Gandhian scholar tells the tale of an underground radio station started by Ushaben and her students in 1942

Police using tear gas during the AICC meeting in August 1942. Pics Courtesy/Congress Radio and Penguin Viking

It was 1942, and the smell of freedom was in the air. From Girgaum Chowpatty to August Kranti Maidan, Bombay then was a hotbed for meetings, demonstrations and rallies to mobilise the masses against the British. In August, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) launched the Quit India Movement, issuing the clarion call for "do or die". With the dream of independence in her eyes, Usha Mehta, a 22-year-old student, along with her colleagues, set up an underground radio station. Their aim: keep the public informed about the freedom movement and guide Indians on the path to independence.

From Walkeshwar to Mulund, the Congress Radio shifted bases frequently, relaying the news of protests, crackdowns, speeches and appeals. "This is the Congress Radio calling on 42.34 metres from somewhere in India" - their voice boomed on a ghost transmitter, turning them into the voice of the movement, till their arrest in November that year. Now, this untold story will unfold in Gandhian scholar Usha Thakkar's upcoming book, Congress Radio: Usha Mehta and the Underground Radio Station of 1942 (Penguin Viking). Ahead of its launch, Thakkar, president, Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya, opens up about her guru Ushaben - as Mehta was fondly known - and how this inspiring story is a lesson in dreaming big.

Usha Thakkar at Mani Bhavan. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Tell us about your associ-ation with Ushaben. What about the Congress Radio appealed to you the most?
It dates back to 1965-66 when I moved to Mumbai, and was pursuing my PhD. We developed a great bond. I'd urge her to write about Congress Radio, and she'd just say, ‘I did what I had to. What's there to write?'. She'd talk fondly about her partners - Vithaldas alias Babubhai Madhavji Khakar, Vithalbhai Kanthadbhai Jhaveri, Chandrakant Babubhai Jhaveri and Nanak Gainchand Motwane. As a professor, I was curious to know the details, so I'd make notes. Then, one day, she gave me a bundle of papers related to the matter. They had survived since 1942; the amber in them was still glowing. That's when I decided to write the book. I think this is a thrilling story - there's adventure, idealism, mystery and romanticism.

A young Ushaben became the voice of resistance, braving arrest, a trial and an imperialist government. What prompted her to start Congress Radio?
It was a long-drawn process. Ushaben met Gandhi at a young age, promised to wear khadi all her life, attended camps as a young girl, and grew up with brothers who were associated with the movement. Once I asked her, ‘Ushaben, what made you jump into the movement?' and she said, ‘There was no other way. Gandhi ki aandhi thi'. Gandhi was like a storm, and people like her were sucked in. Also, at the time, the students realised that ‘education can wait, but not the freedom'. That passion, coupled with the fervour for nationalism, moved her. Of course, they also garnered support from big leaders.

A young Usha Mehta

The book also paints an inspiring picture of student politics in Bombay at the time, which is missing today. What are your thoughts on this change?
See, today, the collective environment is of a consumerist culture - of studying and earning money. Also, there are no role models for the youth. In Ushaben's days, they had leaders like Gandhi, Vallabhbhai Patel and Ram Manohar Lohia. There were also her professors at Wilson College who urged the students to attend public meetings, instead of sitting in the classroom. So, teachers too played a role.

What are your aspirations for the book?
This is my tribute to Ushaben, my guru. But it's also a message for the young generation: recognise the power of dreams, which can be achieved through arduous efforts and determination. Ushaben always had faith in the youth. This story stands for values of selfless love for the nation, freedom of speech and expression, and human rights - that are crucial in today's age.