This is no history class. Nor is this an academic discussion. This section is intended to be a reminder. A reminder of the numerous strands of ideology, innumerable sacrifices, of betrayal and arrogance. It is an inquiry - an exercise to superimpose the intentions of the past into the present and do a reality check. The intention is to remind, so that we ask questions.

In this section we will bring forth forgotten people, their ideas and visions for India, for the struggle for freedom was not only about driving away the British, but also to build the country.

To start with, we present an excerpt from an essay by R C Majumdar, where he argues that "Since the achievement of Independence by India in 1947 a number of idolas has grown up in the country and has found wide currency due to the persistent propaganda of a section of politicians." In other words, he says, there is much more to the struggle than what we have been and are being taught by official text books. We couldn't find a better introduction which succinctly sums up what we think.

Bina Das, daughter of Beni Madhav Das - the teacher who inspired young Subhas, was just 21 years old in 1932, when she opened fire on Stanely Jackson, then governor of Bengal. In her statement at the Special Tribunal of the Calcutta High Court she explained how oppression of basic human rights had compelled her to take such extreme action.