Class 10 Social Science History Chapter 4 — Indian Freedom Movement and National Awakening in Assam
Welcome to HSLC Guru! This chapter explores Assam’s glorious contribution to the Indian Freedom Movement and the parallel rise of national awakening through literature, language and student organisations. From the Non-Cooperation Movement led by stalwarts like Tarun Ram Phukan to the supreme sacrifice of Kanaklata Barua during the Quit India Movement, Assam wrote its name in golden letters in the history of India’s freedom struggle. This complete ASSEB-aligned guide presents a clear summary, textbook question-answers, additional MCQs, fill-in-the-blanks, true/false exercises and a glossary to help Class 10 students master the chapter.
Chapter Summary
The Indian National Congress (INC), founded in 1885, became the principal platform for India’s freedom struggle. Assam too was deeply influenced by the political activities of the INC. Assamese leaders attended Congress sessions from an early stage, and two important sessions of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) were held in Assam — at Tezpur in 1921 and at Guwahati in 1926. The Guwahati session, presided over by Srinivasa Iyengar, gave a fresh impetus to the freedom movement in the province. The political awakening in Assam grew side by side with national awakening, and the people of Assam responded enthusiastically to every call given by Mahatma Gandhi.
The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22) spread rapidly in Assam under the leadership of Tarun Ram Phukan, Nabin Chandra Bordoloi and Kuladhar Chaliha. Schools and colleges were boycotted, foreign clothes were burnt and law courts were avoided. The labourers of Chargola Valley tea gardens left the gardens in thousands as part of the famous Chargola Exodus. The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–34), launched with the Salt Satyagraha, was equally widespread in Assam. Salt was prepared symbolically at places like Sibsagar, Dhubri and Guwahati. Liquor and opium shops were picketed, and women came out in large numbers, marking the beginning of women’s participation in the freedom struggle in Assam.
The Quit India Movement of 1942 witnessed the highest peak of revolutionary activity in Assam. On 20 September 1942, the brave young girl Kanaklata Barua was shot dead at Gohpur while trying to hoist the national flag at the police station; Mukunda Kakati too fell to police bullets on the same day. Bhogeswari Phukanani attained martyrdom at Berhampur in Nagaon, and the school-girl Tileswari Barua was killed at Dhekiajuli. Kushal Konwar, a Congress leader, was hanged on 15 June 1943 in connection with the Sarupathar train derailment case, becoming the only Indian to be hanged during the Quit India Movement. The Provincial Congress of Assam, the Asom Chhatra Sanmilan (founded 1916) and various local committees mobilised the masses across the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys.
Side by side with the political struggle, a strong cultural and literary awakening took place in Assam. The Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha, founded by Assamese students in Calcutta in 1888, began publishing the magazine Jonaki in 1889, which inaugurated the Romantic era in Assamese literature. Hem Chandra Goswami, Lakshminath Bezbaroa and Chandra Kumar Agarwala — the famous “Trimurti” of Jonaki — gave new direction to Assamese language, literature and cultural identity. Sarbananda Sinha, an outstanding scholar from Sylhet/Cachar, and Madhab Chandra Bezbarua, a fearless journalist, played notable roles in spreading patriotic ideas and educational reform. Through their writings and organisations, the Assamese people developed a strong sense of nationality which fused beautifully with the wider Indian freedom movement.
Textbook Questions and Answers
A. Very Short Answer Type Questions (1 Mark)
Q1. When was the Indian National Congress founded?
Answer: The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885.
Q2. Where and when was the first session of the AICC held in Assam?
Answer: The first AICC session in Assam was held at Tezpur in 1921.
Q3. Who is known as the “Lion of Assam” (Asom Kesari)?
Answer: Tarun Ram Phukan is known as the “Lion of Assam” (Asom Kesari).
Q4. When and where was Kanaklata Barua martyred?
