Usha mehta biography of mahatma

- By Arjun Sengupta

Amazon Prime released Ae Watan Mere Watan on Thursday (March 21). The historical biography tells the story of Usha Mehta, played by Sara Ali Khan, and Congress Radio — an underground radio station in 1942, during the Quit India Movement.

The movement was launched on August 8, 1942, with Mahatma Gandhi’s famous speech in Bombay’s Gowalia Tank maidan: “Do or die. We shall either free India or die trying”. The movement saw mass civil disobedience, massive public protests, sabotage and even setting up of parallel governments in certain regions.

The beleaguered British, already stretched due to World War II, arrested tens of thousands. All of Congress’ brass, including Gandhi, Nehru, and Vallabhai Patel, were behind bars by August 9 itself. The party was banned. It is in the context of this brutal repression that younger leaders stepped up to take the lead.

Power of radio

Mehta was 22 when the Quit India Movement began. A law student in Bombay, she was in awe of Gandhi, and like many peers, quit studies to join the movement.

“We were drawn to the (Quit India) movement,” Mehta later told Usha Thakkar (Congress Radio: Usha Mehta and the Underground Radio Station of 1942, 2021).

Rather than lead public protests, Mehta wanted to contribute in other ways. “Based on my study of the history of revolutions in other countries, I suggested… a radio station of our own,” Mehta told Thakkar. “When the press is gagged and news banned, a transmitter helps… in acquainting the public with the events that occur.”

But, setting up a radio station was, thus, going to be difficult. Alongside Mehta, Babubhai Khakar, Vithalbhai Jhaveri and Chandrakant Jhaveri were key figures in organising Congress Radio.

Their first task was to procure funds for the enterprise. But the biggest challenge proved to be sourcing technical expertise — and equipment. A

Indian independence activist

Usha Mehta (25 March 1920 – 11 August 2000) was a Gandhian and independence activist of India. She is also remembered for organizing the Congress Radio, also called the Secret Congress Radio, an underground radio station, which functioned for few months during the Quit India Movement of 1942. In 1998, the Government of India conferred on her Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award of the Republic of India.

Early life

Usha Mehta was born in Saras, a village near Surat in modern-day Gujarat. When she was just five years old, Usha first saw Gandhi while on a visit to his ashram at Ahmedabad. Shortly afterwards, Gandhi arranged a camp near her village in which little Usha participated, attending sessions and doing a little spinning.

In 1928, eight-year-old Usha participated in a protest march against the Simon Commission and shouted her first words of protest against the British Raj: "Simon Go Back." She and other children participated in early morning protests against the British Raj and picketing in front of liquor shops. During one of these protests marches, the policemen charged the children, and a girl carrying the Indian flag fell down along with the flag. Angry at this incident, the children took the story to their parents. The elders responded by dressing up the children in the colours of the Indian flag (saffron, white and green) and sending them out in the streets a few days later. Dressed in the colours of the flag, the children marched again, shouting: "Policemen, you can wield your sticks and your batons, but you cannot bring down our flag."

Usha's father was a judge under the British Raj. He therefore did not encourage her to participate in the freedom struggle. However, this limitation was removed when her father retired in 1930. In 1932, when Usha was 12, her family moved to Bombay, making it possible for her to participate more actively in the fr

A Deeper Look into Usha Mehta's Life

Candidates preparing for UPSC exams should be well-versed with the various personalities involved in the Indian freedom struggle. In this edition of This Day in History, we delve into the life of Usha Mehta, a staunch Gandhian, and her significant role in India's fight for independence.

• Usha Mehta was a dedicated follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Her first encounter with Gandhi was at his Ashram in Ahmedabad when she was just five years old.
• She plunged into the freedom struggle at the tender age of eight, protesting against the Simon Commission .
• Despite her father's initial resistance due to his position as a judge, Mehta continued her fight against the British rule. Her father's retirement in 1930 removed this hurdle.
• Even as a young girl, Mehta actively participated in the independence struggle, distributing prohibited publications and disseminating information.
• She decided early on to commit her life to service and adopt a Gandhian lifestyle. She renounced worldly pleasures and chose a life of celibacy.
• After completing her schooling in Gujarat, she pursued a degree in philosophy from Wilson College. She began her law studies but dropped out to join the Quit India Movement.
• As a junior congress leader, Mehta was tasked with addressing workers during the movement, due to the imprisonment of most senior leaders by the government.
• On 14 August 1942, Mehta and her colleagues launched the Secret Congress Radio, which broadcasted messages from Gandhi and other leaders. The location of the station was frequently changed to avoid detection by the government.
• The secret radio was supported by veteran socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia .
• In November that year, the police located their hideout and arrested all involved, including Mehta. They were betrayed by an informant.
• Mehta was kept in solitary confinement and interrogated for six months by the CID. Despite the hardships and temptations, she refused to betray the moveme

Who is Usha Mehta?