Gitam school of law

BaLLB (Hons)

History project/Assignment
Name: Sairamvinay Godithi
Registration number: 122033101002
Year/batch: First year
Semester: I
Subject: History
Code: SOL5A102

Topic: National Movement in India.

Date: 28-01-2021

Submitted to:
R.S. Harish Kumar Varma
Assistant professor
Gitam - school of law
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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The completion of this project is only possible by the kind support and guidance of
many individuals. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all of them.

Firstly, I would express my respect and thanks to my professor HARISHVARMA

SIR for his guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing proper
information regarding the project and also for his support in completing this project.

Secondly, I would also thank my classmates who helped me in developing and

finalizing this project with their abilities and also helped me in completing the
project within the limited time frame.

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 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project entitled “National Movement in India” is being
submitted by me in the partial fulfillment of the requirement for my academic study
of B.A.L.L.B (HONS).

The matter embodied in this project report has not been submitted to any other
University or Institution for the award of degree. This project is my original work
and it has not been presented earlier in any manner. This information is purely
academic interest.

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Contents :-
Acknowledgement ………………………………………………….… 2
Declaration ……………………………………………………….…… 3
Objective ……………………………………………………………… 6
Introduction …………………………………………………………... 7
Advent of Europeans …………………………………………………. 7
 Portuguese
 Dutch
 Danes
 French
 British
Expansion of East India company …………………………………… 8
The Revolt of 1857 …………………………………………………….. 8
Foundation of Indian National Congress …………………………... 10
Phases of Indian National Movement :
1. Vandemataram Movement ……...……………………………… 11
2. HomeRule Movement ………………………………………….. 11
3. Rowlatt satyagraha ...…………………………………………… 12
4. Khilafat Movement ……………………………………………... 12
5. Non – Cooperation Movement ………………………………….. 13
6. Civil Disobedience Movement ………………………...……….. 15
7. Quit India Movement …………………………………………… 16
8. Role of Women …………………………………………………. 16
9. Towards Freedom ………………………………………………. 17
Bibliography …………………………………………………………. 19

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Objective :
Indian National Movement is one of the most fascinating chapters of Indian History. As aptly
described by Jawaharlal Nehru in his ‘Discovery of India’ that ‘No movement in the world is
parallel to Indian National Movement which based itself on Non-violence and Satyagraha’. This
study deals with the Indian National Movement and its various phases such as Swadeshi, Non-
cooperation, Civil disobedience and Quit India movements and the role of Mahatma Gandhi,
other leaders from congress and that of the revolutionaries in it. It concentrates mainly on the series
of events starting with the advent of Europeans to that of the declaration of independence on
August 25th 1947. In addition to this, it also envisages the reasons for the uprisal of this movement.
An attempt is made to discuss various important events that transformed East India company from
a trading monopoly to that of a colonial master.

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Introduction :-
Aurangzeb was the last of the powerful Mughal rulers. After his death in 1707, many subadars
(Mughal governors) and big Zamindars began asserting their authority and established small
regional kingdoms. Due to the emergence of powerful regional kingdoms, Delhi could no longer
function as an effective center. It all began with the advent of Europeans that started from early
14th century.

1. Advent of Europeans :-
i. Portuguese :
The Portuguese were the first to succeed in exploring direct sea route to India. arrival of three
ships under Vasco da Gama, with the help of a Gujarati pilot Abdul Majid, at Calicut in May 1498
profoundly affected the course of Indian history. This led to the discovery of a sea route all the
way from Europe to India.

ii. Dutch :
The later ones to enter were the Dutch. Unlike the Portuguese they entered into India on the eastern
coast. The Dutch United East India company was established in 1602, grouping the smaller
companies trading with Eastern countries.

iii. Danes :
They were the people of Denmark. Dutch were followed by Danes in India. They established their
settlements near Tanjore and Srirampur in Bengal. They started their expansion with Srirampur as
their capital.

iv. French :
French entered India after the British. The French East India company was started in 1664 by the
finance minister of Louis XIV, Colbert. It was a company that was started by the government itself.
French established their first settlement in 1668 at Surat.

v. British :
A squad of 200 British traders established the English East India Company in the year 1600AD.
This not only monopolized the Indian trade but also captured the Indian political sovereignty in
the later stages. The East India Company acquired a charter from Queen Elizabeth I, grating the
company sole right to trade with the East.
The first English factory was set up on the banks of Hugli river in 1651. From the , British started
its settlement around these factories. By 1696, it began fortification. Two years later it bribed
Mughal officials into giving the company zamindari rights over three villages – Govindapur,
Sutanuti, Kalikata.

