Shri Motilal Verma- A Great Freedom Fighter

Shri Motilal Verma was a great Indian Freedom Fighter and a Nationalist. Even though, he belonged to a wealthy and a respectable family of Katni, born in 1906 at Katni District of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Motilal was never attracted towards money and power. He was a Wrestler and was very fond of visiting Akhadas (Traditional Indian Gymnasiums). But, after watching India in the shackles of slavery, he decided to throw himself up whole heartedly in the India's Struggle for Freedom. In 1930, at the call of Mahatma Gandhi, he took part in the Jungle Satyagraha. As a consequence, he underwent 6 months Rigorous Imprisonment. British Raj confiscated all his and his family’s movable and immovable property. There was a time when his home used to be filled with bags of money and jewels. But, he sacrificed everything for his country in the Freedom struggle. After a long struggle, somehow he was able to repurchase his 200 year old ancestral house.

He again took an active part in the 1942 Quit India Movement and suffered an 8 month long Jail sentence. This time also the British confiscated all his leftover property and belongings. He was not able to recover this time. As a result, he spent rest of his life working as an ordinary destitute clerk in small business establishments. But, even after this, he never lost his self-respect and never bowed his head to anyone.

He also had the privilege of working with the Great Indian Revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad. In 1928, Shri Motilal helped Azad escape the eyes of the police while going to Allahabad from Jhansi. He once again met Chandra Shekhar near Allahabad on the banks of River Ganga where Azad was sharpening his infallible aim by shooting moving fishes in the water.

In this manner, Shri Motilal, both as a Gandhian and as a Revolutionary, gave his contribution to the Indian Freedom Struggle and served our nation. He never expected anything in return. He never wanted any political gains for his noble deeds. In 1935, Shri Rajendra Prasad also visited his home who later on became the First President of Independent India. Since 1972, Shri Motilal kept receiving Freedom Fighter’s Pension from the State government and the Central Government. He was a very simple and honest person. He never relied on anyone and at the same time, he never lost his self-respect. He died in 1993 at Katni District of Madhya Pradesh. By writing something on him, I would like to pay my deepest regards and homage to him and his ideals.

My uncle shri Anil Verma who is a renowned writer on Indian Revolutionaries drew a lot of inspiration from that enabled him to write various books on Rajguru, Batukeshwar Dutt and Chadrashekhar Azad.