Vinayak Damodar Savarkar And The Early Indian Revolutionary Movement | Vikram Sampath | #SangamTalks

As the intellectual fountainhead and founder of what is termed as “Hindu nationalism,” Vinayak Damodar Savarkar has emerged as one of the most controversial Indian political thinkers of the 20th Century. This lecture explores the lesser known role and contribution of Savarkar as a revolutionary figure and interprets the impact of his philosophy and writings on India’s revolutionary movement.

Right from his early days in Nasik, where he founded the Mitra Mela and Abhinav Bharat that galvanized revolutionary movements across Maharashtra and created contacts with counterparts in Bengal, the lecture discusses his leadership in leading the revolutionary movement in London as a law student. The coalition of Indian revolutionaries in Europe strove hard to achieve total and complete freedom for India. His works on Mazzini and the First War of Independence of 1857 created a vast intellectual corpus for revolutionary thinking in India. His associates carried on the activity even after his arrest, trial and extradition to the Cellular Jail, especially during the First World War, to get him and other political prisoners released.

This talk encompasses all these aspects of Savarkar’s stormy early life.

About the Speaker: -

Bangalore based historian, Dr. Vikram Sampath is the author of three acclaimed books: Splendours of Royal Mysore: the Untold Story of the Wodeyars; "My Name Is Gauhar Jaan: The Life and Times of a Musician"- and "Voice of the Veena: S Balachander - A Biography" . Vikram was awarded the Sahitya Akademi's first Yuva Puraskar and the ARSC International Award for Excellence in Historical research in New York for his book on Gauhar Jaan. The book has also been adapted to theatre as a play "Gauhar", directed by Lillette Dubey. The book is now being adapted to a Bollywood film by noted film-maker Ashutosh Gowariker. Vikram was among the 4 writers and artists to be selected by the former President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee as a Writer-in-Residence, to stay at the Rashtrapati Bhawan for 2 weeks, in 2015.

Vikram has a doctorate in history & music from the University of Queensland, Australia. Vikram is now a Senior Fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi . He is an Aspen Global Leadership Fellow, a Visiting Fellow at the Wissenschaftskolleg (Institute for Advanced Study), Berlin and works closely with the Prime Minister's Office on matters related to culture policy. An engineer /mathematician from BITS-Pilani and an MBA in Finance from S P Jain, Mumbai,

Vikram is also a trained Carnatic vocalist trained under several eminent gurus. He has established the Archive of Indian Music, India's first digital sound archive for vintage recordings, is the Founder-Director of the Bangalore Literature Festival, Indic Thoughts Festival and the ZEE Group's ARTH- A CULTURE QUEST. Vikram has worked with several corporates such as GE Money, Citibank and Hewlett Packard and later the Government of India's Ministry of Culture where he headed the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in South India.

Subscribe to our YouTube channels:

Follow Sangam Talks on social media :

#VeerSavarkar
#EarlyIndianRevolution
#SangamTalks

[nitinnimkar]

A little personal memory about Savarkar. His book about days in Kala Pani ‘माझी जन्मठेप’ was financed by my Grandfather. Again the book was banned & he lost lots of money & was left with heap of books he couldn’t sale. The ban was lifted after few years but tHe family got in lot of financial mess & Grandfather died in it.

[AnkurPandeyef]

This is probably one of the most important talks i have heard in my life...For 33 years i have been in a bubble of this education system which has just simply dismissed contributions of V D Savarkar. I am shaken, by the sheer strength of character, and enormity of tests which life put him through, and in deep respect towards the grace which kept his spirits strong. Wow...More and more i am thankful to the rise of the so called and derided 'right wing' ideology in India. 70 years was enough. Now time for India to really take stock, integrate, so that our coming generations in next 25-30 years don't grow up blinded rootless and rudderless like us.

[aryanroy]

Wow vikram sir, you are truly an Indian Leonardo da vinci. Engineer, mathematician, MBA, PhD in history, trained vocalist in carnatic music, fellowship at various prestigious societies, director of cultural and literary fests, creator of first digital archive for vintage Indian How can you do so much and be so grounded to earth. Speechless sir.
And waiting for my pre ordered book of yours on Savarkar .
Savarkarite by blood and sweat. True son of mother India.

