How many Indian Freedom Fighters and their dependents are there…?

As promised in our last report “Who are Indian Freedom Fighters and What all they Get?” here we’re with the new report with the numbers of Living Freedom Fighters in India and their dependents! We all know that whenever the date 15th August or 26 January comes near, all our media and politicians started hovering around some famous Freedom Fighters and invite there known dependents. And, then they forget them till the next national holidays. So, have you ever tried the number of living legends, the number of our Freedom Fighters who are alive and being celebrated for their unconditional love and sacrifices, even after knowing that most of our Freedom Fighters unjustly prosecuted!

So what’s the official number of Living Freedom Fighters?

As per Ministry of Home Affairs, which looks after the Freedom Fighters’ Samman Yojana, there are 1,71,610 freedom fighters/their eligible dependents who have been sanctioned Pensions the Samman (as on 31.12.2016). The present number of Samman holders are quite less which is mere 37,356 (March 2017) and out of the 23,127 are the spouses (mostly widows) and 1572 are Number of dependent daughters Pensioners and remaining 12,657 are Living Legends means the Freedom Fighter themselves. How unfortunate we are because of our Print and Electronic media that we don’t even know the face and name of 1/10th of them! ⁽ Please don’t call it Pension, refer our last post)

Another reason for a low number of Freedom Fighter is their high self-esteem as my great maternal grandfather who was a famous Freedom Fighter and has not accepted the offer of yojana (in the 80’s) and all perks. He worked with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and donated huge land during Budhan Movement to landless labors.

 Which states have the highest number of SSS Awardees & Living freedom fighters?

In the year 2016 (31.12.2016) State-wise break-up of the freedom fighters / their dependents who have been sanctioned Samman Yojana was in the form of 29 States + 7 UTs + Indian National Army and the 5 states with highest Freedom Fighters and their dependents are as follow:

What is the latest number of Living freedom fighters and which are the top 7 states?

In this latest report of Swatantra Sena Samman Awardees GoI has not excluded the INA Freedom Fighters as in the case of previous year rather mixed their numbers from the state they belong. Plus, this year MHA has added a separate column of dependent daughters. This data has been released in Lok Sabha just a week ago. List of other states are available on our RTI Box is a USP of our website.

How and When our Government honors Living Indian Freedom Fighters?

As per the convention, on the anniversary of the Quit India Movement 9 Aug 1942 (announced on 8th by Gandhi Ji). Hon’ble President of India host a reception – ‘At Home’ in the Rashtrapati Bhawan on 9th  of August every year and honor some of the freedom fighters from various States and Union Territories with Angvastram. In addition, the freedom fighter invitees were felicitated with a shawl and a small gift. 101 freedom fighters from various parts of
the country attended this function and interacted with the President.

You should know: The Cripps Mission had failed, and on 8 August 1942, Gandhi made a call to Do or Die in his Quit India speech delivered in Bombay at the Gowalia Tank Maidan. The All-India Congress Committee launched a mass protest demanding what Gandhi called “An Orderly British Withdrawal” from India.

There are no guidelines as such but every year letters are sent to the States/UTs every year seeking nominations/names of freedom fighters for felicitation in the ‘At Home’ function organized by the President’s Secretariat on 9th August every year. Name of only those freedom fighters is sought who are in receipt of central freedom fighter Yojana under Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana. Name of one nodal officer from each State/UT and one escort/companion for each nominated freedom fighter is also sought for attending the function.

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