The purview of the freedom struggle from British colonial rule in India is as vast as its geography and culture. Many who were part of the freedom struggle did not realise the crucial weight of their ‘simple’ actions.
P Sainath’s The Last Heroes finds stories of the country’s Independence struggle from forests, villages, homemakers and farmers. His book tells stories like that of of Bhavani Mahto, who were left out of mainstream history books.
Mahto would grow grains and cook for underground revolutionaries during the Bengal Famine. However, even she is in denial of her crucial role towards the freedom struggle because she believes it pertains to her household and domestic life.
Here are a few highlights from Anil Ashwini Sharma’s conversation with Sainath:
Anil Ashwini Sharma: The writer decides who the heroes of the history books are. Several new centres of history have come up in the last few decades. How do you feel about the
— source downtoearth.org.in | Anil Ashwani Sharma | 06 Dec 2022