Usha Mehta was an Indian freedom fighter, known for supporting Gandhian ideas during India’s freedom struggle. He is known for founding the ‘Secret Congress Radio’ which operated during the Quit India Movement in 1942. This radio worked under an underground radio station which was used for three months during the Quit India Movement. She was the recipient of the second highest civilian award of the Republic of India named ‘Padma Vibhushan’ by the Government of India in 1998.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Usha Mehta was born in Saras village near Surat in Gujarat, India on Thursday, 25 March 1920 (age 80 years at the time of death). His zodiac sign was Aries. Usha Mehta received her early schooling in Kheda and Bharuch in Gujarat and then in Chandaramji High School, Bombay, now Mumbai. In 1939, he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Wilson College, Bombay. Later, Usha Mehta earned a degree in Political Science from Wilson College, Bombay. Later, he obtained a PhD in Gandhian thought from the University of Bombay, now the University of Mumbai.
Physical Appearance
Hair Color: Gray
Eye colour: black
Family
parents and siblings
His father’s name was Hariprasad Mehta. He was a district level judge under the British Raj. His mother’s name was Ghaliben Mehta. She was a housewife. He had an elder brother.
other relatives
Usha Mehta has three nephews. The name of his first nephew is Ketan Mehta who is a famous Bollywood filmmaker.
Ketan Mehta
His other nephew is Dr. Yatin Mehta who is an anesthetist. He also served as the director of Escorts Hospital and is associated with Medicity in Gurgaon.
Dr Yatin Mehta
His third nephew is Dr. Nirad Mehta who was an Indian Army officer and works at PD Hinduja National Hospital, Mumbai.
Dr. Nirad Mehta
husband and children
Usha Mehta never married or had children.
livelihood
freedom fighter
At the age of five, Usha Mehta saw Mahatma Gandhi for the first time at his ashram in Ahmedabad. Soon after, Gandhi visited her village for a campaign where little Usha participated in spinning the charkha, and she also attended speeches given by Mahatma Gandhi. At the age of eight, in 1928, Usha participated in several protests against the Simon Commission and raised slogans ‘British Raj: Simon Go Back’. In an interview given to a media house, Usha revealed her childhood memories,
Even as a small child, I had the satisfaction of breaking the law and doing something for the country.”
Usha Mehta’s childhood picture
Usha, along with other girls from the village, took part in early morning protests against the British Raj, gheraoing and picketing various liquor shops. In one protest, a girl holding an Indian flag in her hand was knocked down by policemen during a lathi charge. Later the children complained about the incident to their parents and elders. In the next protest, all these children were seen wearing tricolor (saffron, white and green) colored uniforms and shouting at the British policemen,
Policemen, you can use your sticks and sticks, but you cannot pull down our flag.”
young usha mehta
When Usha participated in many freedom fighter movements her father was not happy with her. However, when his father retired in 1930, restrictions eased and he moved to Bombay, now Mumbai. In 1932, Usha Mehta began participating in the Quit India Movement by distributing secret bulletins and publications to prisoners and meeting their relatives to pass on secret information. On 8 August 1942, the Indian National Congress and Mahatma Gandhi announced the Quit India Movement and gave anti-British speeches at the Gowalia Tank Ground in Bombay, now Mumbai. All the major leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, were arrested the day before and the crowd gathered to address him and hoist the flag was handled by junior leaders. Usha, along with other freedom fighters, started a secret Congress Radio on 14 August 1942. This radio went on air on 27th August. His first words were broadcast over this secret Congress radio,
This is congress radio calling [a wavelength of] 42.34 meters from somewhere in India.”
Equipment setup of Usha Mehta’s Secret Congress Radio
Vithalbhai Jhaveri, Chandrakant Jhaveri, Babubhai Thakkar and Nanka Motwani were Usha’s associates who provided radio equipment and technicians to launch it. Other leaders who helped Usha in starting the Secret Congress Radio were Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Achyutarao Patwardhan and Purushottam Trikamdas. Messages of Mahatma Gandhi and other notable leaders were broadcast on this secret radio. The organizers of the Secret Congress Radio managed to avoid capture by the British by changing the location of the radio daily. On 12 November 1942, Usha Mehta was arrested by the police along with the organizers of the radio and later jailed. He was interrogated by the Indian Police and CID continuously for six months. He was kept in solitary confinement and was tempted by the police to study abroad in order to betray the movement. During all her court sessions, she remained silent and did not answer any questions. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment and kept in Yerwada jail, Pune. During his period of imprisonment, his health deteriorated and he was admitted to Sir JJ Hospital, Bombay, now Mumbai. Soon his health improved and he was again sent to Yerwada jail. He was released in March 1946 on the orders of Morarji Desai, the then Home Minister in the interim government. He was considered to be the first political prisoner to be released in Bombay. The secret Congress Radio remained in use only for three months during the Quit India Movement. Being a part of Secret Radio, Usha called it a “great moment” in an interview with a media house. It was later discovered that an Indian technician had leaked information about the secret radio to the authorities.
