‘Abinava Bharat’ a secret society of revolutionaries was organised by

1. Rise of Revolutionary Militancy (1907-1917) (basic)

Welcome! Today we begin our journey into the first phase of Revolutionary Militancy in India, which spanned roughly from 1907 to 1917. To understand this movement, we must first look at why it emerged. Following the Partition of Bengal (1905), many young nationalists felt that the Moderate methods of 'prayer and petition' and the Extremist methods of passive resistance were not yielding results fast enough. Faced with brutal government repression, these youths turned to individual heroic actions—a strategy inspired by Irish nationalists and Russian nihilists. Their goal was not a mass-based struggle yet, but rather to assassinate unpopular British officials to strike terror into the hearts of the rulers and inspire the Indian people to cast off the yoke of colonial rule Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p. 292.

In Maharashtra, the movement found its roots even earlier. It began with the Ramosi Peasant Force (1879) and was further energized by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who used festivals like Ganapati and Shivaji to propagate militant ideas. A pivotal moment occurred in 1897 when the Chapekar brothers assassinated Rand, the much-hated Plague Commissioner of Poona. However, the most organized effort came from Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. In 1899, he and his brother Ganesh Savarkar organized a secret society called Mitra Mela, which eventually merged into a larger, more structured organization known as Abhinav Bharat in 1904 Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p. 286. This group established networks across Poona, Bombay, and Nasik, culminating in the 1909 assassination of District Magistrate Jackson.

Meanwhile, in Bengal, revolutionary activity was deeply interconnected with the literary and spiritual revival of the era. The first major secret society, the Anushilan Samiti, was formed in 1902 in Midnapore and Calcutta by figures like Jatindranath Banerjee and Barindra Kumar Ghosh History Class XII (Tamilnadu State Board), Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement, p. 23. These groups used newspapers like Yugantar and Sandhya to advocate for revolutionary terrorism. By 1908, the movement had escalated to bomb-making at Maniktala and the famous attempt by Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki to murder Magistrate Kingsford in Muzaffarpur, which led to the landmark Alipore Conspiracy Case involving Aurobindo Ghosh Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p. 292.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13: First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917), p.286, 292; History Class XII (Tamilnadu State Board 2024 ed.), Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement, p.23

2. The Bengal School: Anushilan Samiti and Yugantar (intermediate)

In the early 20th century, the disappointment with the slow pace of Moderate politics and the trauma of the 1905 Partition of Bengal gave birth to a more radical form of resistance. The Bengal School of Revolutionary Terrorism (as historical texts often term it) wasn't just about violence; it was rooted in the concept of Anushilan—the idea of all-round physical, mental, and spiritual development derived from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s writings. The first organized revolutionary groups emerged in 1902, with the Anushilan Samiti being the most prominent. Founded in Calcutta by Promotha Mitter, and supported by figures like Jatindranath Banerjee and Barindra Kumar Ghosh, these groups initially focused on physical training and moral building through akhadas (gymnasiums) Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p. 283.

By 1906, a more radical inner circle emerged within the Samiti, led by Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Bhupendranath Datta. They started the weekly Yugantar, which openly preached the gospel of revolutionary violence to end British rule. This marked a shift from mere physical culture to "Propaganda by Deed"—the belief that individual heroic acts, such as assassinating unpopular British officials, would strike terror into the hearts of the rulers and inspire the masses Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p. 292. While the Calcutta Samiti remained the spiritual hub, the Dacca Anushilan Samiti, founded by Pulin Behari Das, became a powerhouse of underground activities in East Bengal History, Class XII (Tamilnadu State Board), Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement, p. 28.

The movement reached a fever pitch with the Alipore Bomb Case (1908). Following a failed attempt by Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki to assassinate Magistrate Kingsford in Muzaffarpur, the police raided a garden in Manicktala. This led to the arrest of Aurobindo Ghosh and his brother Barindra. Though Aurobindo was eventually acquitted thanks to the brilliant defense of Chittaranjan Das, the trial immortalized the Samiti’s members as martyrs for the cause of Indian independence History, Class XII (Tamilnadu State Board), Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement, p. 23.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13: First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917), p.283, 292; History, Class XII (Tamilnadu State Board), Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement, p.23, 28

3. Militant Roots in Maharashtra: Tilak and Chapekar Brothers (intermediate)

The revolutionary movement in India didn't emerge in a vacuum; its spiritual and political cradle was Maharashtra. Long before the organized secret societies of the 20th century, the seeds were sown by Vasudev Balwant Phadke, who organized the Ramosi Peasant Force in 1879 to overthrow British rule through an armed rebellion Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Chapter 13, p. 292. Though Phadke was captured, he left behind a legacy of using militant means to address administrative oppression.