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Expansion of East India Company :-
From here-on, the British started consolidating its power in various parts of the country. Here’s
the list of series of wars that helped British to establish company and later on crown rule in India:-

1. The Anglo – French rivalry – Carnatic wars (1744-1761)

i. The first Carnatic war (1744-1748)
ii. The second Carnatic war (1748-1756)
iii. The third Carnatic war (1756-1763)
2. Conquest of Bengal
i. Battle of Plassey – June 23rd 1757
ii. Battle of Buxar – October 17th 1764
3. Anglo-Mysore wars
i. The first Mysore war (1767-1769)
ii. The second Mysore war (1780-1784)
iii. The third Mysore war (1790-1792)
iv. The fourth Mysore war (1799)
4. The Anglo-Maratha wars

All these expansionist policies of the East India company made most of the part of India to get
into company hold.

The Revolt of 1857 :-

In the history of India, the 1857 revolt of sepoys became a fascinating event. The oppressive and
unjust policies of the East India company between 1757 to 1857 forced the various sections of
Indian society to revolt along with the sepoys.
Beginning with the Battle of Plassey in 1757 the British adopted several methods to conquer India.
The expansionist policy of the British included wars, subsidiary alliances and occupying under the
pretext of misrule. They have defeated Marathas, Sultans of Mysore, Sikhs and others and annexed
their kingdoms. Dalhousie implemented the Doctrine of Lapse and annexed the native states
including Satara, Nagpur, Jhansi etc. He went on to annex Oudh. He rejected the rightful pension
to Nana Saheb the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. Lord Canning who succeeded Lord
Dalhousie declared that the title of Mughul Emperor shall be abolished after Bahadur Shah, the
then Mughul Emperor. These measures created fear and insecurity among the native rulers. The
racial discrimination observed by the British created differences between the British and the
Indians. The people of India have understood that unlike entered India the British came to India
not to settle out only to exploit it. the others that

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The administrative changes brought out by the British were also not acceptable to Indians.
Specially, the Judiciary system has suffered from the evils of delay and expense. The richer
sections of the society alone benefited by it but not the lower strata. Certain sections of Indian
society, who were hither to enjoying privileges, became wrathful as they have lost their privileges
because of the introduction of the new principle, equality before the law.
Owing to various political, economic, socio-religious, military causes, sepoys under the leadership
of various rulers like Nana Saheb, rani Jhansi Lakshmi Bhai, Tantia Tope, etc., revolted against
the British East India company. This formed the Sepoy mutiny / The Revolt of 1857 / The first
war of independence. But this mutiny was a failure due to different reasons.

Results of revolt :-
1. The British government promulgated the Parliament Act of 1858 and abolished the East
India company rule over India.
2. According to the queen’s proclamation of 1st October, 1858 India was transferred from
Company rule to the British crown’s rule.
3. The post of Governor General of India was changed into viceroy. He was the head of Indian
territories.
4. According to Queen's proclamation Indians were promised to give just
administration and equal opportunities. The rights of the native rulers are protected
Doctrine of Laps war abolished and the Indian rulers were given the right of adoption.
5. Steps to ensure welfare of peasants were adopted through tenancy Act.
6. The fight of leaders of Revolt and their followers against the existence of foreign rule
though for their grievances, incited feelings of Nationalism in the later years.

Developments in India after the end of 1857 Revolt :

The revolt was crushed by October 1858. The Queen's proclamation assured Indians better
treatment. Lord Carning became the first Viceroy of India. The era of Viceroys from 1858 to 1947
was a culmination of political, social, economic and other developments in India. The change of
British attitude led to foundation of Indian National Congress in India in 1885. Before the advent
of Lord Rippon as the most Popular Viceroy (1880 1884) by Indians the spirit of Nationalism
gained strength. The successive Viceroys after Rippon tried to win the support of Western educated
middle-class Indians. The 'safety valve' theory proved successful for some time. The Indian
National Congress and its leadership gained full confidence of countrymen and under the
leadership of Mahatma Gandhi the National movement became a mass movement. Thus, the
colonial rule of British in India finally came to an end in the year 1947 during the viceroyship of
Lord Mountbatten.

