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Capt. Rambhau Lad

(1922 – 2022) – (Maharashtra)

Ramchandra Sripati Lad, also known as Captain Rambhau Lad, was born on June 22, 1922, in Satara District, Maharashtra, India. He stands as one of the unsung heroes of India’s struggle for independence. Captain Rambhau gained renown for his pivotal role within the Nana Patil-led Satara parallel government, known as the Prati Sarkar, which openly challenged British rule from August 1943 to May 1946.

Rambhau served as the chief of operations in the Toofan Sena (Typhoon Army), the armed revolutionary wing that supported the Prati Sarkar in controlling approximately 600 villages in Satara. He headed a residential center where he provided training to young freedom fighters, empowering them to carry forward the movement in their respective villages. Collaborating with courageous leaders such as Ganapati Dada Lad and Nagnath Naikwadi, Rambhau displayed unwavering bravery in numerous operations against the British authorities. One daring incident occurred on June 7, 1943, when Rambhau and other Sena members ambushed the Pune-Miraj train, which was carrying the salaries of British officials, at Shenoli. They seized the money to raise funds for the Prati Sarkar. In 1944, he was arrested, along with 14 other freedom fighters, in Karad, and they were incarcerated.

Rambhau, beloved by the people of Satara, played an instrumental role in spreading organized resistance against British rule in western Maharashtra. He passed away on February 6, 2022, in Kundal, Sangli.