N.S. Hardikars' Misadventure

Alur Venkat Rao has written an interesting anecdote to narrate of N.S. Hardikar's daring act as a youngster.

Alur's friend, Bindu Rao Mutalik Desai used to run Tilak's "Kesari" newspaper in Kannada in Hubli. Hardikar, a jobless youth and burning with fierce patriotism at the time used to help in printing and wrote occasionally, small items for the newspaper. Once he wrote a fiery article against British Policy in India and got it printed. The editor who fully relied on Hardikar, was out of Hubli and returned in the evening only to see that the printed copies meant for local distribution and the copy sent to Oriental Translator's Office for scanning where already dispatched. The flabbergasted editor brought the copy to Alur who found the copy highly damaging.

Both knew the consequences if the issue was out. Confiscation of the printing press, which was worth Rs. 25,000/- which was a huge amount in 1920, and imprisonment to all concerned! At once Alur and the editor rushed from Dharwad to Hubli in a tonga (Horse-cart) and collected the main copy, sent to Oriental Translators, which helped British to trace out "sedition". Then they went to all places where copies were distributed locally. A fresh article was written by Alur. Both along with Hardikar, pasted the freshly printed article on the "incendiary" article and the disaster was averted!