Swami Ramanand Tirtha

A monk who liberated Hyderabad State

(september 3 birth anniversary)

We, Indians, celebrated Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav:75 years of Independent India in 2021-22. Recently Government of India also announced to celebrate Amrut Mohotsav of Hyderabad Liberation Day i.e. 17^th September. On the eve of 75^th Independent day, our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said that “it is the country’s misfortune that the present generations are not told about our national heroes” particularly who fought against princely states. The wisemen say History always starts with second page as the first page is always either hidden or forgotten. Similarly History of Freedom movement had many forgotten chapters, one of the most important chapters, probably the biggest chapter is Hyderabad State Liberation movement and the man who must be remembered is Swami Ramanand Tirtha. Therefore commemorating Swami Ramanand Tirtha on his Jayanti on October 3^rd makes it more necessary than ever.

Swami Ramanand Tirtha was a monk who transformed from teacher to freedom fighter. He was a true Gandhian, he was so Gandhian that he had to disobey Gandhiji to fight against Nizam. He always believed in Gandhian methods of Satyagraha and peoples’ participation. He always worked for the welfare of downtrodden people. He had immense love towards the poor and the persecuted and that made him a hero of the masses. He always believed in education to masses, Swamiji initiated a series of educational institutions, initiated many constructive activities and eventually became a leader of masses.

Swamiji was born on Oct 3, 1903, in Sindge, Bijapur District, in Karnataka and his original name was Vyenkatesh Bhagvanrao Khedgikar. Swamiji had his primary education in Ganugapur, the famous Datta Kshetram. He completed middle school from Kalyani and high school from Sholapur. He was a bright student all the way and completed BA and MA from Tilak Vidyapeeth and Pune University respectively with overwhelming success.

Swamiji started his career as Head Master in the year 1929 at Hipparga National School. While teaching at this National School, he shared his ideas about politics and democracy and tried his best to inculcate values in students to become tomorrow’s leaders for people’s movement. During his presence in this village, Swamiji is said to have taken sanyas. His ascetic methods and religious life attracted many followers.

In those days, Hyderabad state (present day Telangana, parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka) was ruled by Monarch Seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Before 1724, this dynasty used to be governors of Mughals but claimed independence in that year and became Nizams (Kings) of the land. Nizam of Hyderabad was very tyrannical in nature, lavish in lifestyle and carefree man who never visited rural people. They used to rule people of Hyderabad state through revenue collectors and police who used to be Muslims. During that time, Hindus were 85% of total population but they constitute only 10% of government jobs. This created a natural revolt against Nizam of Hyderabad. This tyrannical nature of Nizam has provoked many rural youth to take up armed struggle against the system. Later on these armed struggles were transformed into peoples’ movements. The Andhra Mahasabha, Maharastrha Parishad and Karnataka Parishad were formed in their respective regions.

During that time of uncertainty, Swamiji took upon himself the responsibility of gathering and leading the masses. He stressed the importance of a political platform irrespective of caste and religion for the freedom struggle against the Nizam to liberate Hyderabad State. He wished to establish Hyderabad State Congress Unit with members of Maharashtra Parishad of Marathas, Karnataka Parishad of Kannadigas and Andhra Mahasabha of Telugus. Swamiji wanted to bring all these political groups under one banner “Hyderabad State Congress”, but the Congress had split opinion on this subject. On one side Nehru-Gandhi didn’t want to fight against Nizam, on the other side Sardar Patel was an ardent supporter of the liberation struggle. Swamiji proposed the establishment of Hyderabad State Unit of Congress in Haripura Congress Meeting (1937) headed by Subhash Chandra Bose. With his enormous efforts and great difficulty, the proposal was accepted. However, unfortunately, the dictatorial Nizam prohibited the Congress State Unit before its formation. Swamiji continued his struggle to establish the Congress State Unit, performed Satyagraha & non-cooperation movements and was thus arrested by the Nizam. Satyagraha started by him on Oct 24, 1938, is the first formal protest against the Nizam in the History of Hyderabad State.

In April 1946 after the end of Quit India movement, Nizam lifted the prohibition on State Congress. In 1947, Swami Ramanand Tirtha became the first President of the State Congress of Hyderabad. There he called for the final struggle against the Nizam for independence. He challenged Nizam and his Jihadi friend, Kasim Rajvi. Swamiji proclaimed that the final war for independence of Bharat will be held in the land of Hyderabad State. He went on the path of non-violence to attack the Nizam and accomplished different Satyagraha movements. The Hyderabad State Congress campaigned for Hyderabad State to join Bharat, which the Nizam opposed. The State Congress Unit of Hyderabad declared Aug 7, 1947 to be “Join Indian Union” Day. Following this call, protests, strikes and flag-hoisting erupted across the State, prompting the Nizam’s government to once again outlaw the Congress and make huge arrests. Swamiji was jailed by Nizam for 111 days. The main contribution of Swamiji lies in mobilising masses against the Nizam of Hyderabad State. Meanwhile, there was a war-like situation due to atrocities of Rajakars in Nizam State. Finally, this led to “Police Action” by Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel of Bharat. Military code for this was ‘Operation Polo’ or ‘Operation Caterpillar’. Police Action started on 13 September, 1948 and on 17th September, 1948, Nizam surrendered to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and the Military of Bharat. In fact, soon after the Police Action, the transitional Government released the three prominent leaders of Hyderabad State, namely Swami Ramanand Tirtha, Pandita Narendra Ji and Vinayak Rao Vidyalankar requested and have taken their help in maintaining the law and order in twin cities.

Soon after the police action, Swami Ramanand Tirtha cautioned the Government of Bharat to focus on reducing communists’ influence in rural areas and wanted to augment the farming reforms in order to strike at the fundamental cause of the armed movement. He always believed in Gandhian principles of non-violence and seva. Post-independence, Swamiji spent his time for the betterment of poor and underprivileged.

Swami Ramanand Tirtha breathed his last on 22nd January 1972 (at the age of 69 years). His disciple Shri PV Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of Bharat, developed “Swami Ramananda Teerth Memorial” in Brahmanwadi, Hyderabad, as resting place for Swamiji’s mortal remains. In the memory of Swamiji, Swamy Ramananda Tirtha Rural Institute was set up at Bhoodan Pochampally by then Prime Minister of Bharat, Shri PV Narasimha Rao in the year 1995. The objective and functioning of this institute is to empower rural people especially youth and women.

Swami Ramanand Tirtha was an educator, freedom fighter, politician, parliamentarian and more than all he was a true Gandhian who committed his life to upliftment of poor and underprivileged. He is always remembered as a monk who liberated Hyderabad State.