Teenager who sacrificed his life for India’s Freedom

 

            Khudiram Bose- Teenager who sacrificed his life for                                                         India’s Freedom

INTRODUCTION

People often read or narrate stories of people who are known as freedom fighters - like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose and many more. Other than these fighters there were more fighters; who are known to lesser people but they have also devoted themselves into India’s struggle for freedom by protecting someone, getting themselves beaten , claiming heights of freedom or sacrificing their lives. One of such fighter was Khudiram Bose. He was not a leader to thousand people but a nation devotee who sacrificed his life during India’s struggle. He was not even a major when he was sentenced capital punishment; he was a teenager who accepted death without fear, in hope to see India’s freedom.

At an age when most young people are occupied with studies, friendships, and dreams for their future, Khudiram had already chosen his destiny — to fight the mighty British Empire, knowing well that the path he had chosen could lead to the gallows. He was one of the youngest martyrs of India’s independence movement, yet his sacrifice is not celebrated as widely as it should be. His name does not always find a place in the mainstream narratives, but his story is one of unmatched courage, youthful determination, and unwavering love for the motherland.

BACKGROUND

Khudiram has never lived an easy life he lost his parents at a very young age and was brought up by his elder sister and her husband. He was born on 3rd December 1889 in the small village of Habibpur, located in the Midnapore district of the Bengal Presidency. He was the youngest child of Trailokyanath Bose and Lakshmipriya Devi, a devout and compassionate woman.

He started his education journey at Girish Chandra Mukhopadhyay’s Pathshala (elementary school), after that he went to Hamilton High English School in fourth class. He has always had a bold and outrageous character and that’s why teacher and other staffs used to know him at school. He was courageous on one hand and sensitive on the other. He always  had a soft heart for poor people or people in need.

During his schooldays the Swadeshi and Bilati Barjan(boycott of foreign goods) movement was going on in Bengal. He also supported the movements; he believed in the  idea of taking pride in wearing and using clothes or products made in his own country.

 RAGE Of NATIONLISM

In the early 1900s, Bengal was becoming a hotbed of political unrest. The British Empire, sensing danger in the growing wave of nationalism, sought ways to divide and weaken the unity of its subjects. In 1905, Viceroy Lord Curzon announced the Partition of Bengal, ostensibly for administrative convenience but, in truth, to drive a wedge between Hindus and Muslims. The reaction was swift and furious. Bengal’s towns and villages echoed with defiant cries: “We do not accept the Partition of Bengal!”. But it was stated a declared a settled fact and the protestors came around were treated lathi charged.

Nationalist leaders such as Surendranath Bandopadhyay, Rabindranath Tagore, Chittaranjan Das, and Sister Nivedita threw themselves into the movement. Meetings were held, foreign goods were boycotted, and the Swadeshi movement took firm root. But in Khudiram’s home district of Midnapore, another current was rising — a more militant one, shaped by underground revolutionary groups like those led by Satyen Bose, and Hemchandra Kanungo.

It was in this climate that Khudiram, still a teenager, revealed his fiery determination. One day, as Hemchandra Kanungo was riding his bicycle, a young boy stepped into his path and stopped him. Without hesitation, the boy demanded a revolver. When Hemchandra asked what he intended to do with it, the answer came without pause — he wanted to kill a Saheb, a British officer exploiting the country. That boy was Khudiram Bose. Khudiram was not never born this way but the activities he saw going around- seeing people he cares about , his own court’s citizen treated as slaves intrigued hie patriotism and he went on in the path.

This bold declaration, coupled with his patriotic passion, convinced Satyen Bose that Khudiram had the courage and conviction to be part of the secret revolutionary network. He was recruited as a volunteer, beginning a journey that would define his short but extraordinary life.  He devoured the biographies of Italian freedom fighters like Giuseppe Mazzini and Giuseppe Garibaldi, and absorbed lessons on dedication, sacrifice, and strategy.

His first tasks as a revolutionary were demanding. The organisation entrusted him with maintaining contact between groups in Midnapore and Tamluk, nearly 75 miles apart, at a time when transportation was primitive and the police kept constant watch. Undeterred, Khudiram often cycled through the night, arriving at dawn to deliver messages and instructions before returning the same day — a routine that required both physical endurance and mental toughness.