Answer: Kanaklata Barua was martyred on 20 September 1942 at the Gohpur Police Station in Sonitpur district.
Q5. Who was the only Indian hanged during the Quit India Movement?
Answer: Kushal Konwar was the only Indian hanged during the Quit India Movement (15 June 1943).
Q6. When was the Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha founded?
Answer: The Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha was founded in 1888 in Calcutta.
Q7. Name the magazine published by the Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha.
Answer: The magazine was named Jonaki, first published in February 1889.
Q8. When was the Asom Chhatra Sanmilan founded?
Answer: The Asom Chhatra Sanmilan was founded in 1916.
Q9. Name the school-girl martyr of Dhekiajuli.
Answer: Tileswari Barua, a 12-year-old school-girl, was martyred at Dhekiajuli on 20 September 1942.
Q10. Who presided over the Guwahati session of the INC in 1926?
Answer: Srinivasa Iyengar presided over the Guwahati session of the Indian National Congress in 1926.
B. Short Answer Type Questions (2–3 Marks)
Q1. Mention the contribution of Tarun Ram Phukan to the freedom movement in Assam.
Answer: Tarun Ram Phukan, popularly known as the “Lion of Assam”, was the first prominent Congress leader of Assam. He led the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22) in the province, gave up his lucrative legal practice and toured the entire valley to organise meetings, picketing of liquor shops and boycott of foreign clothes. He was elected President of the Assam Provincial Congress and inspired countless youths to join the freedom struggle. His leadership made the Congress a mass organisation in Assam.
Q2. What was the Chargola Exodus?
Answer: The Chargola Exodus of May 1921 was a unique event of the Non-Cooperation Movement in which thousands of tea-garden labourers of the Chargola Valley in Karimganj left the gardens en masse, refusing to work under inhuman conditions. Inspired by Gandhi’s call, they marched homeward shouting “Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai”. British troops fired on them at the Chandpur railway station, killing many. It became a symbol of the awakening of the toiling masses of Assam.
Q3. Briefly describe the Salt Satyagraha as it was carried on in Assam.
Answer: Following Gandhi’s Dandi March of April 1930, the people of Assam observed the Salt Satyagraha by symbolically preparing salt at Sibsagar, Dhubri, Guwahati and other places. Volunteers of the Provincial Congress led processions, picketed liquor and foreign-cloth shops and courted arrest. Women came out in large numbers for the first time, organising under Chandraprabha Saikiani, Pushpalata Das and others. The British government replied with mass arrests and lathi-charges, but the movement continued till 1934.
Q4. Write a short note on Kanaklata Barua.
Answer: Kanaklata Barua (born 1924) of Borangabari village in Gohpur was a 17-year-old volunteer of the Mrityu Bahini (Death Squad) during the Quit India Movement. On 20 September 1942, leading an unarmed procession to hoist the national tricolour at the Gohpur police station, she was shot dead by the police. Her sacrifice made her the first woman martyr of Assam in the Quit India Movement and an immortal symbol of patriotic courage.
Q5. What role did the Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha play in national awakening?
Answer: Founded in 1888 by Assamese students in Calcutta — including Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Hem Chandra Goswami and Chandra Kumar Agarwala — the Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha aimed at the development of the Assamese language and literature. Through its mouthpiece Jonaki (1889), it ushered in the Romantic age of Assamese literature, awakened pride in Assamese identity and culture and indirectly nourished the national awakening of the Assamese people.
Q6. Mention the role of Bhogeswari Phukanani and Kushal Konwar in the Quit India Movement.
Answer: Bhogeswari Phukanani, a 60-year-old freedom fighter of Berhampur in Nagaon, hoisted the tricolour and challenged the British police; she was shot in the abdomen and died on 20 September 1942. Kushal Konwar, President of the Sarupathar Congress Committee, was implicated in the Sarupathar train derailment case of October 1942. Refusing to deny the charges, he was hanged on 15 June 1943, becoming the lone martyr of the gallows in the Quit India Movement.