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Rise of nationalism and political associations :
The essence of nationalism in India or Indian Nationalism was the realization that all the Indian
people had a common nationality and that it was in their collective interests to resist the British
rule. The consciousness of the idea of nationalism took a long time to mature and made its presence
gradually in the fields of culture, economy and politics.
From the early decade of 19h century National consciousness and awareness of Indians resulted
in formation of political associations in India. They are British Indian Association in Calcutta, The
Madras Native Association in 1852, Poona Sarvajanik Sabha in 1870, Indian Association in 1876,
Madras Mahajan Sabha in 1884, the Bombay Presidency Association in 1885. These associations
exerted pressure on the authorities through their petitions and voice their discontent against the
repressive British Arms Act and Vernacular Press Act of 1878.

Foundation of Indian National Congress :-

The growing discontent among the educated middle-
class intellectuals gained momentum especially after
1870 and almost reached to reach an explosive point
1883. At the beginning they were naturally obsessed
with the advantages of British rule in India rather than
its disadvantages. In this juncture Indian National
Congress WALS founded in December, 1885 by 72
delegates drawn from all over the country A. O Hume,
a retired English civil servant played a crucial role in
the formation of Indian National Congress.

Moderates :-
The congress during the first twenty years was
dominated by leaders who were mostly English
educated and belonged to the upper strata of society.
They had full faith in the sense of Justice of the British
rulers and believed that they would be able to achieve
gradual national progress by representing India's demands through meetings, petitions and
resolutions the method of their political work which earned them the name Moderate was strictly
constitutional agitation. They fought for the reforms and expansion of legislative councils, larger
share of Indians in public service reduction in heavy land revenue and drain of India's wealth to
Britain. T prominent moderate leaders were Surendra Nath Banerjee, Madan Mohan Malavya,
Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Tej Bahadur Sapru and Dadabai Nouroji.
Extremists :-

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A new trend in the Congress emerged in 1890 which challenged the moderate methods followed
by the Congress leaders. The dissatisfaction caused by the refusal of British rulers to concede even
the moderate congress demands. They criticized the moderate policy of prayers, petitions and
protests. As mendicancy and humiliating to national self-respect. They proclaimed Swaraj as their
ultimate goal. The leaders of extremists were Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat
Rai. In 1907 in Surat session of the Congress the two groups clashed openly and broke up into two
camps. This is popularly known as Surat split.

Phases of Indian National Movement :-

Indian national movement was not the name of a single event, but a whole series of political events,
spread over many decades, Anti-imperialism and National unity were two themes that were
common to all the events and connected them with another, The National struggle began with 1857
revolt and ended with Indian Independence in the 1947.
1. Vandemataram Movement :
In 1905 Lord Curzon, the then Governor General announced the partition of Bengal. The people
of Bengal opposed the partition of Bengal because it divided the Bengalis, Hindus and Muslim.
There were widespread protests following this announcement. Formal proclamation of the
Swadeshi Movement was made on August 7, 1905 with the passing of the Boycott resolution in a
meeting at the Calcutta town hall.
People of Bengal declared 16 October as the day of mourning and fasting. The song of
VandeMataram Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee which win frequently quoted in his novel
Anand Math' was sung by huge crowds on the movement. The Vandemataram that personifies
the country as mother, offers salutes to her and glorifies her. Thus, the song became a great source
of inspiration to the agitators. The Vandemataram also became the prayer song and the slogan for
the agitators during the demonstrations, picketing etc.
Finally, the colonial govt was compelled to withdraw the partition in the form in which they have
envisaged it.

2. Home Rule Movement :

After the first world war the Indians who supported Britain
in the war hoped that British would grant India self-
government in recognition of India’s help. Political
campaign for self -government was carried out by two
Home rule league one led by Annie Besant and other by
Balagangadhar Tilak. It inspired a fresh generation of
political activists through countrywide meetings,
distribution of pamphlets and processions. A new thrust to
the national movement came the Home Rule Movement.

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This league never spelled out the goal of complete independence, however they did focus on the
oppression of colonial policy through its activities.