In the 1890s, the focus shifted from tribal rebellion to an intellectual and cultural awakening led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Tilak realized that to fight a colonial giant, he needed to mobilize the youth and instill a sense of national pride. He did this by repurposing traditional symbols into political tools:

• Ganapati Festivals (1893): Transformed a private religious observation into a public platform for anti-British propaganda.
• Shivaji Festivals (1895): Invoked the memory of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to inspire courage and a warrior spirit among the Maharashtrian youth Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Chapter 13, p. 292.

The turning point from rhetoric to action occurred in 1897 during the Poona Plague. The British administration's response, led by the Plague Committee Chairman W.C. Rand, was seen as tyrannical and insensitive to Indian cultural sentiments. In retaliation, the Chapekar brothers (Damodar and Balkrishna) assassinated Rand and Lieutenant Ayerst Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Development of Indian Press, p. 561. This act of individual heroism was a protest against colonial high-handedness. The government used this incident to crack down on the militant press, arresting Tilak for his writings in Kesari, specifically for a poem titled 'Shivaji’s Utterances' which was interpreted as an incitement to violence Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Development of Indian Press, p. 561.

Sources: Spectrum: A Brief History of Modern India, First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917), p.292; Spectrum: A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.561

4. Revolutionary Organizations Abroad: India House and Ghadar (intermediate)

Why did Indian revolutionaries move their operations to London, Paris, and San Francisco? By 1905, British repression in India made secret societies difficult to sustain. Abroad, revolutionaries could access arms, publish literature without censorship, and build international support for India’s independence. This global network was not just a support system; it became a second front in the war against colonial rule.

India House (London): The First Overseas Hub

In 1905, Shyamji Krishnavarma founded the Indian Home Rule Society and established 'India House' in London as a residence for Indian students. It served as a radical nursery for future leaders like V.D. Savarkar and Lala Hardayal Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p.288. They published a journal called The Indian Sociologist to propagate anti-colonial ideas. The atmosphere grew intensely militant, culminating in 1909 when Madan Lal Dhingra assassinated Curzon-Wyllie, a high-ranking British official. Following the subsequent crackdown and Savarkar’s arrest, the center of gravity shifted to continental Europe.

The Continental Network: Paris and Berlin

Madam Bhikaji Cama, often called the 'Mother of the Indian Revolution,' operated from Paris and Geneva. She published the journal Bande Mataram and famously unfurled the first version of the Indian national flag at the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart Modern India, Bipin Chandra, Nationalist Movement 1905—1918, p.258. During World War I, the Berlin Committee for Indian Independence was formed by Virendranath Chattopadhyay, seeking German help to overthrow British rule through what became known as the 'Zimmermann Plan' or the 'German Plot'.

The Ghadar Movement: Revolution from North America

In North America, the Ghadar Party (formed in 1913) represented a more secular, mass-based revolutionary effort, largely organized by Punjabi immigrants. Based in San Francisco at the Yugantar Ashram, its weekly paper, The Ghadr, carried the masthead: "Wanted—Brave soldiers to stir up Rebellion in India" Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p.293.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), Chapter 13: First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917), p.288, 292, 293; Modern India (Bipin Chandra, Old NCERT), Nationalist Movement 1905—1918, p.258

5. The Second Phase: HRA, HSRA and Socialist Ideology (intermediate)

The second phase of the revolutionary movement in India emerged as a direct response to the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922. Young nationalists, feeling disillusioned by the sudden halt of mass struggle, began searching for more radical ways to achieve independence. This led to the formation of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) in October 1924 at Kanpur, founded by veterans like Ramprasad Bismil, Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, and Sachin Sanyal. Their vision was remarkably progressive for the time: they aimed to establish a "Federal Republic of United States of India" through an armed revolution based on adult franchise Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Chapter 15, p.349. Following the Kakori robbery setback in 1925, where many top leaders were executed or imprisoned, a new generation of revolutionaries emerged. Under the leadership of Chandra Shekhar Azad and the intellectual influence of Bhagat Singh, the organization was reorganized at Delhi's Ferozshah Kotla ruins in September 1928. It was renamed the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). This wasn't just a name change; it marked a profound ideological shift. Influenced by the Russian Revolution and Marxist-Leninist thought, the HSRA officially adopted socialism as its goal, moving beyond simple anti-colonialism to a vision of ending the "exploitation of man by man" Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Chapter 15, p.350. Unlike the first phase, which focused on individual assassinations of unpopular officials, the HSRA emphasized collective leadership and mass mobilization. Even their most famous violent acts were designed as political statements. For instance, when Bhagat Singh and Batukeswar Dutt threw smoke bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly in 1929, they chose a moment when the "Public Safety Bill" and "Trade Dispute Bill" were being discussed. Their goal was not to kill, but as their leaflets stated, "to make the deaf hear" and use the subsequent court trials as a platform to spread their socialist and nationalist message NCERT Class X, Nationalism in India, p.41.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Emergence of Swarajists, Socialist Ideas, Revolutionary Activities and Other New Forces, p.349-350; NCERT Class X, Nationalism in India, p.41