C. Long Answer Type Questions (5–6 Marks)
Q1. Discuss the impact of the Non-Cooperation Movement in Assam.
Answer: The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22), launched by Mahatma Gandhi, found a wide and ready response in Assam.
(i) Leadership: Tarun Ram Phukan, Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, Kuladhar Chaliha, Gopinath Bordoloi, Omeo Kumar Das and others abandoned their professions and led the movement.
(ii) Boycott: Schools, colleges, courts and titles were boycotted. National schools were established at Tezpur, Guwahati and elsewhere; foreign clothes were burnt at public meetings.
(iii) Chargola Exodus: Tea-garden labourers of the Surma Valley left the gardens in thousands in May 1921 — a unique mass action.
(iv) Visit of Gandhi: Mahatma Gandhi visited Assam in August 1921 and addressed huge gatherings at Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat and Dibrugarh.
(v) AICC Session: The Tezpur AICC session of 1921 gave a fresh impetus to the movement.
(vi) Result: Although the movement was suspended in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, it transformed Assam’s politics — Congress became a mass organisation and a new generation of nationalist leaders emerged.
Q2. Describe the course of the Quit India Movement (1942) in Assam.
Answer: The Quit India Movement, launched by Gandhi on 8 August 1942, took a heroic shape in Assam.
(i) Mass uprising: Within days of the call, Congress leaders were arrested. The leaderless masses themselves came out, attacking police stations, post offices, railway lines and bridges as symbols of British authority.
(ii) Mrityu Bahini: Volunteer Death Squads (Mrityu Bahini) were formed in many sub-divisions to hoist the national flag at government buildings.
(iii) Martyrdoms: On 20 September 1942 alone, Kanaklata Barua and Mukunda Kakati fell at Gohpur, Bhogeswari Phukanani at Berhampur and Tileswari Barua at Dhekiajuli. Kushal Konwar was hanged on 15 June 1943.
(iv) British repression: Mass arrests, lathi-charges, firing, burning of villages and collective fines were imposed; thousands were imprisoned.
(v) Significance: The 1942 movement showed the determination of the Assamese people to make any sacrifice for freedom. It produced the largest number of martyrs in the province’s political history and prepared the ground for the final attainment of independence in 1947.
Q3. Examine the role of Assamese literature, especially the Jonaki magazine, in the national awakening of Assam.
Answer: Assamese literature played a vital role in awakening the national consciousness of the Assamese people during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
(i) Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha (1888): Founded in Calcutta, it brought together patriotic students determined to revive the Assamese language, then under threat from Bengali in schools and offices.
(ii) Jonaki (1889): The Sabha’s mouthpiece, the Jonaki magazine, marked the beginning of the Romantic era. It introduced the short story, the modern essay and modern poetry in Assamese.
(iii) The Trimurti: Lakshminath Bezbaroa (Sahityarathi), Hem Chandra Goswami and Chandra Kumar Agarwala wrote works that infused pride in Assamese language, history and culture. Bezbaroa’s stories of Kakadeuta aru Natilora and Agarwala’s patriotic poems stirred the youth.
(iv) National pride: Such literature recovered the glorious past of Assam, preserved Assamese identity and produced a generation that linked language, culture and freedom together.
(v) Role in politics: The cultural awakening prepared the soil in which the political seeds of the INC, the Provincial Congress and the Asom Chhatra Sanmilan could grow into a strong freedom movement.
Q4. Write notes on the contributions of (a) Sarbananda Sinha and (b) Madhab Chandra Bezbarua to the awakening in Assam.
Answer: (a) Sarbananda Sinha (1881–1916): A meritorious son of the Barak Valley, Sarbananda Sinha was an outstanding scholar of mathematics. He stood first-class first in the M.A. examination of Calcutta University and earned the rare distinction of becoming a Fellow there. He encouraged Assamese students to value modern education, donated generously for educational causes and inspired the youth of the Surma–Barak Valley to develop a sense of regional and national pride. His brilliant career strengthened the cultural confidence of the Assamese people.
