FREEDOM HEROES A NATION DOESN’T REMEMBER

Samudra Roy Chowdhury is a software engineer by profession and a passionate history enthusiast in his free time.

He has contributed numerous articles and features to India-based publications, blending his love for coding, gardening, cinema, and Indian history into a unique writing perspective. He actively shares his insights through his social media platforms and blogs under the banner IndicVoices.

Patriots, Plots, and Peril is his debut novel. While delving into the history of India’s freedom struggle during World War I, he was deeply saddened to find that many key revolutionary movements and events remain absent from Indian school curricula and popular media discourse. Although scholarly material exists in non-fiction form – some of which he has listed at the end of this book – it has not reached the wider audience in India as effectively as other aspects of the independence movement.

Determined to bridge this gap, Roy Chowdhury took a novel approach: combining historical accuracy with dramatized storytelling. By weaving minor fictional elements into real historical events, he brings the struggles, aspirations, and sacrifices of India’s unsung heroes to life, ensuring their stories resonate with modern readers.

Patriots, Plots, and Peril by uncovers the daring journey of Indian revolutionaries during the country’s struggle for independence.

Set against the backdrop of World War I, this historical fiction weaves a narrative of bravery, intricate conspiracies, and clandestine operations as these freedom fighters rise against the British Empire.

The story begins in June 1915, a year after the Great War erupts. At its center is Jatin Mukherjee, a leader of remarkable resolve. From this starting point, the novel delves into the past, recounting key events beginning in January 1910. The first section introduces readers to other revolutionaries and the relentless efforts of British officials, such as Charles Tegart, to dismantle the independence movement.

As the narrative progresses, the focus shifts to Jatin’s emissaries forging covert alliances with German officials in Europe and America in their mission is to secure arms for the impending revolution. Readers are drawn into bold schemes, including an audacious arms heist in Calcutta and a British intelligence operation targeting a high-profile Indian figure in Berlin. Meanwhile, a Czech refugee fleeing war-torn Europe arrives in New York and joins a counter-espionage team led by Emmanuel Victor Voska. This young man, initially driven by the Allied cause, emerges as a critical player in thwarting the Indo-German plot in the later chapters.

The story builds toward an army insurrection, a pivotal moment in the revolutionary plan. When delays in the arms shipment force Jatin and his key compatriot Rashbehari Bose to act earlier than anticipated, the action intensifies in the streets of Benares and Lahore. As British intelligence closes in, the insurrection unfolds on February 19, 1915, marked by extraordinary acts of bravery and sacrifice.

A complex web of international intrigue emerges as the revolutionaries’ plans intersect with Voska’s counter-espionage network. Arms shipments traverse perilous routes, spanning San Diego, a Mexican port city, and a Pacific island. Meanwhile, Jatin prepares for a decisive battle, coordinating operations as arms are expected to arrive along the coastline of Bay of Bengal. Amid these efforts, he sends a trusted emissary to Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) to finalize logistics for a critical shipment via Southeast Asia. Relentless police pressure forces Jatin to relocate to Balasore, Orissa, the site of one of the arms drop points and where the story began.

As British intelligence chases Jatin’s network across continents – from Batavia to Berlin, Manila to New York – the Czech operative makes his pivotal move. The climax unfolds in the dense jungles of Orissa, where Charles Tegart confronts his long-standing adversary in an epic battle that blends trench warfare with intimate human drama.

Blending well-researched historical events with imaginative dramatization, Patriots, Plots, and Peril offers a nuanced exploration of India’s freedom struggle. Roy Chowdhury’s careful balance of fact and fiction, as noted in the book’s end, ensures a rewarding experience for readers.

This compelling tale of revolutionaries and their global fight for independence will captivate history enthusiasts and lovers of action-packed narratives alike.