3 Things Revisiting forgotten struggles for freedom in India
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Aug 15, 2025 Nikita Mohta and Adrija Roychowdhury from The Indian Express, along with Professor Arup K. Chatterjee from OP Jindal Global University, discuss India's diverse independence narratives. They explore the overlooked struggles of Indian domestic workers in Britain, highlight the vital role of Indian students in the freedom movement, and delve into caste politics through figures like Jyotiba Phule and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. They also examine distinct paths to freedom in regions under Portuguese and French control, revealing the complexities within India's liberation history.
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Indian Diaspora Shaped Early Nationalism
- Indian students, seamen and ayahs formed an influential early diaspora in Britain that shaped anti-colonial discourse.
- Their debates, publications and societies in London amplified nationalist ideas across colonies and ports.
India House As A Revolutionary Hub
- Shamji Krishna Varma founded India House as a hub for students, funding stipends and housing to recruit Western-educated Indians.
- India House published the Indian Sociologist and became influential enough to be surveilled and banned by authorities.
Organizing Met Surveillance In Britain
- Indian political organizing in Britain mixed radicalism, socialist ideas and mainstream advocacy through groups like the India League.
- British intelligence monitored activists via phone taps and files, treating diaspora networks as security threats.