(b) Madhab Chandra Bezbarua: A fearless journalist and editor, Madhab Chandra Bezbarua used the power of the press to spread patriotic ideas in Assam. Through his editorials and articles, he criticised colonial policies, demanded reforms in education and administration and reminded the people of Assam of their historic and cultural heritage. He worked closely with Congress leaders and contributed to mobilising public opinion in favour of the freedom movement, especially during the Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience phases.
Q5. Discuss the role of the Asom Chhatra Sanmilan and the Assam Provincial Congress in the freedom movement.
Answer: (i) Asom Chhatra Sanmilan (1916): Founded at Guwahati under the inspiration of Tarun Ram Phukan, Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Padmanath Gohain Baruah and others, the Sanmilan was the first all-Assam students’ organisation. It demanded the development of the Assamese language, expansion of education and protection of Assamese identity.
(ii) Political awakening: Annual sessions of the Sanmilan, held at different places, debated political and social issues and produced future leaders of the freedom struggle.
(iii) Assam Provincial Congress (APC): Established in 1921 with Tarun Ram Phukan as its first President, the APC organised the Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements in Assam.
(iv) Mass mobilisation: Through district committees, mahila samitis and youth wings, the APC mobilised peasants, students, women and tea-garden labourers across the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys.
(v) Achievement: Together, the Sanmilan and the Provincial Congress turned Assam from an isolated frontier province into an active partner of the all-India freedom movement.
Additional Practice Section
Q6. Write briefly on the role of women in the freedom movement of Assam.
Answer: Women played a remarkable role in Assam’s freedom struggle, especially from the Civil Disobedience Movement onwards. Chandraprabha Saikiani founded the Asam Pradeshik Mahila Samiti in 1926 and led picketing of liquor shops. Pushpalata Das, Nalini Bala Devi, Hemaprabha Mahanta and Guneswari Devi mobilised village women. The Quit India phase produced the immortal martyrs Kanaklata Barua, Bhogeswari Phukanani and Tileswari Barua, whose sacrifices made Assam’s women’s movement a vital part of the all-India freedom struggle.
D. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. The Indian National Congress was founded in:
(a) 1857 (b) 1885 (c) 1905 (d) 1916
Answer: (b) 1885
Q2. The AICC session held at Tezpur took place in the year:
(a) 1916 (b) 1921 (c) 1926 (d) 1930
Answer: (b) 1921
Q3. Who is called “Asom Kesari”?
(a) Nabin Chandra Bordoloi (b) Kuladhar Chaliha (c) Tarun Ram Phukan (d) Gopinath Bordoloi
Answer: (c) Tarun Ram Phukan
Q4. Kanaklata Barua was martyred at:
(a) Dhekiajuli (b) Gohpur (c) Berhampur (d) Sarupathar
Answer: (b) Gohpur
Q5. Kushal Konwar was hanged on:
(a) 20 September 1942 (b) 15 June 1943 (c) 8 August 1942 (d) 26 January 1944
Answer: (b) 15 June 1943
Q6. The Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha was founded in the year:
(a) 1872 (b) 1885 (c) 1888 (d) 1916
Answer: (c) 1888
Q7. The mouthpiece of the Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha was:
(a) Orunodoi (b) Bahi (c) Jonaki (d) Avahan
Answer: (c) Jonaki
Q8. The Asom Chhatra Sanmilan was founded in:
(a) 1888 (b) 1905 (c) 1916 (d) 1921
Answer: (c) 1916
Q9. The Sahityarathi of Assamese literature is:
(a) Hem Chandra Goswami (b) Chandra Kumar Agarwala (c) Lakshminath Bezbaroa (d) Padmanath Gohain Baruah
Answer: (c) Lakshminath Bezbaroa
Q10. Tileswari Barua, a child martyr, was killed at:
(a) Gohpur (b) Dhekiajuli (c) Berhampur (d) Sibsagar
Answer: (b) Dhekiajuli
Q11. Bhogeswari Phukanani belonged to the district of:
(a) Sonitpur (b) Sibsagar (c) Nagaon (d) Lakhimpur
Answer: (c) Nagaon
Q12. The president of the 1926 Guwahati session of the INC was:
