Salakaar Season 1 Is Out! 7 Real-Life India’s Brave Undercover Freedom Fighters, Agents Who Risked Everything

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As India prepares to celebrate Independence Day 2025, our tricolour will flutter proudly in the August breeze. But behind every wave of that flag lies not just the story of leaders we remember, but also of those who walked in the shadows-men and women whose names history forgot, yet whose courage helped shape the nation we cherish today.

Salakaar Season 1, the gripping new spy thriller streaming now, captures that very spirit of unseen sacrifice. Set across two timelines, it follows RAW operative Adhir Dayal as he navigates dangerous espionage missions surrounding Pakistan's nuclear ambitions. Beneath its twists and tension beats a familiar truth-the story of countless real-life covert patriots who risked everything without expecting medals, headlines, or even the comfort of recognition.

Independence was never just won on battlefields. It was forged in secret code words tapped out over crackling radios, in false identities carried with unshakable resolve, in whispered plans that could mean death if overheard. And this Independence Day, it's time to step into the shadows and bring these silent warriors into the light.

Here are 8 remarkable real-life undercover heroes from India's freedom struggle and beyond-each a living embodiment of Salakaar's theme of "silent heroes and loud consequences."

1. Ravinder Kaushik: The Black Tiger

Ravinder Kaushik underwent deep undercover training and adopted the identity of Nabi Ahmed Shakir to infiltrate the Pakistani Army. Rising to the rank of Major, he covertly relayed vital intelligence back to India from 1975 to 1983. His remarkable work earned him the title "The Black Tiger" from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Tragically, his cover was eventually blown, leading to his imprisonment and torture until his death in 2001-making him one of India's most unsung spy legends.

2. Bhagat Ram Talwar: The Quintuple Spy

Bhagat Ram Talwar remains one of history's most enigmatic operatives. Known as "Silver," he spied variously for British India, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the USSR during World War II. His assistance also helped Subhas Chandra Bose escape house arrest. His double life-serving multiple sides-reflects the extraordinary complexity and high stakes of espionage.

3. Saraswathi Rajamani - Young INA Agent

At just sixteen, Saraswathi Rajamani joined the Indian National Army (INA) and disguised herself as a boy to spy on British military camps. She helped gather intelligence and smuggled revolutionary information during the independence struggle, embodying the silent valour of teenage patriot heroes. Watch video here.

4. Neera Arya: The First Female Spy of India

Neera Arya, associated with the INA's Jhansi Regiment, is believed to have operated undercover in male disguise to gather intelligence on British officers and military camps. She also engaged in arms smuggling and upheld steadfast loyalty-even under brutal torture. She became a rare symbol of female espionage in India's freedom movement.

5. M.P.T. Acharya: Infiltrator of India House

M.P.T. Acharya, operating within London's India House, was tasked by revolutionary leaders to act as a spy-feeding false information to Scotland Yard as a sabotage tactic, effectively protecting anti-colonial operations in exile. His covert contributions served as intellectual resistance from within the British system.

6. Usha Mehta: The Voice of Resistance

During the Quit India Movement of 1942, Usha Mehta operated the clandestine **Secret Congress Radio**, broadcasting Gandhi's messages across India while defying British censorship. Her mobile station evaded capture for months before she was arrested and tortured, yet she never revealed any secrets. Through her perseverance, she kept the flame of resistance alive in Indian hearts.

7. Saraswathi Rajamani: INA's Teenage Spy

At just 16, Saraswathi Rajamani joined the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army and served in its intelligence wing. Disguised as a boy, she infiltrated British camps around Kolkata to relay vital plans. When a fellow operative was captured, she famously infiltrated a British gathering disguised as a dancer to rescue her-and escaped despite injury.

8. Rani Gaidinliu: The Guerrilla Queen of Manipur

Hailing from the northeast, Rani Gaidinliu led armed resistance against the British from a young age. Her guerrilla tactics disrupted colonial supply lines and fast inspired regional uprisings. Her daring rebellion was a profound threat to British control in Manipur, yet she remains largely uncelebrated in mainstream history.

These stories of espionage and undercover resistance capture the hidden sacrifices with loud legacies. From radios to printed pamphlets and covert identities, these agents shaped India's freedom struggle with courage beyond the battlefield.