His life was marked by discipline and principle. In one instance, he refused to eat at a woman’s house because she was wearing imported glass bangles. Only when she broke them on the spot did he agree to share a meal, underscoring his unwavering commitment to the Swadeshi boycott. He was happy and proud of what the lady did.

Khudiram was living with his sister Aparupa and her husband Amritalal, a government clerk. His political activities soon caused discomfort to Amritalal, who feared repercussions on his career. When told to give up his activism if he wished to remain in the household, Khudiram left without hesitation. He found shelter wherever he could — a weaver’s workshop in Aliganj, the humble home of a sick farmer in Bankura (where he even ploughed the man’s land), and the cottage of a socially ostracised woman who treated him as her own brother. Hunger and hardship became his companions, but they never broke his resolve.

In February 1906, when Khudiram was just 15 years old, Midnapore hosted an agricultural and industrial fair. Revolutionary leaders, including Satyen Bose, saw it as an opportunity to spread their message. They prepared a pamphlet titled Sonar Bangla, calling for the boycott of British goods, and chose Khudiram to distribute it because his youth might shield him from suspicion.

On the final day of the fair, as the District Magistrate Mr. D. Watson arrived for the prize distribution, Khudiram stood at the entrance handing out pamphlets. A teacher, realising the material was anti-British, tried to stop him. When the police were called, Khudiram struck a constable and fled. This small act of defiance not only led to the dismissal of Satyen Bose from his government job but also marked Khudiram as a dangerous young agitator in the eyes of the authorities. It was the first time Khudiram was arrested for his activities but even in that event of distress he was never afraid. Eventually, he surrendered on the advice of his leaders, who wanted to test his courage. In court, he refused to defend himself or plead for mercy. “If they put me in jail, I’ll be glad,” he told his lawyer. “Who is afraid of punishment, imprisonment, or death is not fit to serve the motherland.” The prosecution failed to prove the charges, and on 16 May 1906, he was acquitted. His release sparked celebrations — garlands, processions, and songs — and his fearless stand inspired many more young people to join the cause.

A TRUE FREEDOM FIGHTHER

By 1908, Bengal’s revolutionary network was targeting British officials directly. The harsh treatment of political prisoners by Magistrate Douglas Kingsford made him a marked man. An earlier attempt to kill him with a parcel bomb had failed, and now a new plan was made. This time, Khudiram Bose and fellow revolutionary Prafulla Chaki were chosen for the operation. After being a devotee to nation, Khudiram understood that he could love nothing more that India’s freedom.

When told of the mission, Khudiram’s face lit up with pride. Asked about a new pair of shoes he’d purchased, he joked to friends, “I am going to marry — in the north — and I’ll never come back,” using humour to mask the seriousness of his task.

On 10 April 1908, the two reached Muzaffarpur and began observing Kingsford’s movements. For days, they waited. On the night of 30 April, they saw a carriage leaving the European Club, believing it carried Kingsford. Khudiram hurled a bomb into it. The explosion was deafening, and flames engulfed the vehicle. Believing the mission accomplished, the two men fled in opposite directions. The carriage, however, had been carrying two English women — Mrs. Kennedy and her daughter — who were killed. Kingsford escaped unharmed. By morning, Khudiram had walked 25 miles to Wyni railway station, where he was arrested with two revolvers, ammunition, and a railway map in his possession. Even in custody, he cried out “Vande Mataram” with unshaken spirit.

Prafulla Chaki, meanwhile, was cornered by police at Mokamaghat railway station. To avoid capture and possible torture, he shot himself. Khudiram was tried for murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. Despite appeals, he was sentenced to death. On 11 August 1908, at just 18 years of age, he walked to the gallows with a calm smile, head held high, embodying the spirit of fearless sacrifice. His execution sent shockwaves across the country, inspiring countless youths to join the freedom movement.

He was hanged at the age of 18, our nation’s one more true hero who has sacrificed his life to see a free India. For many, Khudiram’s life became a symbol of courage, selflessness, and an unyielding commitment to India’s independence.

REFERENCES

https://indianculture.gov.in/node/2796633

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khudiram_Bose 

Closing Credit

 Author- Khushi Kanodia

"The views expressed are personal. This article is intended for educational purposes and public discourse. Feedback and constructive criticism are welcome!"