(a) Motilal Nehru (b) Srinivasa Iyengar (c) C. R. Das (d) Subhash Chandra Bose
Answer: (b) Srinivasa Iyengar
E. Fill in the Blanks
1. The Indian National Congress was founded in the year ______.
Answer: 1885
2. The Guwahati session of the INC was held in ______.
Answer: 1926
3. ______ is known as the “Lion of Assam”.
Answer: Tarun Ram Phukan
4. The magazine ______ ushered in the Romantic age of Assamese literature.
Answer: Jonaki
5. ______ was hanged on 15 June 1943 in connection with the Sarupathar train derailment case.
Answer: Kushal Konwar
6. Mahatma Gandhi visited Assam for the first time in the year ______.
Answer: 1921
7. The “Trimurti” of Jonaki were Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Hem Chandra Goswami and ______.
Answer: Chandra Kumar Agarwala
F. True or False
1. Kanaklata Barua was martyred at Dhekiajuli on 20 September 1942. — False (She was martyred at Gohpur.)
2. The Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha was founded in Calcutta in 1888. — True
3. The Chargola Exodus took place during the Civil Disobedience Movement. — False (It took place in 1921 during the Non-Cooperation Movement.)
4. Lakshminath Bezbaroa is honoured as the “Sahityarathi” of Assamese literature. — True
5. The Asom Chhatra Sanmilan was founded in 1916. — True
6. Sarbananda Sinha was a renowned scholar of mathematics from the Barak Valley. — True
7. The AICC session of Guwahati was held in 1921. — False (It was held in 1926; the Tezpur AICC session was in 1921.)
Glossary of Important Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Indian National Congress (INC) | Political organisation founded in 1885 that led India’s freedom struggle. |
| AICC | All India Congress Committee — the executive body of the INC; held sessions at Tezpur (1921) and Guwahati (1926). |
| Non-Cooperation Movement | Mass movement (1920–22) launched by Gandhi to refuse cooperation with the British government. |
| Civil Disobedience Movement | Movement (1930–34) involving the breaking of unjust British laws; began with the Salt Satyagraha. |
| Quit India Movement | Movement launched on 8 August 1942 demanding the immediate end of British rule. |
| Chargola Exodus | Mass exit of tea-garden labourers from the Chargola Valley in May 1921 during Non-Cooperation. |
| Mrityu Bahini | “Death Squads” — youth volunteer groups formed in 1942 to hoist the tricolour at government buildings. |
| Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha | Literary organisation founded in 1888 in Calcutta to develop the Assamese language. |
| Jonaki | Magazine started in 1889; began the Romantic age of Assamese literature. |
| Asom Chhatra Sanmilan | First all-Assam students’ organisation, founded in 1916. |
| Provincial Congress | The Assam unit of the Indian National Congress, established in 1921. |
| Sahityarathi | Honorific title meaning “Charioteer of Literature”, given to Lakshminath Bezbaroa. |
| Salt Satyagraha | Non-violent protest against the British salt tax launched by Gandhi in 1930. |
| Martyr | A person who sacrifices his/her life for a great cause such as the freedom of the nation. |
Quick Recap Points for Revision
- The Indian National Congress (1885) provided the all-India platform that linked Assam with the national freedom struggle.
- The two AICC sessions held in Assam — Tezpur (1921) and Guwahati (1926) — were turning points in provincial political life.
