9th Book of 2025
This Independence Day, I decided to revisit my childhood and read the kind of books that shaped those years. I picked up “The Fierce and the Free” by Virender Kapoor, published by Rupa Publications. The tagline itself tells you what the book is about — “25 True Tales of India’s Boldest Freedom Fighters.” Kapoor has written a book that can be equally engaging for a child in 4th grade as well as for a 70-year-old reader.
Year after year, we keep reading and hearing about the same prominent figures — Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, and a few others. But there are countless lesser-known heroes who were equally instrumental in securing India’s freedom. Kapoor revives their stories and introduces readers to these forgotten fighters, allowing us to rediscover the freedom struggle from a fresh perspective.
At one point, the book highlights famous figures like Rani Lakshmibai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bhagat Singh, while at another, it brings to light inspiring yet lesser-known names such as:
Sido and Kanhu Murmu – who led the Santhal Rebellion of 1855–56 against British rule and exploitative landlords.
Matangini Hazra – who, even when shot by the police, continued chanting “Vande Mataram.” Her courage at an advanced age remains a symbol of indomitable spirit.
Baji Rout – India’s youngest martyr, only 12 years old, from Odisha. He was shot dead by British police for refusing them passage across a river during a protest. His fearless act became a rallying symbol of youth resistance.
Each chapter is dedicated to one freedom fighter and doesn’t extend beyond five pages, making it easy to read and grasp the essentials of their stories. For readers who wish to explore further, it’s a great starting point — for example, after reading about Baji Rout, I couldn’t resist researching more about him online.
Virender Kapoor doesn’t follow a typical biographical style listing parents’ names, birthplaces, or dates of birth. Instead, he divides each chapter into clear sub-sections and narrates the most defining events from each person’s journey in India’s struggle for freedom.
The book also reveals how many of these revolutionaries were connected — either by geography, ideology, or shared missions. A few fascinating interrelations that I learned from the book include:
Sido and Kanhu Murmu, Mangal Pandey, Rani Lakshmibai, Tantia Tope — all part of or inspired by the 1857 Revolt, India’s first organized rebellion against British rule.
Tilak, Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai formed the Lal–Bal–Pal trio, symbolizing early assertive nationalism.
Tilak’s writings inspired younger revolutionaries like Savarkar, who later founded secret societies in London and India.
Chittaranjan Das influenced Bengal’s revolutionary network, which produced figures like Khudiram Bose.
Kartar Singh Sarabha (Ghadar Party) inspired Bhagat Singh, who called him his “guru.”
Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajguru, Sukhdev, and Azad were all linked through the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), later renamed Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).
Khudiram Bose, Basanta Biswas, and Amir Chand were part of Bengal’s earlier revolutionary network that influenced the HRA’s strategies.
Sardar Udham Singh admired Bhagat Singh and drew inspiration from his ideals of revenge and justice.
Captain Lakshmi Sahgal headed the Rani of Jhansi Regiment under Subhash Chandra Bose’s leadership.
Now, speaking of drawbacks — I feel the author could have managed these interconnections between fighters more cohesively. At times, the repetition of overlapping events makes a few chapters sound familiar, as similar incidents are retold from different perspectives.
Other than that, this is a perfect book for school students — something you can gift them without hesitation. It’s informative, patriotic, and inspiring without being heavy or monotonous.
I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5.
Thanks!
WRITING BUDDHA
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