6. The Genesis: Mitra Mela (1899) (exam-level)

To understand the rise of revolutionary nationalism in India, we must look at Maharashtra in the late 1890s. While leaders like Tilak were using public festivals to stir patriotism, a more radical undercurrent was forming in the shadows. In 1899, the Savarkar brothers—Vinayak Damodar (V.D.) and Ganesh (Babarao)—organized a secret society known as the Mitra Mela in Nasik Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. Chapter 13, p.286. At its inception, it functioned as a nursery for revolutionary ideas, focusing on individual heroic actions to strike terror into the hearts of British officials and arouse the masses.

The significance of Mitra Mela lies in its evolution. It wasn't just a local group; it was the seed of a much larger network. In 1904, the society expanded and was renamed Abhinav Bharat (literally 'Young India'), modeled after Giuseppe Mazzini’s 'Young Italy' Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. Chapter 13, p.286. This shift marked a transition from a local gathering to a structured revolutionary organization with branches in Nasik, Poona, and Bombay. The ideology was clear: they believed in the necessity of violent struggle and the use of force to expel the British, drawing inspiration from Irish nationalists and Russian nihilists.

The activities of this group eventually led to major crackdowns by the British. The Nasik Conspiracy Case followed the 1909 assassination of Jackson, who was the Collector of Nasik Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. Chapter 13, p.286. This event proved that the 'Mela' had grown into a formidable underground force, making Maharashtra a primary center for the first phase of revolutionary activities in India.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India (SPECTRUM), Chapter 13: First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917), p.286

7. Abhinav Bharat: Structure and Impact (exam-level)

The story of Abhinav Bharat begins not as a new entity, but as an evolution of the Mitra Mela, a secret society founded by Vinayak Damodar (V.D.) Savarkar and his brother Ganesh Savarkar in 1899 at Nasik Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p.286. By 1904, inspired by the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini’s 'Young Italy,' the group was renamed Abhinav Bharat (Young India Society). This transition marked a shift toward more organized, militant resistance against British rule, moving beyond local gatherings to establish a network of secret cells across Nasik, Poona, and Bombay. The impact of Abhinav Bharat was felt through its advocacy of revolutionary terrorism—a strategy involving the assassination of unpopular British officials to strike terror into the hearts of the colonial administration and embolden the Indian public. Unlike the later mass movements led by Gandhi, this was based on individual heroic actions, drawing parallels with Russian nihilists and Irish nationalists Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 13, p.292. These secret societies became hubs for ideological indoctrination and the manufacture of bombs, creating a persistent security challenge for the British Raj in Western India. The most significant operational strike by the group occurred in 1909, when Anant Lakshman Kanhere, a member of Abhinav Bharat, assassinated A.M.T. Jackson, the Collector of Nasik. Jackson was a well-known Indologist, but his role as a representative of the British state made him a target. This event led to the Nasik Conspiracy Case, resulting in a severe crackdown by the British, the arrest of the Savarkar brothers, and the eventual suppression of the organization’s immediate network, though its ideological influence persisted for decades.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917), p.286; A Brief History of Modern India, First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917), p.292

8. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Now that you have explored the rise of militant nationalism, you can see how the movement transitioned from public agitation to secret societies. This question tests your ability to map specific revolutionary organizations to their founding leaders and geographical origins. In the late 1890s, the revolutionary spirit in Maharashtra evolved from the cultural festivals of Tilak into organized underground groups. The key building block here is the evolution of the Mitra Mela, a small group started in 1899, which was eventually renamed and reorganized as Abhinav Bharat (Young India) in 1904, drawing inspiration from Mazzini’s 'Young Italy'. According to A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), this organization became the nucleus of revolutionary activity in Nasik, Poona, and Bombay.

To arrive at the correct answer, you must distinguish between the different geographical "streams" of the revolutionary movement. V. D. Savarkar is the definitive architect of the Maharashtrian revolutionary strand. When you see Abhinav Bharat, your mind should immediately link it to the Savarkar brothers and the 1909 Nasik Conspiracy Case. UPSC often uses chronological and regional distractors to test your precision. Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki are associated with the Bengal stream and the 1908 Muzaffarpur bombing, while Bhagat Singh belongs to the second phase of revolutionary activism in the 1920s with the HSRA. Therefore, by isolating the leader responsible for the 1904 Maharashtrian society, we identify (B) V. D. Savarkar as the correct choice.