- Tarun Ram Phukan, Nabin Chandra Bordoloi and Kuladhar Chaliha gave leadership to the Non-Cooperation Movement in Assam.
- The Chargola Exodus of May 1921 demonstrated the awakening of tea-garden labourers.
- The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–34) and the Salt Satyagraha brought women into the streets in large numbers under Chandraprabha Saikiani and others.
- The Quit India Movement of 1942 produced Assam’s most heroic martyrs — Kanaklata Barua, Mukunda Kakati, Bhogeswari Phukanani, Tileswari Barua and Kushal Konwar.
- The Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha (1888) and its mouthpiece Jonaki (1889) produced the cultural awakening of the Assamese people.
- The Asom Chhatra Sanmilan (1916) trained generations of patriotic students.
- Sarbananda Sinha and Madhab Chandra Bezbarua strengthened the educational and journalistic dimensions of the awakening.
- By 1947 Assam stood proudly with the rest of India as an active partner in the achievement of independence.
Important Dates at a Glance
| Year / Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1885 | Foundation of the Indian National Congress. |
| 1888 | Formation of the Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha in Calcutta. |
| February 1889 | First publication of the Jonaki magazine. |
| 1916 | Foundation of the Asom Chhatra Sanmilan. |
| 1920–1922 | Non-Cooperation Movement; Tarun Ram Phukan, Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, Kuladhar Chaliha lead in Assam. |
| 1921 | AICC Session held at Tezpur; Mahatma Gandhi’s first visit to Assam; Chargola Exodus. |
| 1926 | Indian National Congress session held at Guwahati under Srinivasa Iyengar. |
| 1930–1934 | Civil Disobedience Movement and Salt Satyagraha in Assam. |
| 8 August 1942 | Quit India resolution passed; movement launched. |
| 20 September 1942 | Martyrdom of Kanaklata Barua, Mukunda Kakati, Bhogeswari Phukanani and Tileswari Barua. |
| 15 June 1943 | Hanging of Kushal Konwar at Jorhat Jail. |
| 15 August 1947 | India attains Independence. |
Key Personalities to Remember
| Name | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Tarun Ram Phukan | “Lion of Assam”; first President of Assam Provincial Congress; led Non-Cooperation in Assam. |
| Nabin Chandra Bordoloi | Eminent Congress leader; toured villages and organised volunteers during Non-Cooperation. |
| Kuladhar Chaliha | Lawyer-leader who left his practice and joined the Non-Cooperation Movement. |
| Gopinath Bordoloi | Premier of Assam; led the province during Civil Disobedience and Quit India phases. |
| Kanaklata Barua | 17-year-old martyr of Gohpur (20 September 1942); first woman martyr of Assam in Quit India. |
| Mukunda Kakati | Martyr of Gohpur (20 September 1942); fell beside Kanaklata while hoisting the tricolour. |
| Bhogeswari Phukanani | 60-year-old martyr of Berhampur, Nagaon (20 September 1942). |
| Tileswari Barua | 12-year-old child martyr of Dhekiajuli (20 September 1942). |
| Kushal Konwar | Only Indian hanged during the Quit India Movement (15 June 1943). |
| Chandraprabha Saikiani | Founder of Asam Pradeshik Mahila Samiti (1926); led women’s wing of the freedom movement. |
| Lakshminath Bezbaroa | “Sahityarathi” of Assamese literature; pillar of Jonaki. |
| Hem Chandra Goswami | Founder member of the Asomiya Bhasa Unnati Sadhini Sabha; pioneer of modern Assamese prose. |
| Chandra Kumar Agarwala | Editor of Jonaki; modern Assamese poet who voiced patriotic feelings. |
| Sarbananda Sinha | Brilliant mathematician from Barak Valley; promoted education and pride among Assamese students. |
| Madhab Chandra Bezbarua | Fearless journalist; spread patriotic ideas through editorials and articles. |
Prepared exclusively for ASSEB Class 10 Social Science students by HSLC Guru.