Usha Mehta was just 22 when she found a way to break the British Raj’s tight control over information. In 1942, during the Quit India movement, most of India’s top leaders were behind bars, and the British had censored newspapers and seized control of all radio stations. But Usha refused to let the voice of the freedom struggle go silent.
Early life of Usha Mehta
Born in 1920 in Saras village, near Surat, Usha was drawn to the freedom movement from a young age. She grew up listening to political discussions, attending protests, and imbibing Gandhi’s message of swaraj. By the time she was in college, she was an active member of the Congress movement, ready to take bigger risks for the cause.
Birth of Congress Radio
In August 1942, Usha and a small group of friends established a secret transmitter in Bombay, calling it Congress Radio. From this hidden station, they broadcast Gandhi’s speeches, updates on protests, and news censored by the British—all in Hindi, Urdu, and English.
The cat-and-mouse chase
The British, alarmed by these “illegal” broadcasts, deployed signal-detection trucks to hunt them down. But Usha and her team stayed a step ahead—constantly moving their equipment from flat to flat, even switching cities to stay out of reach.
Betrayal and arrest
After months on the run, the station’s location was betrayed by a collaborator. In November 1942, as the broadcast ended with “Vande Mataram,” police stormed the room and arrested Usha. She was interrogated for days, but refused to disclose the names of her colleagues. For her role, she was sentenced to prison.
A life dedicated to truth
After independence, Usha never entered electoral politics. Instead, she taught political science, wrote about the freedom movement, and reminded young Indians of the sacrifices behind their independence.
Legacy of Usha Mehta
Usha Mehta’s story proves that revolutions aren’t always fought on battlefields—sometimes they’re carried by a voice over the airwaves, refusing to be silenced.
