Basappa Bagali

Basappa Siddappa Bagali born on April 27, 1916 in Bilagi, Bagalkot district, completed his primary school in Bilagi and joined Govt. high school in Vijayapur.

He skipped the inter examination due to financial issues. Since he was not able to continue his studies, he got frustrated and left to Mumbai. He met Barrister Sawarkar there, listened to his counsel, and decided to join the British Indian Army rather than fight for independence. The harassment by British to Indian persons was intolerable. However  Basappa was detained and sent to Singapore Jail during the Second World War.

The negotiations between Subhash Chandra Bose and the Tojo-led Japanese government produced fruitful results, and all the detainees were freed. He entered the Indian National Academy established by Subhash Chandra Bose and joined the front line and officers' cadre after completing his training because the miseries he endured under the Britishers inspired him to serve his country.

British people were shaken by the patriotism, passion, and spirit of achieving freedom, but this did not last long due to the British people's superior military technology and physical prowess. Basappa was thus detained, imprisoned in several locations, and subjected to unrelenting torture. Ultimately, he spent more than five years being held in a small town in Bangladesh.

Due to his prolonged disappearance, he was deemed deceased i.e. he was declared as dead (missing for long time). His release came in 1946. One day after India gained its freedom in 1947, he visited his village and ran into his relatives. In Wadi near Solapur, Basappa began working for the railway department as a station master.

He initiated the provision of basic amenities including drinking water, street lighting, and a road at the settlement of independence warriors in Vijayapur. He lived at Vijayapur for the last two decades of his life. He was spiritual, lost everything but never lost hope to live. Before he passed away, Basappa instructed his grandson, "Give happiness to everyone, serve everyone, that should be your life's motto."