Burning for Freedom by Anurupa Cinar tells the life story of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (May 28, 1883-February 26, 1966). Savarkar, a Brahmin Hindu, was a key freedom fighter who helped liberate India from being under British rule. He is responsible for creating a secret revolutionary society known as Abhinav 
Bharat whose influence spreads throughout India. Savarkar’s efforts caused him to be imprisoned by the British for many years at the brutal Cellular Jail. During his time spent there Savarkar was treated inhumanely, like many of the other political prisoners who were also imprisoned there.
Refusing to be beaten down and give up on India gaining her freedom, Savarkar could not be defeated. He felt that while India was under the rule of the British Empire, his people were enslaved because they had no constitution or rights with which they could be protected.
While fighting for the rights of the Hindus Savarkar felt that Gandhi showed more compassion and interest in protecting the rights of the Muslims. Gandhi’s ineffectual efforts in trying to shame the British government into giving the Hindus their freedom worked against them. It galled Savarkar that Indians were expected to meekly accept being enslaved by the British. Hindu scriptures say, “Nonviolence is the highest principle, and so is violence in defense of the righteous.” It appears that Gandhi only focused on the first part, and not the second.
After being released from Cellular, Savarkar’s rights were very limited and the government still tried to control him. He managed to have a family and remain in close contact with those who shared his beliefs. After his ill treatment while imprisoned, he never was fully able to regain his health. When Gandhi was assassinated, a physically-weakened Savarkar was implicated and once again imprisoned, only this time under a free India. Released after a period of time due to lack of evidence, he was able to live his life until old age.
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