Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Photograph of Savarkar, circa 1920's
Born	28 May 1883 Bhagur, Nashik, Maharashtra
Died	26 February 1966(1966-02-26) (aged 82) Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Cause of death	Fast unto death Sallekhana 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
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.