Veer Savarkar (1883-1966) was an Indian independence activist, politician, and writer who played a significant role in India's struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He was born in Bhagur, a small village near Nasik in Maharashtra, India.

Savarkar was educated in Pune and then went to England to study law in 1906. During his stay in England, he was deeply influenced by the works of Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini and Irish revolutionary leaders. Savarkar was involved in the Indian nationalist movement and became a member of the India House, a center for Indian revolutionaries in London.

After returning to India, Savarkar became a prominent leader of the Hindutva movement, which sought to promote Hindu nationalism and the idea of Hindutva (Hinduness). He was one of the founders of the Hindu Mahasabha, a political party that advocated for the interests of Hindus in India.

Savarkar was also a prolific writer and penned several books, including "The Indian War of Independence," which argues that the 1857 Indian Mutiny was an attempt at achieving Indian independence.

Savarkar was arrested by the British in 1910 and was sentenced to 50 years in prison for his involvement in the Indian nationalist movement. He was held in several prisons across India, including the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where he was subjected to solitary confinement and torture.

After his release from prison in 1924, Savarkar continued to be involved in the Indian nationalist movement and became a prominent figure in Indian politics. He served as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha and was a member of the Indian parliament.

Savarkar's legacy remains controversial in India, as his advocacy for Hindutva and his alleged support for the idea of a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation) has been criticized by many as promoting communalism and exclusion. However, he is still revered by some as a hero of Indian independence and a symbol of Hindu nationalism.