The country remembers August 15 as Independence Day, the day India gained freedom from the British East India Company who ruled over us for more than 100 years. For a lot of us, this day is merely a holiday but once again let’s thread through the path of the freedom movement that changed and is still changing the destinies of billions of Indians.
The British East India Company arrived in India on August 24, 1608, as traders, settled in India and became the rulers of the entire country. The seeds of the rebellion against the British were sowed by Mangal Pandey, a soldier in the British army in the year 1857, apparently to protest the use of guns and ammunition that contained animal products. The rebellion that he started is known as Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence. Though he was hanged till death, but he had already inspired fellow Indians to fight for their rights and freedom. In the same year, the Queen of Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai also started a rebellion against the British when they unfairly annexed her kingdom after her husband’s death.
Many religious groups also contributed in the freedom struggle by establishing various organizations like Arya Samaj, Brahmo Samaj ,etc. Many social reformers across the country like Swami Vivekananda, Chidambaram Pillai, Subramanya Bharati, Rabindranath Tagore, Dadabhai Naoroji etc. inspired Indians to fight for freedom and liberation. This led to the rise of Nationalism among Indians. The First Swadeshi Movement was formed where all the British products were boycotted, and people were encouraged to use more Indian products.
In 1905, Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy ordered the partition of Bengal which infuriated many Indians due to which there were large protests and boycott of British products. After the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that happened in 1919, many Indians were angry and frustrated with the British and joined many rebellious groups to throw them out of the country. Mahatma Gandhi started the Satyagraha movement or the Non-cooperation movement in 1920. In 1921,Congress leader Hasrat Mohani and Communist party of India leader Swami Kumaranand demanded Purna Swaraj or Complete Independence from the British. In1931, prominent freedom fighters, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were executed by hanging for murdering a British officer, John Saunders and inspired the youth of India with their bravery and sacrifice to join the fight for freedom. In 1942, the Quit India Movement was formed in which thousands of Indians participated.
After many efforts put by brave and courageous Indians, India finally gained independence from the British Raj on August 15, 1947. All the sacrifices of Indians who fought valiantly for the freedom bore fruits on this day. On this day, let’s remember and appreciate our great freedom fighters and it’s our responsibility as citizens of this country to contribute in its success and progress and bring all round development.
We Crazy Creatives wish you all a very Happy Independence day.
Jai Hind!
Dear India you're so close yet so far. 
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