A Life in Moments

Birth in Bhagur, Maharashtra
Birth
Birth in Bhagur, Maharashtra
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was born into a Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin family in Bhagur village, Nasik district.
1883
Founded secret society Mitra Mela
Career
Founded secret society Mitra Mela
Savarkar and his brother Ganesh established Mitra Mela in Nasik to promote revolutionary activities against British rule.
1903
Published banned book in London
Publication
Published banned book in London
The Indian War of Independence, Savarkar's book on the 1857 rebellion, was published but banned by British authorities in India.
1909
Arrest and deportation to Cellular Jail
Career
Arrest and deportation to Cellular Jail
British arrested Savarkar for sedition and sentenced him to 50 years in the Andaman Cellular Jail.
1910
Formulated Hindutva ideology
Career
Formulated Hindutva ideology
While confined in Ratnagiri, Savarkar wrote the foundational ideas of Hindu nationalism known as Hindutva.
1922
Released from imprisonment
Career
Released from imprisonment
Savarkar was released from Cellular Jail after submitting mercy petitions to the British government.
1924
Hindu Mahasabha forms alliances
Career
Hindu Mahasabha forms alliances
Under Savarkar, Hindu Mahasabha allied with Muslim League to form governments after Congress resigned.
1939
Charged in Gandhi assassination case
Other
Charged in Gandhi assassination case
Savarkar was charged as a co-conspirator but acquitted for lack of evidence.
1948
Death of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Death
Death of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Savarkar passed away, closing a controversial chapter of Indian political history.
1966
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

His 1909 book The Indian War of Independence was banned by the British colonial government for promoting revolutionary ideas, making it a forbidden text during British rule.

02 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Savarkar spent over a decade imprisoned in the Cellular Jail on the Andaman Islands, known for its severe isolation and harsh conditions, after his 1910 arrest.

03 / 04
💡SURPRISING

After his release, Savarkar controversially urged Indians to support the British during WWII and opposed Gandhi’s Quit India Movement in 1942.

“

Oh Motherland, Sacrifice for you is like life! Living without you is death.

— Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Decoding Savarkar - Nationalist Hero or Hindutva Icon
·YouTube
More from this archive
Decoding Savarkar - Nationalist Hero or Hindutva Icon
01
Decoding Savarkar - Nationalist Hero or Hindutva Icon
YouTube
Savarkar: Fighter or Traitor? | Indian Freedom Struggle | Freedom Fighters | UPSC General Studies
02
Savarkar: Fighter or Traitor? | Indian Freedom Struggle | Freedom Fighters | UPSC General Studies
YouTube
What is the reality of Veer Savarkar? #movie #randeephooda #india
03
What is the reality of Veer Savarkar? #movie #randeephooda #india
YouTube
Swatantrya Veer Savarkar Review #savarkar @dhruvrathee @Letsunderstandnow
04
Swatantrya Veer Savarkar Review #savarkar @dhruvrathee @Letsunderstandnow
YouTube
Was VEER SAVARKAR AGAINST Cow Worship? 🤯 - Historian Vikram Sampath Explains | The Level Up Podcast
05
Was VEER SAVARKAR AGAINST Cow Worship? 🤯 - Historian Vikram Sampath Explains | The Level Up Podcast
YouTube
Why Is Veer Savarkar a Controversial Figure in India? | Full Story & Political Impact | StudyIQ IAS
06
Why Is Veer Savarkar a Controversial Figure in India? | Full Story & Political Impact | StudyIQ IAS
YouTube
Veer Savarkar REAL trailer. Savarkar life story in Hindi/ Veer Savarkar Case study and controversies
07
Veer Savarkar REAL trailer. Savarkar life story in Hindi/ Veer Savarkar Case study and controversies
YouTube
कालापानी की दीवारों से निकली शायरी, जब Savarkar ने लिखी Urdu ग़ज़लें! Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
08
कालापानी की दीवारों से निकली शायरी, जब Savarkar ने लिखी Urdu ग़ज़लें! Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
YouTube
Savarkar’s Trial At Kala Pani - Price Of Being A True Patriot | Vikram Sampath | Cellular
09
Savarkar’s Trial At Kala Pani - Price Of Being A True Patriot | Vikram Sampath | Cellular
YouTube
Savarkar was atheist.
10
Savarkar was atheist.
YouTube

🌱 What changed because of them

Savarkar’s articulation of Hindutva profoundly shaped Hindu nationalist thought, influencing organizations like the Hindu Mahasabha and later the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). His ideas fueled political debates on Indian identity, nationalism, and communalism, leaving a complex legacy that continues to impact Indian politics and society. The ideology he developed during his Ratnagiri confinement remains a cornerstone of Hindu nationalist discourse.

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