Gandhian Era :
Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in January 1915. He had come
from South Africa where he has successfully fought the racist
regime with a novel method of mass agitation, which he called
“Satyagraha”. The idea of Satyagraha emphasized the power of
truth and the need to search for truth.
After arriving in India, Mahatma Gandhi successfully organized
satyagraha movements in various places.
i. In 1916 he travelled to Champaran in Bihar to inspire
peasants to struggle against the oppressive plantation
system.
ii. Then in 1917, he organized a satyagraha to support the peasants of the Kheda district of
Gujarat. Affected by crop failure and a plague epidemic, the peasants of Kheda could not
pay the revenue, and were demanding that revenue collection be relaxed.
iii. In 1918, Mahatma Gandhi went to Ahmedabad to organize a satyagraha movement among
the cotton mill workers.

3. Rowlatt Satyagraha :
Emboldened with the success, Gandhiji in 1919 decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against
the proposed Rowlatt Act (1919). This Act had been hurriedly passed through the Imperial
Legislative Council despite the united opposition of the Indian members. This act gave the
government the power to repress political activities, and allowed detention of political prisoners
without trial for two years. Mahatma Gandhi wanted non-violent civil disobedience.
During the course of this movement, on April 13 th, the infamous Jallianwala Bagh incident took
place. Thousand of people who gathered at a ground to attend the annual Baisakhi fair. General
Dyer closed the entrance of that ground and stated firing at the people present inside.

4. Khilafat movement :-
On watching the intensity of Rowlatt satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi now felt the need to launch a
more broad – based movement in India. For this, he wanted to bring Hindus and Muslims under
the same umbrella. Hence, he took up the Khilafat issue. The First World War had ended with the
defeat of Ottoman Turkey. There were rumors that a harsh peace treaty was going to be imposed
on the Ottoman emperor - the spiritual head of the Islamic world (the Khalifa). At the Calcutta

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session of the Congress in September 1920, he Gandhiji convinced other leaders of the need to
start a non-cooperation movement in support of Khilafat as well as swaraj.

5. Non-cooperation Movement :-
The Punjab and Khilafat wrongs thereafter convinced Gandhiji that ‘co-operation in any shape of
form with this satanic government is sinful’. While urging the Khilafat non cooperation he soon
developed its range, conceived a peaceful non-violent movement and mobilized public opinion in
its favor by declaring swaraj as the ultimate goal. His historic resolution on non-cooperation was
passed by the congress in 1920 in its Calcutta and Nagpur sessions.
The resolution advocated a political program including :
1. Surrender of titles that the government awarded,
2. Boycott of civil services, army, police, courts, and legislative councils, schools and foreign
goods,
3. Nationalization of education,
4. Severance of all voluntary association with the government,
5. Organization of workers for national service,
6. Boycott of elections.
A wave of unprecedented enthusiasm swept the country, affecting the high and low, the men and
women, students and teachers came out of institutions many lawyers gave up their practice,
swadeshi and charka became the symbols of self-reliance. The rural areas suddenly became
politically active.

Results of Non-Cooperation :
There was a mass awakening in India, a sudden realization of the strength of normal people. During
this movement, jails became places of pilgrimage. Gandhiji announced his decision to launch a
mass civil disobedience movement at Bardoli in February 1922. But before this decision was put
into effect, there was a mass mob violence at Chauri Chaura in UP where the British opened fire
on the peasants. The crowd attacked the police station and set fire to it. Aa a result, 22 Policemen
were burnt to death. Gandhiji took serious not of it and called off the movement abruptly.

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Simon Commission :
In this juncture, British Government announced the appointment of the Simon Commission to go
into the constitutional progress in India. In
November 1927, the British Government
appointed the Indian statutory Commission,
Known popularly after the name of its chairman,
as the Simon Commission. All the Members of
the commission were Englishmen and they were
to make recommendations for constitutional
reforms in India. What angered the Indians was
the total exclusion of them from the commission
and the foreigners sitting in Judgement upon
India's fitness for self-government. The
announcement was greeted by protests from all
Indians. This Simon commission was boycotted
at all places in India: Simon Go Back became the
slogan of the nationalists. Still, the commission
visited important places, collected evidences and
submitted a report.
All parties, including the Congress and the Muslim League, participated in the demonstrations. In
an effort to win them over, the viceroy, Lord Irwin, announced in October 1929, a vague offer of
dominion status for India in an unspecified future, and a Round Table Conference to discuss a
future constitution. This did not satisfy the Congress leaders. The radicals within the Congress, led
by Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, became more assertive. The liberals and
moderates, who were proposing a constitutional on system within the framework of British
dominion, gradually lost bed their influence. In December 1929, under the presidency of
Jawaharlal n during Nehru, the Lahore Congress formalized the demand of 'Purna Swaraj' or full
independence for India. It was declared that 26 January 1930, would be celebrated as the
Independence Day when people were to take a pledge to struggle for complete independence. But
the celebrations attracted very little attention. So, Mahatma Gandhi had to find a way to relate this
abstract idea of freedom to more concrete issues of everyday life.

