Slogans of Freedom Fighters: Famous Slogans, History, Meaning and Significance

For the India’s freedom struggle, slogans of the freedom fighters also became an integral part apart from movements, agitations, sacrifices, and political campaigns. These slogans were short, emotional and easy to explain and helped in to explaining complex political notions like Swaraj, revolution, sacrifice, unity, and independence to the common people in an easy language. There are several slogans like “Vande Mataram”, “Inquilab Zindabad”, “Do or Die”, “Give me blood and I shall give you freedom” emerged during the different stages of the National Movement.

What Were the Slogans of Freedom Fighters?

Slogans were political as well as patriotic statements that served as a way to motivate people and make them aware. In the Indian freedom struggle, slogans were extensively used in public meetings, demonstration, newspapers, political movements and revolutionary movements.

Apart from being words of inspiration and motivation, these slogans had much more significance. They could convey the message of the whole political aim in very few words.

Background of Historical Freedom Struggle Slogans

It was during the major periods of freedom movement when slogans having nationalistic appeal gained popularity.

In the Swadeshi movement that followed the partition of Bengal in 1905, slogans praising home products and the idea of boycotting foreign products gained popularity. In addition to these movements, the Home Rule Movement, Non Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement also witnessed the use of such slogans.

In the 1920s and 1930s, slogans were used by revolutionary groups to oppose colonialism and motivate the youth to make sacrifices for India’s freedom.

Notable Slogans Used By The Indian Freedom Strugglers

“Do or Die” – Mahatma Gandhi

• The call “Do or Die” was made by Mahatma Gandhi during the Quit India Movement in the month of August, 1942. This is because it shows the resolve of the national movement to gain freedom and not accept continued foreign domination.
• The slogan was used by Mahatma Gandhi in the context of mass upsurge of the Quit India Movement.

“Give Me Blood and I Shall Give You Freedom” – Subhas Chandra Bose

• The slogan “Give Me Blood and I Shall Give You Freedom” was used by Subhas Chandra Bose to rally Indians to fight for the Indian National Army (INA).
• This shows the emphasis that Subhas Chandra Bose laid on sacrifice and armed struggle for gaining freedom from foreign dominators.

“Inquilab Zindabad” – Bhagat Singh & Hasrat Mohani

• “Inquilab Zindabad” means “Long Live the Revolution”.
• The slogan was coined by Maulana Hasrat Mohani and was later made popular by Bhagat Singh and his associates as the most prominent slogan of revolutionary nationalism.

“Jai Hind” – Subhas Chandra Bose and INA

• “Jai Hind” was used prominently by Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army (INA). It became one of the most popular slogans of patriotism in India.

“Swaraj Is My Birthright and I Shall Have It” – Bal Gangadhar Tilak

• The well-known slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” became closely linked with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and indicated the demand for self-rule.
• It marked the shift from the early form of nationalism to a more aggressive one.

“Simon Go Back” – Anti-Simon Commission Movement

• “Simon Go Back” became a popular slogan during the movement against the Simon Commission, which came to India in 1928 without a single Indian member.
• It indicated protest against the framing of constitutional reforms without sufficient participation of Indians.

“Vande Mataram” – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay

• “Vande Mataram” was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and included in his novel Anandamath.
• It became the symbol of Indian nationalism, especially during the Swadeshi Movement. Nowadays, it is considered the National Song of India.

“Aaram Haram Hai” – Jawaharlal Nehru

• “Aaram Haram Hai” (rest is not allowed when there is work to be done) became a slogan of Jawaharlal Nehru’s idea of national service and laborious work.

Freedom Fighter Slogans and Their Classification

The slogans used by the freedom fighters had varied ideologies and phases of India’s freedom movement.

Revolutionary Nationalist Slogans

• Here the slogans used emphasized revolution, defiance, and sacrifice. “Inquilab Zindabad” was one major slogan of this type.

Non-Violent Mobilization of the Masses

• The Gandhi-led movements made use of slogans that would be able to mobilize masses towards non-violence. “Do or Die” became one very significant slogan during the Quit India Movement.

National Unity and Identity

• Slogans like “Jai Hind” and “Vande Mataram” helped in establishing unity in terms of emotions and culture among the national movement.

Political Freedom and Self-Rule

• “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” was a political slogan for Indian self-rule.

