The towering figures who fought for India’s freedom from the British empire did it against heavy odds. They battled not just British persecution, and jails but also their health issues. But this hardly dampened their spirits and they pressed on in their quest for freedom until they achieved it, some losing their lives in the process.

Kasturba Gandhi

Apart from being Mahatma Gandhi’s partner, Kasturba Gandhi was a fearless leader in her own right. Despite chronic bronchitis and recurring health problems, she led protests, fought untouchability, and faced repeated imprisonment. She passed away in 1944 while still under detention.

Subhas Chandra Bose

Even as he endured tuberculosis and severe injuries from previous imprisonments, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose built and led the Indian National Army. Harsh conditions, illness, and constant physical strain could not deter his vision of an armed struggle for freedom.

Sarojini Naidu

Despite heart problems and asthma, Sarojini Naidu, the “Nightingale of India,” marched at the forefront of the Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements. She endured repeated arrests well into her 60s, never yielding to age or illness.

Batukeshwar Dutt

The co-conspirator of Bhagat Singh in the Central Assembly bombing, Batukeshwar Dutt suffered from tuberculosis while in prison. After release, he couldn’t carry on the struggle and  lived his final years in neglect, bedridden and far from the acclaim his courage deserved.

Satyavati Devi

She suffered pleurisy and tuberculosis in jail but rejected conditional release offered by the British. Even as her health deteriorated behind bars, she rallied women satyagrahis, proving that her spirit was stronger than her body.

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