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94-year-old freedom fighter felicitated by govt

Ahmedabad: Ninety-four year old freedom fighter Nandlal Shah, who took part in the 1942 uprising against the British rule and was jailed for 16 months, was felicitated by the Ahmedabad collectorate on Sunday.

Freedom fighters are felicitated every year on the occasion of Independence Day at the Raj Bhavan, but this year, because of the Covid-19 outbreak, it was decided that officials will visit homes of freedom fighters and felicitate them.


Shah said that whether it was fighting against the British Raj or now the pandemic, his only mantra in life is to never entertain negative thoughts. “Remaining positive in all circumstances and following a healthy routine is the secret of my longevity,” Shah said. Deputy collector J B Desai led a team of officials who felicitated the freedom fighter.

Shah was just 17 and was studying at C N Vidyalaya when he joined the freedom struggle, indulging in disruptive activities in Surendranagar district. Using stolen explosive material, Shah and his friends Bhogilal and Kanji made bombs and hurled them at the Surendranagar jail and Anglo Indian Circus which was on in Surendranagar.

However, Shah became famous for the Bhogavo case where he hurled bombs on a bridge over Bhogavo river in Surendranagar when a goods train was passing over it on February 5, 1943. He was subsequently arrested and put on trial.

The trial was delayed as he contended that he should be tried in a juvenile court as he was 17 years old. Meanwhile, World War II broke out and British officers were transferred, and he was given a 16-month jail sentence.

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