Vinayak Damodar Savarkar | |
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Photograph of Savarkar, circa 1920's
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Born | 28 May 1883 Bhagur, Nashik, Maharashtra |
Died | 26 February 1966 Bombay, Maharashtra, India |
(aged 82)
Cause of death | Fast unto death Prayopavesa |
Nationality | Indian |
Other names | Svatantryaveer Savarkar, Veer Savarkar, Bada Babu, Tatyarao |
Education | Bachelor of Arts from Fergusson College, Pune, Maharashtra (India); Barrister from Gray's Inn, London (England) |
Alma mater |
University of Mumbai Gray's Inn |
Known for | Indian independence movement, Hindutva, Hindu nationalism |
Political party | Hindu Mahasabha |
Spouse(s) | Yamunabai |
Children | sons Prabhakar (died in infancy), Vishwas Savarkar and daughter Prabhat Chiplunkar |
Parent(s) | Damodar Savarkar Yashoda Savarkar |
Relatives | Ganesh Damodar Savarkar (brother), Narayan Damodar Savarkar (brother), Maina Damodar Savarkar (sister) |
Savarkar | |
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Court | Permanent Court of Arbitration |
Full case name | Arrest and Return of Savarkar (France v. Great Britain) |
Decided | 24 February 1911 |
Court membership | |
Judges sitting |
M. Beernaert, president, elected by panel Louis Renault Earl of Desart G. Gram Alexander de Savornin Lohman |
Case opinions | |
Decision by | Unanimous panel |
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar ( pronunciation ) (28 May 1883 – 26 February 1966, commonly known as Swatantryaveer Savarkar) was an Indian pro-independence activist,lawyer, politician, poet, writer and playwright. He advocated dismantling the system of caste in Hindu culture, and reconversion of the converted Hindus back to Hindu religion. Savarkar coined the term Hindutva (Hinduness) to create a collective "Hindu" identity as an "imagined nation". His political philosophy had the elements of utilitarianism, rationalism and positivism, humanism and universalism, pragmatism and realism. Some later commentators state that Savarkar's philosophy, despite its stated position of furthering unity, was divisive in nature as it tried to shape Indian nationalism as uniquely Hindu, to the exclusion of other religions. Savarkar was also an atheist and a staunch rationalist who disapproved of orthodox Hindu belief, dismissing cow worship as superstitious.
Savarkar's revolutionary activities began while studying in India and England, where he was associated with the India House and founded student societies including Abhinav Bharat Society and the Free India Society, as well as publications espousing the cause of complete Indian independence by revolutionary means. Savarkar published The Indian War of Independence about the Indian rebellion of 1857 that was banned by British authorities. He was arrested in 1910 for his connections with the revolutionary group India House. Following a failed attempt to escape while being transported from Marseilles, Savarkar was sentenced to two life terms of imprisonment totaling fifty years and was moved to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but released in 1921.