Sir,

When I read the reminiscent of freedom struggle of Dr. M.G. Krishnamurthy in SOM dated Aug. 13 (Tracing Mysore’s Footprints of Freedom Struggle), I remembered my own experiences of pre-and-post-Independent days as I am 82-year-old now. 

We stayed next to ex-Ministers late H.C. Dasappa and late Yashodharamma Dasappa. We have been witness to the change in late Dasappa after his visit to the Sevagram and meeting with Mahatma Gandhi. He was a lawyer wearing formal British dress till then and transformed to wearing simple clothes  and doing gardening himself later, inspired by the Mahatma.

My father was then serving the Mysore State Railways as District Loco Officer and Works Manager of Railway Workshop. He was a dutiful Government servant but without his knowledge we, his children, were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and fought in our own way towards Independence movement.

My brother, late B.N. Partha-sarathy, who was the Secretary of High School Students Union, led  a band of students to instigate fighting spirit among youths by meeting in a place called “Tilak Sangha” in Vontikoppal every evening. He was a voracious speaker and had good support of Kogode Radhakrishna, Anandakumar, Subramanyam, Seetharamarao and others. 

We, as young children, would go early in the mornings in groups called “Prabhatha Bheri” and shout slogans against the British. We were rejoiced at getting Independence and  I still remember how we were shocked at the untimely death of Mahatma, glued to the radio hearing news.

After Independence, when Mysore State did not accede to the Indian Union due to the bad advices of late Ramasamy Mudaliar and late Thambu Chetty we shouted “Arcot boycott and Thambu Chetty Chatta Katti.” 

We were happy when Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar agreed to be a part of Indian Union. Now, as a Trustee of Bharathi Sthree Samaja Higher Primary School, when we hoist the National Flag, I remember how hard it was for the Indian Flag to go up in pre-Independence days. May we live worthy of Independent India. Jai Hind.

– Sridevi, Mysuru, 15.8.2019

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