Lecturer/Professor
After his release from prison in 1946, he continued his further studies as a PhD scholar at Bombay University. Usha Mehta was associated with Bombay University, Mumbai University for a long time as a research student, an assistant professor, a lecturer and a professor. He also served as the head of the Department of Civics and Politics of Bombay University. In 1980, he retired from Bombay University.
literary work
Soon after India’s independence, Usha Mehta wrote many articles and essays in English and Gujarati on its various socio-political movements. She co-authored books like Mahatma Gandhi and Humanism (2000), Women and Men Voters, 1977-80 Experiment (1981), Gandhi’s Contribution to Women’s Liberation (1991), Vishwa Ki Kalajayi Mahilaye, Antar Nirantar, Dance of South Did. India etc.
Other beliefs
Usha Mehta was elected chairperson of Gandhi Memorial Fund and Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi. He also participated in the affairs of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. On the 50th anniversary of India’s independence, the Government of India associated him with several celebrations. Later, as time passed, Usha became unhappy with the way modern India had developed socially, politically and economically. In an interview with India Today Media he said,
This is certainly not the freedom we fought for. Once people are in positions of power, the rot will set in. We didn’t know that the rot would set in so quickly. “India has survived as a democracy and has even built a good industrial base. Still, this is not the India of our dreams.”
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- Usha Mehta was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award, in 1998.
Death
In August 2000, Usha Mehta participated in the Quit India Movement ceremony at the August Kranti Maidan, despite suffering from fever. He died peacefully two days later on 11 August 2000, at the age of 80.
Facts/General Knowledge
- She got the name Ushaben during the Quit India Movement.
- Usha entered a law school in 1942; However, he later left his studies to participate in the Quit India Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Indians protesting during the Quit India movement
- After Usha’s release in 1946, his declining health prevented him from participating in any political and social work. She could not even attend the official celebrations of India’s independence in New Delhi. Later, he continued his studies and submitted a doctoral dissertation on the political and social thoughts of Gandhi. He received his PhD from the University of Bombay, now the University of Mumbai.
- Initially, Usha and her colleagues broadcast secret radio twice a day in Hindi and English languages; However, he broadcast it only once between 7.30 and 8.30 pm. It was broadcast only three times. The first broadcast was on August 27, 1942. The second broadcast took place between February and March 1943. For the third time, it was broadcast for a week during January 1944.
- The major news broadcast by Usha Mehta and her colleagues over secret radio was: the Japanese air attack on British forces in Chittagong. This city is now part of Bangladesh. When there was a 13-day strike by labor workers in the Tata Iron and Steel Company to support the Quit India Movement demanding the formation of the Government of India, the Jamshedpur strike was also broadcast by him. This steel mill was the largest steel mill in the British Empire. The Ashti and Chimur riots were also reported through secret radio where police openly opened fire on people and arrested many Congress leaders.
- Speaking to a media house, Usha Mehta revealed that it was the secret radio of the Congress, which used to deliver information to the local people, whereas no newspaper would dare to do so. He said,
When newspapers did not dare to touch these subjects under the prevailing circumstances, it was only Congress Radio that could defy orders and tell the people what was really happening.
- While talking to BBC, he once revealed the things seized by the authorities from his radio station. He said,
They seized equipment and 22 boxes containing photographs and sound films of Congress party sessions.
- When Usha joined the movement in 1932, she initially sold salt in small packets as part of Gandhi’s “Salt March”. This was done to put pressure on the government to regulate salt in India and establish a monopoly.
- Usha was a renowned advocate of Gandhian philosophy and thought. She was a follower of Gandhiji who decided to remain celibate throughout her life, not indulge in luxuries and wear only khadi clothes.
- Ram Manohar Lohia, an activist in the Indian independence movement and a social and political leader, has a note to Usha Mehta as follows,
I do not know you personally, but I admire your courage and enthusiasm and your desire to contribute to the fire of fire lit by Mahatma Gandhi.”
- Usha Mehta lived a frugal and simple life. She used to take the bus instead of driving a car. He wore hand-woven clothes and Khadi throughout his life. She even lived on tea and bread. She used to wake up at 4 in the morning and work till late evening.
- Usha Mehta taught at Wilson College, Mumbai for thirty years.
Usha Mehta addressing a conference in 1996
- Mahatma Gandhi’s iconic slogan “Do or Die”. We will either liberate India or die in the effort” which she said on 8 August 1942 inspired Usha Mehta to fight against the British rule in India.
- According to many media houses, Indian film director and producer Karan Johar is going to make a biopic on Usha Mehta.
- In the later years of her life, Usha Mehta was shocked by the increasing corruption in India. Speaking to Better India Media House, he said,
Is this how our great leaders sacrificed their lives for India? It is a pity that the new generation of political activists and leaders are paying little respect to Gandhian ideas, of which non-violence was central. “If we don’t mend our ways, we could find ourselves back to square one.”
- Once, Usha Mehta was seen attending an event as the chief guest.
Usha Mehta as chief guest at an event
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn