My meeting with Sri H. S. Doreswamy (Freedom Fighter)

H. S. Doreswamy

Great freedom fighter

My meeting with a great freedom fighter in Bangalore
On 15th Aug 2018

About H. S. Doreswamy

Freedom fighter, Indian activist, and journalist. 

Harohalli Srinivasaiah Doreswamy was born on April 10, 1918 (He turned 100 in April 2018)

He was raised by his grandfather after the death of his father, Srinivasa Iyer, who died when he was five years old. After completing the primary school education, he came to Bangalore. The book "My Early Life" by Mahatma Gandhi influenced him to join the Indian Freedom Movement. During his intermediate college education, he attended a freedom awareness program at Banappa Park, near Cubbon Pete in Bangalore, where the leader was arrested. The next day, the students called for a strike. The police then charged Lathi.

In 1942, he had completed his B.Sc and had joined a college as a lecturer. In August, the Quit India freedom movement started, where students participated in large numbers. He and his brothers H S Seetharam, Sardar Venkataramaiah, and A G Ramachandra Rao planned to move together against the British. H. S. Seetharam later became the mayor of Bangalore. They were involved in making Time Bombs, which were used to damage government documents. When jailed for the first time for 14 months, he followed Gandhi's ideals of non-violence and Satyagraha. He established a bookstore and publishing depot, where literary figures like R. K. Narayan and K.S. Narasimhaswamy were frequent visitors. It served as a cultural center in those days.

In 1947, his newspaper published many articles against the government in the Mysore Chalo Movement. Eventually, the government took control of the press and seized it. A teacher named Sheshagiri helped circulate the newspaper during this press closure. In 2014, Doreswamy spearheaded the anti-land grabbing protests in Bangalore with the help of AAP, A.T. Ramaswamy, who was part of the Joint Legislature Committee on Encroachment in Bangalore Urban District, and many other activists. Eminent citizens, including Justice Santosh Hedge, lent support. The central location of the protest was at the Bangalore town hall.

Senthil Kumar Krishnaswamy's meeting with Harohalli Srinivasaiah Doreswamy Ji was at the home of the very famous actor Visnuvardan. I was speaking with him for a few minutes. He is such a humble person who enquired about me. Though he has completed 100 years, he is very active and energetic. He gave an excellent speech about the freedom fight and the current situation. I felt very proud to be with him speaking and to understand the pain and sacrifices they were enduring during the freedom fight.