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 7. Civil Disobedience Movement :Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful
symbol that could unite the nation. On 31 January 1930, he
sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating eleven demands. Some
of these were of general interest; others were specific
demands of different classes, from industrialists to peasants.
The idea was to make the demands wide-ranging, so that all
classes within Indian society could identify with them and
everyone could be brought together in a united campaign.
The most stirring of all was the demand to abolish the salt
tax. Salt was something consumed by the rich and the poor
alike, and it was one of the most essential items of food. The
tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production,
Mahatma Gandhi declared, revealed the most oppressive
face of British rule.
Mahatma Gandhi's letter was, in a way, an ultimatum. If the
demands were not fulfilled by 11 March, the letter stated, the
Congress would launch a civil disobedience campaign. Irwin was unwilling to negotiate. So,
Mahatma Gandhi started his famous salt march accompanied by 78 of his trusted volunteers. The
march was over 240 miles from Gandhiji's ashram in Sabarmati to the Gujarati coastal town of
Dandi. The volunteers walked for 24 days. about 10 miles a day. Thousands came to hear Mahatma
Gandhi wherever he stopped, and he told them what he meant by swaraj and urged them to
peacefully defy the British. On 6 April he reached Dandi, and ceremonially violated the law,
manufacturing salt by boiling sea water. This marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience
Movement.

Round Table Conferences :

While the civil Disobedience movement was in full swing, the First-round table conference was
convened at London to discuss recommendations of Simon Commission in 1930. The Congress
boycotted the conference. Eighty-Nine delegates from different partis attended it.
In 1931 an agreement was reached between Irwin and Gandhi. It is called Gandhi - Irwin pact. By
this British agreed to release all political prisoners. In return congress suspended Civil disobeying
movement and agreed to Participate in the Second - Round table conference. Following a futile
participation in the second Round Table Conference, Gandhiji came back to India to find the
Government continuing its policy of repression in full swing. In January 1932 the Congress,
therefore, was obliged to resume civil disobedience. The dismal Government record of whole-sale
violence was repeated once again. The congress was declared unlawful, its leaders were arrested
and public meetings and demonstrations were forbidden The Third - round table Conference was

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held in November 1932. Congress did not participate in it. After the conference the British
government passed the Government of India Act 1935.

8. Quit India Movement :-

Due to world political conditions, the British Government desperately wanted the active
participation of Indians in the war effort. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to come to
some settlement with the Indian leaders. Therefore, Churchill sent sir Stafford Cripps, a seasoned
diplomat was sent to India. The Cripps Mission came with a promise of Dominion Status and a
plan for further constitutional developments. But all the offers would materialize only after the
war and not before.
The plan was rejected in India and India's demand for immediate self-government to enable her to
fight for freedom in other countries seemed just and unequivocal. Accordingly, the Congress
Working Committee passed a resolution in July 1942 at Wardha, asking the British to transfer
power to India and to 'Quit India' resolution and Gandhiji asked all Indians to act as if they were
'no longer under the heel of this imperialism'. Addressing the congress delegates, Gandhiji said, “I
therefore want freedom immediately, this very night, before dawn if it can be had. Here is a
mantra, a short one, that I gave you, you may imprint it on your hearts and let every breath
of you give impression to it. The Mantra is Do or Die! We shall either free India or die in the
attempt, we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery.”
The govt arrested all the members o the working committee, declared congress an unlawful
organization. Public reaction was instant and there were hartals throughout India. The govt
transformed the country into a police state, imposed punitive fines, brought in the troops and fired
on the slightest pretext. The Quit India movement subsided by 1944, but it left nobody in doubt
that the days of the British raj were counted.

