India, Feb. 1 -- Not much is known about the struggle to liberate Dadra and Nagar Haveli, from the Portuguese. That a small group of freedom fighters overthrew the Portuguese and established an independent state in 1954, and then joined the Indian Union on 16 August 1961, would come as news and surprise to many.

Bengaluru: A freedom struggle with guns, clandestine meetings, and songs. That makes it a quintessential Indian freedom struggle, with music by Sudhir Phadke and songs by the legendary Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd Rafi.

India's struggle for Independence culminated on the 15 August 1947, when the Tricolour was hoisted atop Red Fort and India was free of the British. So goes the oversimplified version of history. More than 500 princel...