28th May, 2020 marks the 137th birth anniversary of V.D. Savarkar, one of the most prominent ideologues of Hindutva in the 20th century.
Savarkar (commonly known as 'Swatantryaveer Savarkar) was born on 28 May 1883 in Maharashtra. He was a revolutionary, author and social reformer, and remains a revered figure for those who believe in the philosophy of Hindutva.
In his book 'The History of the War of Indian Independence', he analysed the circumstances of 1857 uprising. It was via this book that Savarkar became one the first writers to call for India's first war for independence against the British.
While imprisoned he wrote Hinditva: Who Is a Hindu? (1923), coining the term Hindutva (“Hinduness”), which sought to define Indian culture as a manifestation of Hindu values; this concept grew to become a major tenet of Hindu nationalist ideology.
Serving as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha political party, he opposed the Quit India movement in 1942. He was a critic of the Indian National Congress and its acceptance of India's partition.
The airport at Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar's capital was renamed Veer Savarkar International Airport in 2002.
'Barrister Savarkar' was the first biography of Savarkar under the pen name Chitragupta and the second edition by the Veer Savarkar Prakashan.