9. Role of women :
In Indian women earned the recognition by their active participation in the Indian freedom
movement. As early as 1889 Kadambini Ganguly took part in Congress proceedings. Madam
Cama spread the
revolutionary ideas outside
India During Non-
cooperation movement Civil
Disobedience movement and
Quit India Movement women
participated in large numbers
Sarojini Nayudu, Annebesent
and Durga Bai Deshmukh
took the leading role. In the
revolutionary movement
Durgabai, Preethilatha,
Beenadas and Kalpana Dath worked in frontline. Aruna Asal Ali led the left movement in forties.

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Number of women joined in Subash Bose Rani of Jhansi regiment in Indian National Army.
Captain Laxmi was prominent among them.

10. Towards Freedom :

Lord Mountbatten came to India as last Viceroy in March 1947. He held wide range of discussions
with the leaders of Congress and Muslim League, all his attempts to keep India united failed as a
result of inconvincible approach of Muslim League towards
Pakistan Consequently, Mountbatten came to the conclusion
that partition of the country was the only solution to end the
deadlock. He evolved a plan known as 'Mountbatten Plan.
That is the country shall be divided in to India and Pakistan.
The native states shall be liberty to join Indian and Pakistan
or remain Independent. A separate constituent assembly shall
be formed to Pakistan. A boundary commission was
appointed under the presidentship of Radcliff. The
commission had drawn the dividing line between India and
Pakistan. The line is called Radcliff Line. Muslim majority
provinces including Baluchistan, North West Frontier
province and Sindh and Muslim majority areas in the
provinces of Punjab and Bengal formed into Pakistan.
Gandhi did not accept partition Congress had no alternative except to accept the partition, as the
communal conflicts reached climax and law and order in the country deteriorated.

Once the British realized this, they began to make preparations for a gradual and peaceful
withdrawal from India. From 1944 45 onwards, they released all the congress leaders and initiated
a process of negotiations for a transfer of power from British to Indian hands. The deteriorating
economic situation in the country, the naval revolt and its spread to the air force and the army
made it inevitable for the British to leave India. In March 1946 a Cabinet Mission was sent to India
to negotiate with Indian leaders. It was meant to discuss the terms for transfer of power to India.
Muslim League put up a strong demand for the partition of India. After holding talks with the
Indian political parties, the Cabinet Mission rejected the Muslim Leaders demand for separate
Pakistan. The cabinet mission made proposals for an undivided India, with a week Centre and
autonomous states. The proposals were not accepted by the Muslim League. The Muslim League
intensified its movement for the partition of the country. Their direct action resulted in communal
riots. Mountbatten's plan for partition and transfer of power was accepted by the Congress leaders,
to avoid war in the country. The integration of nearly 554 princely states in the Indian Union was
achieved with great tact and patience by Sardar Vallabhai Patel.
The year 1947 is a very important phase in the history of India. It was a year of triumph of Indian
people as they achieved their freedom from foreign rule. But it was also the year of a great tragedy
for the unity of Indian people as the country was partitioned into two separate nation status. In July
1947, the British Parliament ratified Mount Batten Plan as independence act. The Independence

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of India act, 1947 was the last act formulated by the Britishers. By this act India and Pakistan were
constituted into two separate independent nations. It fixed upon 15h August 1947 as a date for
transfer of authority. It all happened at the appoint hour but the pride of the joy of the freedom was
subdued by the sadness partition. However, the Indian people look towards the bright future in
Independent India. Jawaharlal Nehru expressed the spirit of historic movement in constituent
assembly just before the midnight 14 August 1947. “Long years ago, we made tryst with destiny
and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge at the stroke of midnight hour when the
whole world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom A moment comes, which comes but rarely
in history, when we step out from the old to new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation,
long suppressed, finds utterance...
...The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye.
That may be beyond us, but so long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be
over. And so, we have to labor and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those
dreams are for India, but they are also for the world."

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Bibliography :-
1. NCERT – “India and the Contemporary World – II” , Pg.no 54 - 69
2. Telugu Akademi – “History” (Intermediate first year) , Pg.no 231 - 286
3. NCERT – “Our Pasts – III” , Pg.no 109 – 127
4. Rajiv Ahir – “A Brief History of Modern India” , Pg.no 21 – 52; 252 – 270; 463 – 515
5. www.mkgandhi.org

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