Voices of the Icons
Rani Lakshmi Bai: Griva
As Manu, I was loved by all who knew,
A warrior queen I was –
my heart filled with courage truth.
For action taken against my golden land
Against the murder of freedom and justice
I have always taken a steadfast stand.
With son as my strength on back,
And the burden of defeat –
I fled from fort
But in Kalpi, Gwalior, our forces did meet.
“We fight for freedom!” was our battle cry,
As if it was Lord Krishna’s locution,
Our unfortunate yet dignified destiny –
Was foretold.
As a soldier, I met my final day,
At twenty-three, in glory passed away.
Begum Hazrat Mahal:
Hear me, for I stood against the British might,
Against all their wrongs, for what was just and right.
They tore down our temples,
They tore down our mosques - to make their way,
How can uprooting of traditions?
How can violent demeaning of cultures?
Be portrayed as an help for freedom.
With Nana Saheb, I fought, and with the brave -
In Lucknow’s heart, our culture to save.
They were forced to retreat -
Our fighting spirit never died,
In struggle’s name, our legacy’s our pride.
Rabindranath Tagore:
I showed the world our culture’s vast array,
With poetry and song –
It was an enlightening display.
A Nobel Prize I won for words profound,
Yet against dirty colonial politics
I stood my ground.
Careful, reject not the West
But for the wisdom and divide in hearts it imparts,
Embrace the world, with an open mind
“Our refuge is in humanity,” I’d say,
Beyond the borders, we must find our way.
And only in unity
Our brightest hopes shall align.
Mahatma Gandhi:
In silence of truth, I walked with grace and light,
A beacon of peace against the unjust’ vast night.
With my spinning wheel
I tried wove freedom’s tale anew,
Nonviolence, courage, and well, salt—
These, I gave to you.
In South Africa, I fought for equal rights,
With Dandi March, we braved the salt’s necessary plight.
For it was important to let the world know
The growing strength of our homeland.
With peaceful means, we won our rightful due,
A legacy of truth I leave to you.
Jawahar Lal Nehru:
I led with vision through the darkest night.
“Tryst with destiny,” my humble yet ambitious call,
For modern India, I attempted a united stand.
Children’s laughter, future youth’s fond embrace,
I saw in them, our nation’s hopeful grace.
Fought for secular space, where all could find their place,
In freedom’s light, we built a strong, proud base.
I can only hope that
For peace and growth, my legacy lives on,
In India’s rise, our dreams are never gone.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar:
Injustice fought with wisdom deep and grand,
For equal rights and justice in our land.
Our Constitution, freedom's noble shield,
With liberty and rights for all revealed.
For women's rights and for the castes oppressed,
I fought till my last breath
To give the downtrodden the best.
"Be educated, agitate, unite,"
That is my plea,
Only in unity
Stands our nation's destiny.
Sarojini Naidu:
With words as my power, I sang for freedom’s dream,
That was the Nightingale of India’s
Humble and hopeful theme.
With every word uttered -
I tried to ignite freedom’s fire.
For women's rights, I raised a zealous cry,
For nation’s absolute progress
A woman’s dream should also be able to fly.
With voice and music, India's soul I stirred,
In freedom's song, my spirit's ever heard.
In every soldier's heart, a symphony.
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam:
With dreams of space and a scientific mind,
I saw the stars and progress beyond
For all of humankind.
As a contributor to SLV's rise,
In satellite's orbit, tears of happiness in my eyes
As I saw India touch the skies.
Missile man’s work, for nation’s defense strong,
With Agni, Prithvi, we advanced along.
With a dream to save each precious heart,
In health and science, I played my humble part.
“On classroom’s last bench, great minds do dwell,”
In every youthful heart,
Let there be hunger to future bright and well.
Education's flame, I urge to all
And for all to ignite,
As progress follows only knowledge's light.
Here are additional questions about other Indian National Heroes:
1. Who is known as the "Missile Man of India"?
a) Vikram Sarabhai
b) Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
c) Homi J. Bhabha
d) Satish Dhawan
Answer: b) Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
2. Which Indian social reformer is known as the "Maker of Modern India"?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
d) Swami Vivekananda
Answer: c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
3. Who was the founder of the Indian National Congress?
a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
b) Allan Octavian Hume
c) Dadabhai Naoroji
d) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Answer: b) Allan Octavian Hume
4. Who is known as the "Nightingale of India"?
a) Sarojini Naidu
b) Indira Gandhi
c) Aruna Asaf Ali
d) Kamala Nehru
Answer: a) Sarojini Naidu
5. Who is referred to as "Punjab Kesari"?
a) Bhagat Singh
b) Rajguru
c) Lala Lajpat Rai
d) Udham Singh
Answer: c) Lala Lajpat Rai
6. Who founded the Brahmo Samaj, an important socio-religious reform movement?
a) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
b) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
c) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
d) Rabindranath Tagore
Answer: a) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
7. Who was the first Indian to receive a Nobel Prize?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Rabindranath Tagore
c) C.V. Raman
d) Amartya Sen
Answer: b) Rabindranath Tagore
8. Who is known as the "Lion of Bombay"?
a) Dadabhai Naoroji
b) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
d) Pherozeshah Mehta
Answer: d) Pherozeshah Mehta
9. Who was the first Indian woman to fly an aircraft?
a) Sarojini Naidu
b) Sarla Thakral
c) Indira Gandhi
d) Kalpana Chawla
Answer: b) Sarla Thakral
10. Who is known as the "Saint of the Gutters"?
a) Mother Teresa
b) Swami Vivekananda
c) Mahatma Gandhi
d) Baba Amte
Answer: d) Baba Amte
Here are some simple Q/A with MCQs based on the theme of Indian National Heroes for the school
assembly:
1. Who is known as the "Father of the Nation" in India?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Subhas Chandra Bose
d) Bhagat Singh
Answer: a) Mahatma Gandhi
2. Which Indian freedom fighter founded the Indian National Army (INA)?
a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
b) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
c) Subhas Chandra Bose
d) Chandrashekhar Azad
Answer: c) Subhas Chandra Bose
3. Who was the first Prime Minister of independent India?
a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
b) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
c) Jawaharlal Nehru
d) Lal Bahadur Shastri
Answer: c) Jawaharlal Nehru
4. Who is known as the "Iron Man of India"?
a) Bhagat Singh
b) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
c) Lala Lajpat Rai
d) Rani Lakshmibai
Answer: b) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
5. Who was the woman leader of the 1857 revolt against British rule in India?
a) Annie Besant
b) Sarojini Naidu
c) Rani Lakshmibai
d) Kamala Nehru
Answer: c) Rani Lakshmibai
6. Which Indian leader is also known as "Netaji"?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Subhas Chandra Bose
d) Bhagat Singh
Answer: c) Subhas Chandra Bose
7. Who wrote the famous book "Discovery of India"?
a) Rabindranath Tagore
b) Mahatma Gandhi
c) B.R. Ambedkar
d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: d) Jawaharlal Nehru
8. Who was the President of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Indian Constitution?
a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
b) C. Rajagopalachari
c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
9. Who was the first woman Prime Minister of India?
a) Sarojini Naidu
b) Indira Gandhi
c) Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
d) Annie Besant
Answer: b) Indira Gandhi
10. Who led the Dandi March, a significant event in the Indian independence movement?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Subhas Chandra Bose
d) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Answer: a) Mahatma Gandhi
