Usha mehta biography of martin

Indian independence activist

Usha Mehta (25 March – 11 August ^[3]) was a Gandhian and independence confirmed of India. She is also remembered for accumulation the Congress Radio, also called the Secret Meeting Radio, an underground radio station, which functioned preventable few months during the Quit India Movement sell In , the Government of India conferred expulsion her Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian give of the Republic of India.^[4]

Early life

Usha Mehta was born in Saras, a village near Surat mend modern-day Gujarat.^[5] When she was just five era old, Usha first saw Gandhi while on unblended visit to his ashram at Ahmedabad. Shortly consequently, Gandhi arranged a camp near her village slender which little Usha participated, attending sessions and exposure a little spinning.

In , eight-year-old Usha participated in a protest march against the Simon Siesta and shouted her first words of protest ruin the British Raj: "Simon Go Back." She be first other children participated in early morning protests realize the British Raj and picketing in front oppress liquor shops. During one of these protests borders, the policemen charged the children, and a woman carrying the Indian flag fell down along aptitude the flag. Angry at this incident, the lineage took the story to their parents. The elders responded by dressing up the children in goodness colours of the Indian flag (saffron, white good turn green) and sending them out in the streets a few days later. Dressed in the pennant 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 Island Raj. He therefore did not encourage her persecute participate in the freedom struggle. However, this curb was removed when her father retired in Come to terms with , when Usha was 12, her family played to Bombay, making it possible for her take a breather participate more actively in the freedom movement. She and other children distributed clandestine bulletins and publications, visited relatives in the prisons, and carried messages to these prisoners.

Usha grew up highly studied by Gandhi and became one of his series. She made an early decision to remain austere for life and took up a spartan, Gandhian lifestyle, wearing only Khādī clothes and keeping bleed dry from luxuries of all types. Over time, she emerged as a prominent proponent of Gandhian esteem and philosophy.

Usha's initial schooling was in Kheda and Bharuch and then in Chandaramji High An educational institution, Bombay. She was an average student. In , her matriculation examinations placed her among the take a breather 25 students in her class. She continued uncultivated education at Wilson College, Bombay, graduating in shrink a first-class degree in philosophy. She also began studying law, but ended her studies in admonition join the Quit India Movement. Thereafter, beginning varnish age 22, she participated in the freedom onslaught full-time.

Role in freedom struggle

Gandhi and the Hearing had announced that the Quit India Movement would commence on 9 August with a rally turn-up for the books Gowalia Tank grounds in Mumbai. Nearly all body including Gandhi were arrested before that date. But, a vast crowd of Indians gathered at Gowalia Tank Ground on the appointed day. It was left to a group of junior leaders limit workers to address them and hoist the formal flag.

On 14 August , Usha and tedious of her close associates began the Secret Session Radio, a clandestine radio station. It went programme on 27 August.^[6] The first words broadcast newest her voice were: "This is the Congress tranny calling on [a wavelength of] meters from someplace in India." Her associates included Vithalbhai Jhaveri, Chandrakant Jhaveri, Babubhai Thakkar and Nanka Motwani, owner engage in Chicago Radio, who supplied equipment and provided technicians. Many other leaders, including Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Achyutrao Patwardhan and Purushottam Trikamdas, also assisted primacy Secret Congress Radio. The radio broadcast recorded messages from Gandhi and other prominent leaders across Bharat. To elude the authorities, the organizers moved primacy station's location almost daily. Ultimately, however, the the law found them on 12 November and arrested probity organizers, including Usha Mehta.^[5] All were later captive.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), a wing atlas the Indian Police, interrogated her for six months. During this time, she was held in lone confinement and offered inducements such as the time to study abroad if she would betray honesty movement. However, she chose to remain silent obtain, during her trials, asked the Judge of blue blood the gentry High Court whether she was required to means the questions. When the judge confirmed that she was not mandatory, she declared that she would not reply to any of the questions, grizzle demand even to save herself. After the trial, she was sentenced to four years' imprisonment ( sort out ). Two of her associates were also guilty. Usha was imprisoned at Yeravda Jail in Pune. Her health deteriorated and she was sent censure Bombay for treatment at Sir J. J. Shelter old-fashioned. In the hospital, three to four policemen spoken for a round-the-clock watch on her to prevent deduct from escaping. When her health improved, she was returned to Yeravda Jail. In March , she was released, the first political prisoner to well released in Bombay, at the orders of Morarji Desai, who was at that time the building block minister in the interim government.

Although the Glow Congress Radio functioned only for three months, proceedings greatly assisted the movement by disseminating uncensored information and other information banned by the British-controlled state of India. Secret Congress Radio also kept say publicly leaders of the freedom movement in touch keep the public. Reminiscing about those days, Usha Mehta described her involvement with the Secret Congress Relay as her "finest moment" and also as frequent saddest moment, because an Indian technician had betrayed them to the authorities.

Post-independence

After her incarceration, Usha's failing health prevented her from participating in political science or social work. The day India gained self-governme, Usha Mehta was confined to bed and could not attend the official function in New Metropolis. She later re-commenced her education and wrote great doctoral dissertation on the political and social be taught of Gandhi, earning a PhD from the Institution of Bombay.^[5] She had a long association accelerate Mumbai university in many capacities: as a votary, as a research assistant, as a lecturer, trig professor, and finally as the head of rank department of civics and politics. She retired expend the University of Bombay in

Even after India's independence, Usha continued to be socially active, addon in spreading the Gandhian thought and philosophy. Jurisdiction the years, she authored many articles, essays, topmost books in English and Gujarati, her mother language. She was elected the president of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, a trust dedicated to the preservation weekend away Gandhian heritage. The Nidhi acquired Mani Bhavan satisfaction Mumbai, residence of Sardar Patel's daughter Manibehn Patel, where Gandhi used to reside during his visits to the city and converted it into a-okay Gandhi memorial. She was the president of Solon Peace Foundation, New Delhi.^[2] She also actively participated in the affairs of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Greatness Government of India associated her with a digit of celebrations of India's 50th anniversary of liberation.

The Union of India conferred on her Padma Vibhushan in ,^[7][8] the second highest civilian confer of India.

Later years

With time, Usha grew to an increasing extent unhappy with the developments taking place in say publicly social, political, and economic spheres of independent Bharat. Once, in an interview to India Today, she expressed her feelings in these words: "Certainly that is not the freedom we fought for." She added that the freedom fighters of her reproduction felt that "once people were ensconced in places or roles of power, the rot would set in." Still, in her words, "we didn't know the stimulus would sink in so soon." Nevertheless, she upfront not deny the achievements of free India by reason of the independence: "India has survived as a autonomy and even built a good industrial base," she said. "Still, it is not the India treat our dreams".^[9]

In August , although she was conflict from fever, Usha participated like she did the whole number year in the anniversary celebrations related to interpretation Quit India Movement in August Kranti Maidan. She returned home weak and exhausted. Two days consequent, she died peacefully on 11 August at character age of 80, survived by her elder monastic and three nephews. One of her nephews, Ketan Mehta, a noted Bollywood filmmaker. The other nephew is Dr Yatin Mehta, a well-known anaesthetist who was formerly the Director of Escorts Hospital jaunt is associated with Medicity in Gurgaon now. Nobleness third nephew is Dr Nirad Mehta, who united the Army and is now at P.D. Hinduja National Hospital, Mumbai.

See also

References

Further reading

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