<![CDATA[The history of India's freedom struggle has generally focused on major political leaders and well-known centres of nationalist activity, while the contributions of numerous rural communities have remained largely unexplored. The Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919), Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22), Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–34), Individual Satyagraha (1940), and Quit India Movement (1942) were major events in the history of India’s freedom struggle. These non-violent movements played a significant role in India’s struggle for independence. The failure of the Cripps Mission in April 1942 further intensified nationalist discontent and contributed to the launch of the Quit India Movement. Panangudi, a small village situated approximately 18 kilometres from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu, represents one such neglected site of anti-colonial resistance. During the Quit India Movement of 1942, the villagers actively challenged British authority by participating in nationalist demonstrations, attacking colonial railway property, and enduring imprisonment, collective punishment, and economic penalties. Remarkably, Panangudi produced twenty-nine freedom fighters, including fifteen participants in the Quit India Movement and fourteen members of the Indian National Army (INA). This study examines Panangudi's contribution to the Indian freedom struggle by reconstructing local events through archival records, court proceedings, government documents, and oral traditions. It argues that the history of India's independence movement cannot be fully understood without recognising the sacrifices made by rural communities whose contributions have remained outside mainstream historical narratives.]]>
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