An important event that fuelled nationalist spirit among youth to gain freedom from imperial bondage was Quit India Movement declared by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942. Exactly after 79 years of that historic day, Gandhian Study Centre (GSC), MGM College, Udupi, will initiate a programme to document the unsung heroes and events connected to Quit India and Freedom Movements in Udupi.
After Gandhiji declared the Quit India resolution on August 8, 1942, the movement had spread across India. In Udupi too, the movement gained momentum with the participation of common people who were inspired by Gandhiji's message of fearlessness.
U Vinith Rao, coordinator of GSC, told TNIE that students studying certificate courses in Gandhian Studies will document the places in and around Udupi where the freedom movement was witnessed. This will continue for the next one year and the academic dissemination of the documented research will be put in the public domain by next year when the nation will celebrate 75 years of Independence.
Vinith Rao informed that one among the unsung events that took place in Udupi was in Car Street and the unsung hero was a common man, U Shesha trained under S U Paniyadi (who participated in non-cooperation movement). U Shesha had dared to defy prohibitory orders against hoisting of tricolour in Car Street of Udupi.
Hoisting of tricolour was also an offence as declared by British administration. But, a band of youth of Udupi had decided to defy it non-violently. They had openly written to the authorities that they would hoist the Indian flag in Car Street which was a prominent place then. As a result, the authorities had imposed prohibitory orders and the police force was deployed there round the clock. But in the darkness of midnight, U Shesha climbed the 40-feet tall monolith pillar of Anantheshwara temple and hoisted the flag. Police had to helplessly watch the flag fluttering for some days there. MGM College students will visit this place and document it. Details on how Hiriyadka Ramaraya Mallya used to publish articles critical of British rule in his 'Sathyagrahi' newspaper will be studied by them, and other landmark places in Udupi where freedom struggle had gained nationalist temper will be visited by the students for documentation purposes, Vinith Rao added.
