As we usher into the 65th year of Indian Independence, 15th August is yet another day of flag hoisting, singing patriotic songs, distributing toffees to school kids, kite-flying competitions, wearing colour coded clothes to college/workplaces, buying paper flags from signals and proudly sporting them on our cars.
Of course, for some of us, it’s also about moaning the dry day, lazing around at home and enjoying a holiday. Reminiscing about our leaders who laid their lives for the nation and discussing the stories of our freedom struggle is perhaps limited to listening to ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’ and watching Rang De Basanti on television.
Have you ever asked yourself how much of our nation's freedom struggle story you really know? How much of that school history textbook do you remember?
This Independence year, Surya Ragunaathan, Sudakshina Ghosh and Aaditya Kelkar visited campuses across India and quizzed students about some basic facts of the Indian freedom struggle saga. The results were appalling to say the least. We publish here few most interesting and amusing answers we recieved.
Which trio was known as Lal, Bal, Pal?
Lal Bahadur Shastri, Tilak and Sardar Vallabhai Patel – Jay Nambiar, XIC (Mumbai)
Lalu Prasad Yadav… rest don’t know – Aroop Ahuja, Hansraj College (Delhi)
In what way is Sonia Gandhi related to Mahatma Gandhi?
Rajiv Gandhi’s father’s daughter-in-law – Rehan Sharma, Symbiosis (Pune)
Grand daughter-in-law – Rati Balasubramanium, JD Institute of Fashion Technology (Delhi)
MK Gandhi lead the Dandi march for what main reason?
Lack of salt – Kedar Bhatia, Ruia College (Mumbai)
Gandhiji wanted to collect clothes – Nitin Rao, SIES College (Mumbai)
Who is known as the 'Iron Man of India?'
Lal Bahadur Shastri – Rehan Sharma, Symbiosis (Pune)
Ratan Tata – Aroop Ahuja, Hansraj College (Delhi)
What was the name of the company that the British had established in the Indian sub-continent for trading business?
Reliance? Sorry… no I don’t know – Kailash Saxena, University of Bangalore
East British Company or something dude – Akhil Upadhyay, Mithibai College (Mumbai)
Well, all is not that bad! Some students who did answer all the above questions correctly were Souvik Basu – NMIMS (Mumbai), Naina Dhingra – Hansraj College(Delhi), Sneha Ramakrishna – SIES College (Mumbai), Rahul Savla, Wadia College (Pune).
And for those of you still wondering what the right answers are, here:
Which trio was known as Lal, Bal, Pal?
Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangandhar tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal
In what way is Sonia Gandhi related to Mahatma Gandhi?
There is no relation between the two.
MK Gandhi lead the Dandi march for what main reason?
To fight against the taxes on salt
Who is known as the 'Iron Man of India?'
Sardar Vallabhai Patel
What was the name of the company that the British had established in the Indian sub-continent for trading business?
British East India Company
Jai Hind!
Of course, for some of us, it’s also about moaning the dry day, lazing around at home and enjoying a holiday. Reminiscing about our leaders who laid their lives for the nation and discussing the stories of our freedom struggle is perhaps limited to listening to ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’ and watching Rang De Basanti on television.
Have you ever asked yourself how much of our nation's freedom struggle story you really know? How much of that school history textbook do you remember?This Independence year, Surya Ragunaathan, Sudakshina Ghosh and Aaditya Kelkar visited campuses across India and quizzed students about some basic facts of the Indian freedom struggle saga. The results were appalling to say the least. We publish here few most interesting and amusing answers we recieved.
Which trio was known as Lal, Bal, Pal?
Lal Bahadur Shastri, Tilak and Sardar Vallabhai Patel – Jay Nambiar, XIC (Mumbai)
Lalu Prasad Yadav… rest don’t know – Aroop Ahuja, Hansraj College (Delhi)
In what way is Sonia Gandhi related to Mahatma Gandhi?
Rajiv Gandhi’s father’s daughter-in-law – Rehan Sharma, Symbiosis (Pune)
Grand daughter-in-law – Rati Balasubramanium, JD Institute of Fashion Technology (Delhi)
MK Gandhi lead the Dandi march for what main reason?
Lack of salt – Kedar Bhatia, Ruia College (Mumbai)
Gandhiji wanted to collect clothes – Nitin Rao, SIES College (Mumbai)
Who is known as the 'Iron Man of India?'
Lal Bahadur Shastri – Rehan Sharma, Symbiosis (Pune)
Ratan Tata – Aroop Ahuja, Hansraj College (Delhi)
What was the name of the company that the British had established in the Indian sub-continent for trading business?
Reliance? Sorry… no I don’t know – Kailash Saxena, University of Bangalore
East British Company or something dude – Akhil Upadhyay, Mithibai College (Mumbai)
Well, all is not that bad! Some students who did answer all the above questions correctly were Souvik Basu – NMIMS (Mumbai), Naina Dhingra – Hansraj College(Delhi), Sneha Ramakrishna – SIES College (Mumbai), Rahul Savla, Wadia College (Pune).
And for those of you still wondering what the right answers are, here:
Which trio was known as Lal, Bal, Pal?
Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangandhar tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal
In what way is Sonia Gandhi related to Mahatma Gandhi?
There is no relation between the two.
MK Gandhi lead the Dandi march for what main reason?
To fight against the taxes on salt
Who is known as the 'Iron Man of India?'
Sardar Vallabhai Patel
What was the name of the company that the British had established in the Indian sub-continent for trading business?
British East India Company
Jai Hind!
