India came free from British colonial control on August 15, 1947. However, areas such as Goa, Hyderabad, and Dadra Nagar Haveli were still under colonial rule. Arriving in India before the British, the Portuguese were especially slow to go. Young Indians felt sadness at Portuguese king Salazar’s refusal to give up control, which inspired them to organize an armed revolution.
Organizing the Revolution
Twenty to twenty-five young people—including eminent leaders like Babasaheb Purandare, Sudhir Phadke, Rajabhau Wakankar, Vishwanath Naravane, and Shrikrishna Bhide—met with Vinayakrao Apte, Chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in Maharashtra. They related their scheme for freeing Dadra Nagar Haveli. Rajabhau Wakankar, Babasaheb Purandare, Sudhir Phadke, Naravane, and Kajrekar—who spent about six months gathering vital information in the area—were key fighters in this struggle.
Getting Materials
Wakankar gathered firearms and other weaponry for the cause, but the movement also needed money. When Sudhir Phadke approached the great Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar, he told her about the circumstances. Performing without charge, Lataji Mangeshkar planned the ‘Lataji Mangeshkar Rajni’ concert at Hirabag Maidan in Pune. This event’s earnings helped to support the Dadra Nagar Haveli Mukti Sangrama.
When Babarao Bhide and Vinayakrao Apte established the ‘Dadra Nagar Haveli Muktisangram Samiti’ in Pune, they chose Sudhir Phadke as the chairperson. Many RSS activists, from all over the state, offered themselves for the freedom fight. Babarao Bhide gave the gathering young people in Pune explicit directions and orders on July 31, 1954. Starting in Pune, the party sang the patriotic song “Mera Rang De Basanti Chola,” then traveled to Mumbai, pausing at Vapi in Gujarat to learn more about the Mukti Sangram.
The Day of Liberation
On August 2, 1954, Dadra Nagar Haveli removed all Portuguese flags and flew the Indian tricolor. Everyone yelled “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” hugged one another, and sung the national anthem together. On August 15, 1954, they celebrated Independence Day, therefore attesting to a major triumph in their fight for freedom. After honoring this victory in the struggle for liberty, the participants went back to their houses.
A monument to the bravery and will of young Indian patriots opposing colonial control, the Dadra Nagar Haveli Liberation Their actions not only emancipated the region, but also motivated future generations to preserve freedom and independence.