Know interesting facts about Indian revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad

New Delhi: Chandrashekhar Azad is a famous Indian revolutionary and is considered the mentor of Shaheed--Aazam Bhagat Singh . He was the chief strategist of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). He was born on 23rd July 1906 in Badarka village of Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh. Here are some interesting facts to know about this legend: Chandra Shekhar's mother wanted to make her son a great Sanskrit scholar and so she persuaded his father to send him to Kashi Vidyapeeth in Banaras for studying Sanskrit. On December 1921, when Mahatma Gandhi launched the non cooperation movement, he being a student who joined the movement. He also learned archery from the tribal Bhils of erstwhile Jhabua district which helped him later on during the arms struggle against the Britishers. He was most famous for The Kakori Rail Dacoity in 1925 and the assassination of the assistant superintendent of Police John Poyantz Saunders in 1928. As a revolutionary, he adopted the lastname Azad, which means “Free” in Urdu.There is an interesting story that while he adopted the name “Azad” he made a pledge that the Police will never capture him alive. Azad was also a believer in socialism as the basis for a future India, free of social and economic oppression and adversity. Azad did not feel that violence was unacceptable in the struggle, especially in view of the Amritsar Massacre of 1919, where Army units killed hundreds of unarmed civilians and wounded thousands in Amritsar. Young Azad was deeply and emotionally influenced by that tragedy. Bhagat Singh joined Azad following the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, who was beaten to death by police officials. Azad trained Singh and others in covert activities. His favourite couplet and only known composition is as follows: “Dushman ki goliyon ka hum samna karenge Azad hee rahein hain, azad hee raheinge!” On 27th February 1931 police surrounded Azad and he was hit on his right thigh making it difficult for him to escape. With one bullet in his pistol and surrounded by police, he found himself outnumbered. He shot himself keeping his pledge of never being captured alive.