Chandra Shekhar Azad
Born: 23 July 1906
Died: 27 February 1931
He popularly known as by his self-taken name Azad (“The Free”), was an Indian revolutionary who reorganised the Hindustan Republican Association under its new name of Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) after the death of its founder, Ram Prasad Bismil, and three other prominent party leaders, Roshan Singh, Rajendra Nath Lahiri and Ashfaqulla Khan.
He often used the pseudonym “Balraj” when signing pamphlets issued as the commander in chief of the HSRA (Hindustan Socialist Republic Army).He made Jhansi his organization’s hub for some time.
He used the forest of Orchha, situated 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) from Jhansi, as a site for shooting practice and, being an expert marksman, he trained other members of his group.
He built a hut near to a Hanuman temple on the banks of the Satar River and lived there under the alias of Pandit Harishankar Brahmachari for a long period.
He taught children from the nearby village of Dhimarpura (now renamed Azadpura by the Government of Madhya Pradesh) and thus managed to establish a good rapport with the local residents.
While living in Jhansi, he also learned to drive a car at Bundelkhand Motor Garage in Sadar Bazar.
Sadashivrao Malkapurkar, Vishwanath Vaishampayan and Bhagwan Das Mahaur came in close contact with him and became an integral part of his revolutionary group.
The then congress leaders from Raghunath Vinayak Dhulekar and Sitaram Bhaskar Bhagwatwere also close to Azad.
He also stayed for some time in the house of Rudra Narayan Singh at Nai Basti, as well as Bhagwat’s house in Nagra.