Ganesh Damodar Savarkar was a patriot of the first order. Commonly known as Babarao Savarkar, he is the epitome of heroism that is unknown and unsung! He was the eldest of the four Savarkar siblings - Ganesh or Babarao; Vinayak or Tatyarao, Narayan or Balarao were the three Savarkar brothers; they had a sister named Maina or Mai who was married into the Kale family. Babarao was a great revolutionary, philosopher, writer and organizer of Hindus.
The following account is largely an abridged English version of Krantiveer Babarao Savarkar, a Marathi biography written by DN Gokhale, Shrividya Prakashan, Pune, second edition, pp.343, 1979. Some part has been taken from Krantikallol (The high tide of revolution), a Marathi biography of Veer Vinayak Damodar (Tatyarao) Savarkar’s revolutionary life by VS Joshi; Manorama Prakashan, 1985. Details of the Cellular jail have been taken from Memorable Documentary on evolutionary freedom fighter Veer Savarkar by Prem Vaidya, Veer Savarkar Prakashan, 1997 and also from the website www.andamancellularjail.org. Certain portions dealing with Babarao’s warm relations with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar have been translated from Dr. Hedgewar’s definitive Marathi biography by Narayan Hari Palkar; Bharatiya Vichar Sadhana, Pune, fourth edition, 1998.