A review of the book 'A Glimpse of My Life: Autobiography of the Indian Revolutionary Ram Prasad ‘Bismil’' written by Ram Prasad 'Bismil' and translated from Hindi by Awadhesh Tripathi.
'A Glimpse of My Life: Autobiography of the Indian Revolutionary Ram Prasad ‘Bismil’', originally titled Nij Jiwan Ki Ek Chhata (निज जीवन की एक छटा), this book was written in secret during Bismil's imprisonment, while he was on death row. It is a passionately narrated account of the life of a young and daring freedom fighter who lived and died with the single aim of freeing India from foreign rule.
Order links of the book 'A Glimpse of My Life' below:
Amazon India:
Paperback
Kindle
Amazon USA:
Paperback
Kindle
And please don't forget to checkout Historylogy.com for latest book reviews and tidbits from the pages of history.
Please feel free to our social media ID's for latest updates. Links below:
https://www.facebook.com/historylogy/
https://twitter.com/historylogy
https://www.instagram.com/historylogy/
Affiliate Earnings Disclaimer:
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
Coming up: A review of the book 'A Glimpse of My Life: Autobiography of the Indian Revolutionary Ram Prasad ‘Bismil’' written by Ram Prasad 'Bismil' and translated from Hindi by Awadhesh Tripathi.
Namaste Friends. My name is 'Shinil Subramanian Payamal' and you are listening to the Historylogy podcast.
Before I proceed, a full disclosure: This book was bought with my own money and not been provided to me by the publisher.
Little bit about the author:
Ram Prasad ‘Bismil’ was an Indian revolutionary who dedicated his life to the cause of India’s liberation from British rule. He was a central figure in the now-famous Kakori train dacoity, an attempt to raise funds for the revolutionary movement against British control. After he was arrested, he was condemned to death and executed. He penned his autobiography while he was on death row, completing it on 16th December, just days before he was hanged on 19th December, 1927.
Awadesh Tripathi is a translator and literary critic based in Bhopal. He has translated several books into Hindi, including Ganesh Devy’s After Amnesia, Gyanesh Kudasya’s India in the 1950s and Richard Eaton’s India in the Persianate Age. His monograph Kavita Ka Loktantra is a study of post-Independence Hindi poetry and its critique of the newly established Indian democracy.
Let me read a brief description of the book:
QUOTE
Ram Prasad 'Bismil' (1897-1927) remains among the best-known revolutionaries of India's struggle for freedom. In this autobiography, Bismil reflects on his life, as well as on the people and ideas that inspired him, and on the revolutionary movement he built. He remembers his childhood, the hardships his parents faced, the role his mother and guru played in shaping him, his involvement in the Kakori train robbery, his experiences in prison, and his comrades fighting alongside him for freedom from British rule.
Bismil not only offers glimpses of his eventful life but also lays out his ideas on gender, caste, class, communalism, justice, nation-building and the attractions and pitfalls of revolutionary activity. The readers of his autobiography will find many of these ideas to be of great relevance in present-day India.
Originally titled Nij Jiwan Ki Ek Chhata (निज जीवन की एक छटा), this book was written in secret during Bismil's imprisonment, while he was on death row. It is a passionately narrated account of the life of a young and daring freedom fighter who lived and died with the single aim of freeing India from foreign rule.
UNQUOTE
In the annals of India's freedom struggle, few figures embody the raw fervor and tragic heroism of Ram Prasad Bismil.
As a poet, writer, and revolutionary, Bismil dedicated his brief life to dismantling British colonial rule, most notably through his role in the 1925 Kakori train robbery—a daring act to fund the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA).
Bismil's autobiography is not a glorified chronicle of heroism but a humble, self-critical reflection on a life shaped by adversity, ideology, and betrayal. Spanning roughly 200 pages, the book unfolds in a straightforward, chronological manner, blending personal anecdotes with broader socio-political commentary.
Bismil’s writing is passionate, lucid, and deeply introspective. His account begins with his early life — born into a modest Brahmin family in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh — and takes us through the personal, ideological, and political transformations that turned a young man into a fierce revolutionary.
The book gives readers insight not just into Bismil’s mind, but also into the broader revolutionary movement that ran parallel to Gandhi’s nonviolent struggle. It challenges readers to think beyond the dominant narratives of the freedom movement and appreciate the sacrifices of those who chose the path of armed resistance.
There’s a constant tension in the book between action and thought — between the urge to revolt and the desire for inner clarity. Bismil's revolutionary path was never impulsive; it was grounded in a strong ethical framework and intellectual rigor.
Final verdict:
Overall, ‘A Glimpse of My Life’ is essential reading for anyone interested in Indian history, revolutionary politics, or the psychology of resistance. It resurrects Bismil's legacy as a poet-revolutionary whose words, like his famous poem "Sarfaroshi ki Tamanna," continue to inspire. It is a powerful and poignant testament of courage, idealism, and sacrifice that deserves to be read and remembered.
I give this book 4.25/5.
The book is currently available only in Paperback and Kindle formats and yet to be made available on Audible. I have given the respective buy links in the show notes. Please check them out for the latest prices.
Last but not the least, thank you for spending your valuable time listening to this book review. Really grateful. Please don't forget to subscribe to the Historylogy podcast on your favourite podcasting app and also feel free to leave a review. Also, please check historylogy.com for all previous episodes. Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you. Take care and bye!