Lucknow: For a generation growing up amid social media debates and conversations around equality, justice and change, the stories of India’s freedom fighters and social reformers are finding a fresh audience. At the Gomti Book Festival, Gen Z readers are turning towards books that explore the lives, struggles and ideas of those who challenged power and questioned society.“I first became interested in Bhagat Singh after watching videos about his life online. What stayed with me was how young he was when he decided to stand up for what he believed in. I bought ‘Why I Am an Atheist’ because I wanted to understand his ideas in his own words rather than just reading about him in textbooks,” said a student, Amit Jaiswal.Priyanshu Verma, a student, said that he picked up ‘The Story of My Experiments with Truth’ to understand Mahatma Gandhi beyond the version presented in textbooks.Shreya Mishra chose ‘India’s Struggle for Independence’ to learn more about Subhas Chandra Bose and his role in the freedom movement, while Rishabh Singh bought ‘India Wins Freedom’ to explore Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s contribution to the freedom struggle and education.Another student, Anshita Yadav, said that Savitribai Phule’s work in educating girls inspired her to learn more about her and Jyotirao Phule. I picked up ‘Savitribai Phule: Her Life, Her Relationships, Her Legacy’ along with Jyotirao Phule’s ‘Gulamgiri’ to understand their ideas on education, caste and social reform.Ritvik Saran, a student, said, “I had read about Dr BR Ambedkar in school, but ‘Annihilation of Caste’ made me curious to understand his thoughts in greater depth. I also bought ‘The Discovery of India’ by Pt Jawaharlal Nehru to learn Indian history, culture, and philosophy from the Indus Valley Civilization to the British Raj.”(Photos will be filed by Sunil Kumar)
