Bhagat Singh 1907-31) lived at a time when India's freedom struggle was beginning to flag and when Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent, passive resistance to partial liberation was beginning to test the patience of the people. Kuldip Nayar's bestselling book, now published with a modern, contemporary look, looks closely at the man behind the martyr: his beliefs, intellectual leanings, dreams, and despair. The book explains for the first time why Hans Raj Vohra turned approver and betrayed Bhagat Singh, and throws new light on Sukhdev, whose loyalties have been questioned by some historians. Most importantly, it puts into perspective Bhagat Singh's use of violence, which Gandhi and many others strongly condemned as extremist.