On 4 November 1845, Vasudev Balwant Phadke was born in Shirdhône, in today’s Raigad district of Maharashtra - a pioneer of India’s armed resistance against British colonial rule. Phadke is often regarded as the “first revolutionary” in the sense that he organised an armed uprising and challenged British rule at a time when such overt rebellion was rare.

Also born on this date in 1876 was Bhai Parmanand, another freedom-fighter and educator whose influence extended into the Arya Samaj movement and whose students included some of India’s best-known revolutionaries. 

By remembering these births on 4 November, we not only mark two lives of commitment and sacrifice - we also reflect on the larger arc of India’s struggle for freedom and the many unsung heroes who helped ignite a movement.

Today, this date invites us to consider how small towns and modest beginnings can spark large-scale change, and how courage and ideology can challenge entrenched power structures.