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Remembering Moolmati, the sacrificial mother of Ram Prasad Bismil

Remembering the great mother of Ram Prasad Bismil, Moolmati and her role in Indian freedom struggle

Moolmati was the mother of the great Indian revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil. She was a simple woman who supported her son’s revolutionary ideas and helped him in his struggle for freedom. Bismil famously formed the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association in 1928 along with Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajguru and others. He was later arrested and hanged at Gorakhpur jail for his role in the famous Mainpuri Conspiracy case of 1918 and the Kakori Conspiracy of 1925.

Days before Bismil was to be hanged, Moolmati went to meet his son. At the sight of his beloved mother, Bismil could not control his emotions and broke down, but her mother remained unmoved and told him that she was proud to have a son like him. He, in turn, told his mother that he cried not out of fear of death, but because he would never see his mother again.

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Moolmati’s devotion to the cause of motherland could be understood by the fact that days after his elder son’s death, she addressed a public gathering and offered her other son to the freedom movement.

Had it not been the sacrifices made by these great mothers, independence would have remained to be a distant dream. Without her unstinting support and belief, Ram Prasad Bismil might not have had the resolve to pursue the path he had chosen.

As India celebrates 70 years of independence, we bring you stories of women who were part of the Indian Independence Struggle. You might have heard about some of them but most do not find a mention in our history books or popular memory. These were ordinary women from all walks of life who managed to make extraordinary contributions to the cause of freedom. This series is our tribute to these women and their exemplary work. We bring you 70 stories of courage and valour over the next one week leading up to 15th August 2017. Write to us, if you have any names to add to this list. Email: inuthsocial@indianexpress.com