Ashfaqulla Khan was an Indian independence activist and a prominent freedom fighter. Born on October 22, 1900 at Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh to a Muslim Pathan family, he was an active participant of nationalist activities against British rule.

  Khan was in his teens when Mahatma Gandhi had launched the non-cooperation movement against the British rule in India. But after 18 months of its launch, the Chauri Chaura incident occurred at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the United Province, (modern Uttar Pradesh) in British India on 4 February 1922. A large group of non-cooperation protestors clashed with the police who opened fire and set the police station on fire, killing nearly 22 police officers. Gandhi then decided to withdraw the call for this movement. Many youths, including Khan, felt disappointed by this decision and decided to launch an organisation with like-minded freedom fighters.

  Thus emerged the Hindustan Socialist Republican....