Lucknow: Diplomat-turned-historian TCA Raghavan unfolded the stories of lesser-known individuals who contributed to India's freedom struggle during a session on his recently published book at the Kaushala Lit Fest, which kicked off at the Sangeet Natak Academi on Friday.
Highlighting figures such as Asaf Ali, his wife and educator Aruna Asaf Ali, journalist Syud Hossain, senior Congress leader Syed Mahmud, and Uttar Pradesh's first governor Sarojini Naidu, Raghavan said that while they may not feature prominently alongside icons like Mahatma Gandhi, their contributions to India's independence were equally significant.
He also highlighted the role of Hindu-Muslim unity and the pivotal contributions of these individuals to India's fight for freedom.
"Four friends in their youth—Asaf Ali, Syud Hossain, Syed Mahmud, and Sarojini Naidu—were together in London during the first decade of the twentieth century and were later joined by Aruna Asaf Ali. I traced their lives over the next 40-50 years to explore what happened to their friendships amidst the backdrop of India's national movement and the growing communal polarization," Raghavan explained.
He said their story contained all the ingredients of the national movement, including the sidelining of powerful women like Sarojini Naidu and, to some extent, Aruna Asaf Ali. It also showcased interfaith friendships, a Hindu-Muslim marriage (Aruna and Asaf Ali), and a nearly realised relationship between Syud Hossain and Sarup Kumari (later Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit), daughter of Motilal Nehru. Though the couple eloped and married, they were later forced to dissolve the marriage.
Raghavan described Asaf Ali, Syud Hossain, and Syed Mahmud as "nationalist Muslims." Asaf Ali participated in several independence movements, including the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, Individual Satyagraha, and Quit India Movement.
Asaf's wife, Aruna Asaf Ali, played a crucial role in the Salt Satyagraha and the Quit India Movement. Syud Hossain, a journalist, editor, and diplomat, made significant contributions as a writer and orator during India's independence struggle. Syed Mahmud, a young Muslim leader, helped craft the 1916 Lucknow Pact between the Congress and the Muslim League, he said.
Sarojini Naidu, Raghavan said, actively participated in the Civil Disobedience and Quit India Movements, enduring multiple imprisonments. Both Asaf and Sarojini shared a passion for poetry. While Asaf admired Urdu verse, Sarojini was a celebrated poet known for works like ‘The Bird of Time'. She introduced Asaf to Rabindranath Tagore during his London visit in 1913. As Sarojini became more involved in the freedom movement, her poetry grew increasingly nationalistic and critical of colonial rule, Raghavan added.