Freedom fighter, activist Doreswamy dies at 103

Bengaluru: Freedom fighter and activist HS Doreswamy, who recently recovered from Covid-19, died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon. Doreswamy was admitted to the Jayadeva Hospital, where he passed away after a cardiac arrest.

In a statement, Dr C.N. Manjunath, Director, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, said, "Doreswamy had a heart failure and a cardiac arrest and passed away today (Wednesday) around 1.30 pm." The doctor also claimed that he had a pre-existing valvular heart disease for the last 10 years and that he was admitted to Jayadeva Hospital multiple times in this period. Doreswamy, who was 103 years old, tested positive for the novel coronavirus earlier this month and was discharged on May 12. "This could be a precipitating factor since he tested positive and was hospitalised till May 12. He was readmitted to the hospital on May 14," Dr Manjunath added.

Born on April 10, 1918, in Harohalli, in the erstwhile kingdom of Mysore, Harohalli Srinivasaiah Doreswamy was brought up by his grandfather, after his parents passed away when he was five years. Doreswamy joined the freedom struggle at a young age from planting small scale time bombs in postboxes and in the record rooms of British government officials to burn documents, to organising protests and general strikes in the state of Mysore against the British rule and actively participated in the Quit India movement. He was also jailed for 14 months from 1943 to 1944. The Gandhian had also participated in the Mysore Chalo movement to compel the Mysore Maharaja to accede to the Indian State post-independence.

Doreswamy completed his Bachelor of Science from the Central College, Bengaluru, served as a teacher at a high school and later tried his hand at journalism by bringing out a newspaper called 'Pauravani'.