[kumarbrowns]

When you were talking about the Chapekars, a lump formed in my throat and tears flowed down my cheeks. Jai Bhavani!

[dev]

I really like Vikram's nature. He is a polite, gentle, cool-headed guy. We need more people like him in this world.

[akarmaaction]

Amazing work. High time we wake-up to the truth about Independence of India.

[cmgr]

I feel so sad that Savarkar's name has been so maligned by the Liberals within India and the the PM of that unmentionable neighboring country, spoke in a derogatory manner about him in the UN. These same low live forms are standing free thanks to this great man!

[upadeshpande]

Pt Hridaynath Mangeshkar (Lata ji's brother) was fired from his job at All India Radio by then Congress govt. because he composed tunes to the poems of Veer Savarkar!
Jayostute song is timeless😍

[nitheeshnarayanan]

My Inspiration...Every time... Until my last breath... Swatantrya Veer Savarkar...
Jai Savarkar... Jai Bharat...
Friends..
In this May( his birth anniversary) i bought a laminated photo of Veer Savarkar after a long wish of mine...I was very excited... I tried to hang his picture in drawing room ...
but my father refused... we quarelled about this picture.. my attempt was failed...I thought hanging his picture in my house can give an aware of him to the people who visited our house... i am failed... but
I am not give up...

[sarssingh]

Veer Savarkar Ji is one of the greatest brave hearts of Bharat Mata. His hardships and sacrifices for freedom struggles of Bharat should not be forgotten. There is only one Hindu Nation on this Earth and we should cherish it like our own Mother. Jai Hind!

[sadashivnadkarni]

Thank you Vikram for completing this monumental task! I just ordered the two volumes on Amazon. I read Mazi Janmathep long ago and even today remember reading about the tortures that he faced in Andaman. I have always admired Savarkar's colosal intellect. I am extremely proud of you for having the courage to write these books. I look forward to reading them.

Uday Nadkarni, Boston

[adityasaboo]

Would Be An Honour to see Veer Savarkar, too, on Our along with Few Others Truly deserve to be there or can we say that we भारतीय s deserve to be constantly reminded about Such निष्काम Mighty Souls whose Journeys Enriched All Of

[prabhavathivappala]

Watched this session with tears flowing eyes. Many thanks to Dr Vikram Sampath for this inspiring session. Hopefully we see a more awakened India and Indians who understand the core of the nations responsibility

[prabhasharma]

What can I who is enjoying the freedom and independence given to us constitutionally after the sacrifice of these great people say now... Just drops of tears, asrutarpan... 🙏🙏..

Thank you Vikram ji for an informative talk... 🙏

[nagbelad]

excellent talk. our history text books never mention revolutionary freedom fighters. great to see a young person keep their sacrifice alive.

[maheshwariu]

I was then 1st year Pre degree student. I had read a book Athmaahuthi a biography of Savarkar. It was written by Shivaramu in Kannada. I was very much impressed by the book.
I wanted to read Savarkars book on Indian freedom struggle. I went to the History dept and askedmy teacher for the book from the dept library. I still remember how the whole dept laughed and discouraged me from reading the book. This incident happened 45years back. I was a studying in Kasaragod, Kerala.

[sachinsontakke]

savarkar sacrifies our whole life for hindu and hindustan.

[bharatpandit]

A stupendously important exposure of the Vir Savarkar, the revolutionary mind.

[WarpVision]

There needs to be an overhaul in our education. These stories must be part of school curriculum. Everything will make sense to each generation once all the important stories are told. Great talk. 👍🙏

[rurubhairav]

Dear Srijan,
Kindly upload the talk on their latest book "Conundrum:Subhas Bose's Life after Death", by Mr. Chandrachur Ghose and Mr. Anuj Dhar as well, that had followed this talk by Dr. Vikram Sampath.
I have been waiting for it for over two months now!