Slogans of Freedom Fighters: Full List

Sr. No	Freedom Fighter	Slogan/Quote
1	Mahatma Gandhi	Do or Die Satyameva Jayate Ahimsa Parmo Dharma Sarvodaya My Life is My Message
2	Subhas Chandra Bose	Give Me Blood and I Shall Give You Freedom Jai Hind Dilli Chalo It is Blood Alone That Can Avenge the Blood We Shall Not Rest Until Delhi Is Ours
3	Bhagat Singh Inquilab Zindabad	Down With Imperialism; Revolution is an Inalienable Right The Sword of Revolution is Sharpened on the Whetting-Stone of Ideas
4	Chandra Shekhar Azad	We Will Face Bullets but Will Not Bow I Will Never Be Captured Alive
5	Ram Prasad Bismil	Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna Ab Hamare Dil Mein Hai Hum Desh Ke Liye Marenge
6	Ashfaqulla Khan	Our Blood Will Bring Freedom One Day
7	Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel	Work is Worship Forget Self for the Nation
8	Bal Gangadhar Tilak	Swaraj is My Birthright and I Shall Have It Freedom is Life
9	Lala Lajpat Rai	Simon Go Back Every Blow on My Body Will Break the Chains of Slavery
10	Bipin Chandra Pal	We Shall Be Free Not Because We Claim Freedom, but Because We Practice It The Meaning of Nationalism Is Not That One Nation Is Against Another but That Every Nation Is for Itself
11	Gopal Krishna Gokhale	What Bengal Thinks Today India Thinks Tomorrow
12	Jawaharlal Nehru	Aaram Haram Hai Unity is the Greatest Strength The Light Has Gone Out of Our Lives
13	Rabindranath Tagore	Jana Gana Mana Amar Sonar Bangla
14	Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay	Vande Mataram
15	Sri Aurobindo	India Will Rise, India Will Be Great Swaraj We Must Have
16	Annie Besant	Better Remain Silent Better Not Even Think If You Are Not Prepared to Act
17	Maulana Abul Kalam Azad	Unity is the Strength of India Hindustan is One Nation
18	Hasrat Mohani	Inquilab Zindabad
19	Mangal Pandey	Maaro Firangi Ko
20	Rani Lakshmibai	Main Apni Jhansi Nahi Doongi
21	Tatya Tope	Desh Ke Liye Ladna Hai
22	Kunwar Singh Chalo	Dilli Angrezi Hatao
23	Bhikaji Cama	Vande Mataram
24	Sukhdev Thapar	Freedom Demands Courage
25	Udham Singh	I Will Avenge Jallianwala Bagh
26	Matangini Hazra	Vande Mataram
27	Sarojini Naidu	Rise for Freedom
28	Birsa Munda	Abua Dishum, Abua Raj (Our Land, Our Rule)
29	C. Rajagopalachari	Peace Leads to Freedom
30	Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan	There is Nothing Greater than Peace
31	Vinayak Damodar Savarkar	Independence is Never Given, It is Always Taken Better to Die Fighting for Freedom Than Be a Prisoner All the Days of Your Life An Educated Mind is the Greatest Weapon in the Struggle for Freedom
32	Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya	India is for Indians Let Education Build the Nation
33	Mahatma Jyotiba Phule	Education is the Greatest Weapon to Eradicate Social Evils There Cannot Be a Nation Worth the Name Until and Unless All the People of the Land Become Truly Educated
34	Dr. B. R. Ambedkar	Educate, Agitate, Organise Freedom of Mind is Real Freedom
35	Alluri Sitarama Raju	Fight Till Your Last Breath
36	Velu Nachiyar	Victory to My Land
37	Tiruppur Kumaran	Do Not Drop the National Flag
38	Jatin Das	Death is Preferable to Surrender
39	Aruna Asaf Ali	March Forward With Courage
40	Durgawati Devi (Durga Bhabhi)	The Fight Must Continue
41	Tantia Bhil	We Shall Not Submit
42	Lakshmi Sahgal (INA)	March to Freedom
43	Captain Lakshmi (Azad Hind Fauj)	Women Will Fight for Freedom
44	Jhalkari Bai	Jhansi Will Never Fall
45	Chakali Ilamma	We Will Resist Oppression
46	Peer Ali Khan	We Shall Not Live as Slaves
47	Kanaklata Barua	Do Not Move, I Will Carry the Flag
48	Thakkar Bapa	Serve the Poor, Serve the Nation
49	Syama Prasad Mukherjee	Whatever Work You Undertake, Do It Seriously, Thoroughly and Well Political and Social Justice Requires Equality of Opportunity for All
50	V. O. Chidambaram Pillai	Freedom Through Swadeshi
51	Lokenath Bal	Take Up Arms for Freedom
52	Benoy-Badal-Dinesh	Death Before Dishonour
53	Pritilata Waddedar	Down With Imperialism
54	Veerapandiya Kattabomman	We Shall Never Bow to the British