Usha Mehta

• Usha Mehta was born on March 25, 1920, in Mumbai, India.
• Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience, Usha Mehta became actively involved in the Indian independence movement from a young age.
• One of Usha Mehta’s most notable contributions to the freedom struggle was her involvement in the radio broadcasting network known as the “Secret Congress Radio.”
• She was conferred the Padma Vibhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours in 1998.

THE SECRET CONGRESS RADIO

• On August 8, 1942, the historic Quit India Resolution was passed during the All India Congress Committee meeting in
• In this response, the idea of an underground radio station, known by various names such as the Freedom Radio, the Ghost Radio, or the Congress Radio, was conceived to counter the British-controlled AIR.
• Usha Mehta, a 22 Year old master’s student at Wilson College, became the voice of the Congress Radio.
• The radio was an expensive endeavour, but funds were procured through various means, including contributions from Mehta’s colleague, Babubhai Khakhar.
• Radio engineering expert Nariman Abarbad Printer constructed the Congress Radio transmission set.
• Their first broadcast was on 14 August 1942.
• Welcome line in her voice: “This is the Congress Radio calling on 42.34 from somewhere in India.”
• In the beginning, they were broadcasting twice a day, in Hindi and English. But they reduced it to just once in the evening between 30 and 8.30 pm.
• On 12th November 1942, the police raided the radio while Vande Mataram was being played and arrested Mehta and others.