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Short Biography of Indian Freedom Fighter Gopaldas Mavji Purecha Name: Gopaldas Mavji Purecha

Personal details Born: October 16, 1914 in Mandvi, Cutch State, of erstwhile British India, now Kutch, Gujarat. Died: July 29, 1982 in Mumbai, Maharastra,India. Nationality: Indian Community: Kutchi Bhatia. Political party: Indian National Congress Profession: He was a businessman, activist, Indian Freedom Fighter, a front-runner of the Non-Cooperation Movement and Quit India Movement, revolutionary. Gopaldas Mavji Purecha (1914–1982) (aka Manvendranath Azad, Kaku Bhai Bhatia), was an Indian Kutchi Bhatia revolutionary, who played an influential role in Indian Freedom Movement and was an active member of Indian National Congress. Biography Gopaldas Mavji Purecha was born on Dhan Teras Day of Diwali, on October 16, 1914 in a financially well-off family in Mandvi of Cutch State of erstwhile British India, now in Kutch, Gujarat. Gopaldas Purecha was a student of G T High School, in Mandvi, from where he did is his Secondary School Certification. He came to Mumbai (then Bombay), at the age of 20. In 1932, he attended a rally addressed by Mahatma Gandhi. He was highly impressed by the Mahatma’s speech and decided to join the Freedom Movement, to free India from the clutches of the British. He participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942, when he was 26-years-old. At that time, he lived in Pune at Nivritee Bunglow, opposite Pune Railway Station. Along with Dr Amul Desai, whose uncle, Morarji Desai, later became Prime Minister of India, he planted a bomb in the Military Camp at Pune. The two went underground after the incident, to evade arrest by the British Police. However, the two were betrayed by a local laundryman, who informed the British Police, about their whereabouts. They were convicted by the local court in 1942 and Mr Purecha was part of the first batch of Freedom Fighters, to be sent the the Yerwada Jail in Pune. While in Yerwada Jail, he was in the same barrack as Mahatma Gandhi. During his stay at the Yerwada Jail, Mahatma Gandhi name him Manvendranath Azad.

For his active role in the Freedom Movement, Mr Purecha spent 14 months in jail and was in inmate with leaders like Morarji Desai, Amul Desai, Dinkar Sakharikar, Waradkar, Dattarey Mahadev Angare, Gulab Gawand,Tabji Bhai Solanki and Dada Dharmadhikari. He returned to Mumbai, after his release from jail. He then joined his father’s firm M/s. Laxmidas Gopaldas & Sons, in Yawatmal district of Maharashtra. He later joined Oriental Mills, Bombay. After a short stint at the Oriental Mills, he started a partnership firm in Thane district of Maharashtra, to market wall colours. But the business did not take-off and after heavy losses over three years, he discontinued the business and joined Mafatlal Mills in Bombay. It was then that he married Gunvanti, daughter of Bhatia Leeladhar Baba Seth, of Dharan Gaon, Anand. At his job at the Mafatlal Mills, he soon rose to the rank of manager and won the confidence and respect of his colleagues and seniors. He also associated himself with Shri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust, a relief missionary and was its coordinator. He was fully in-charge of the Trust activities from 1968 to 1978. established in 1968 by Param Pujya Gurudev, Late Shri Ranchhoddasji Maharaj, to render selfless service to humankind. Gopaldas Mavji Purecha’s contribution to India’s Freedom Movement was recognised by Government of Maharashtra mentioned his name in the list of Freedom Fighters. He was presented the Tamra Patra and a silver medal, at the hands of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, at Mumbai’s Shanmukhananda Hall, in 1972. He refused the pension that was sought to be given to Freedom Fighters for their role in the movement.