Unsung Heroes | History Corner | Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India

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Paying tribute to India’s freedom fighters

Hari Vithal Tulpule

Pune, Maharashtra

May 22, 2023 to May 22, 2024

Hari Vithal Tulpule was a prominent figure in the Indian Independence movement who hailed from Pune, formerly Poona, and held a B.A., LL.B. degree. He was a member of a wealthy landlord family and served as the President of the Poona City Municipality, the Poona City Congress Committee, and the D.L.B. in the 1930s. He also held the position of treasurer of the Maharashtra Provincial Congress Committee.

During the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930, Tulpule provided financial support and played a key role in mobilizing the masses behind the movement. He was instrumental in setting up the Satyagraha Mandal of Poona, which aimed to bring about social and political change through peaceful means. He was also an advisor to leading congressmen and delivered speeches criticizing the government's policies. Despite facing imprisonment, his commitment to the cause remained unshaken. In 1932, he was prosecuted under Section 3(1) of Ordinance II of 1932 and was incarcerated in Yerwada Jail. In 1933, Tulpule attended the conference held in the Tilak Memorial Hall, Pune, and the International Labour Conference in Geneva as a member of the Indian Delegate. He played an active role in the compromise between Congress and the Democratic Swaraj Party. He presided over public meetings where he voiced the local needs of the public and passed multiple resolutions. He was also elected as one of the Executive Committee members of the Bombay Legislature Congress Committee in 1938. During the early 1940s, Tulpule participated in the civil disobedience movement, offering Satyagraha, which resulted in his conviction under rule 38 of the Defense of India Rules and a year-long detention in Yerwada Jail. He was subsequently detained again in 1943 for his activism.

Hence Tulpule emerged as an important figure in the Indian Independence movement who provided financial support, mobilized the masses, and played a key role in setting up the Satyagraha Mandal of Poona during the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930. He held various positions in political organizations and was imprisoned multiple times for his activism.

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