In News:

=> The statue of freedom fighter and agricultural scientist Pandurang Khankhoje will soon be unveiled in Mexico.

More about Pandurang Khankhoje:

=> Birth:

• He was born in 1884 at Wardha, Maharashtra.

=> Early years & inspiration:

• He was at the time inspired by the nationalist work of Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
• He was an ardent admirer of the French Revolution and of the American War of Independence.

Visit to Japan & USA:

=> Revolutionary ideas:

• In the late 19th century, Pandurang Khankhoje came in contact with other revolutionaries early on.
• Khankhoje decided to go abroad for further training in revolutionary methods and militaristic strategy.
• At this time, the British government’s suspicions of him were also growing due to his anti-government activities.

=> Anti-West Asian imperialistic ideas:

• Before leaving, he visited Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who advised him to go to Japan, which was itself a strong, anti-West Asian imperialistic force then.
• After spending time with nationalists from Japan and China, Khankhoje eventually moved to the US.
• In USA he enrolled in college as a student of agriculture.

Association with the Indian independence movement:

=> Meeting Lala Har Dayal:

• While in the US, Khankhoje met Lala Har Dayal, an Indian intellectual teaching at Stanford University.
• Har Dayal had begun a propaganda campaign, publishing a newspaper that featured patriotic songs and articles in the vernacular languages of India.
• This was the seed from which the Ghadar Party would emerge.

=> Ghadar Party:

• Khankhoje was one of the founding members of the Ghadar Party.
• It was established by Indians living abroad in 1914, mostly belonging to Punjab.
• Its aim was to lead a revolutionary fight against the British in India.