IRON LADIES FOR INDIA'S FREEDOM
History has witnessed many women with
exceptional bravery and intelligence, who walked shoulder to shoulder with men
of their times. Let us remember women of the freedom movement era, who fought
bravely for their country and contributed towards the achievement of
independence of the country India. They are still a source of inspiration to
not only women but to all.
Kittur Rani
Chinammma
She is
regarded as one of the bravest women in Karnataka even today.She was the queen
of a princely state of Kittur in Karnataka who led an armed rebellion in 1824
against the British. She was eventually arrested in the end
of the rebellion but even today, Chennamma’s legacy and the first victory of
war are still commemorated in Kittur from 22nd–24th
October, in the Kittur Utsav. She became a symbol of one of the first
resistances against the British in the Independence movement. Her statue was
unveiled in the Parliament House complex in 2007.
Savitribhai Phule
One of
the pioneers of women’s education in India during the British rule, even after
being subjected to insults and rebuke, she continued in her endeavour to
provide education for the girls and the women of this country in the middle and
the later parts of the 19th century. Seen as a major social reformer in British
India, she, along with her husband, founded the first women’s school in India
at Bhide Wada, Pune in 1848. She always
fought for women rights and even for those who were considered untouchables in
those times.
Begum Hazrat Mahal
She
was a brave figure of the National Uprising of 1857, the First War of Independence. She took control of Lucknow during this
Uprising and declared her son as the King of Oudh. On 10 May 1984, the
Government of India issued a commemorative stamp in honour of
Mahal. She has also been named as the ‘Lakshmi Bai’ of Awadh due to her
strength and valour, shown during the 1857 mutiny.
Rani Lakshmi Bai of
Jhansi
She is
an epitome of strength and courage displayed by a woman. In fact, her bravado
is often attributed to the iconic picture of the Rani fighting the British in
the battlefield with her son, Damodar Rao tied to her on the horseback. She was
the Maratha queen of Jhansi, who resisted the British and even defied the
Doctrine of Lapse, according to which the British rulers refused to accept her
adopted son Damodar as the legal heir. Between 1857-58, she resisted the
British from taking control over her kingdom of Jhansi.
Bhikaiji Cama
She is
best known for inspiring and revolutionary speeches, advocating gender equality
in both India and abroad. Many revolutionary literary works were produced by
her and she gave a number of fiery speeches of a nationalist hue before
enthusiastic audiences. She was a stalwart who took the issues of the
subcontinent to foreign and tried to get the world’s attention on the issues
plaguing the Indian nation. On 22 August 1907, at the International Socialist
Conference in Stuttgart, Germany, Cama raised and unfurled what she called the
“First flag of Independence”.
Kamala Nehru
An
eminent freedom fighter, besides being the wife of the first Prime Minister of
India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, she actively took part in the Swadeshi movement
and arranged for the burning of foreign goods as a mark of protest against the
Empire. Spent a large part of her time in Gandhiji’s Ashram, trying to imbibe
the ideals of Gandhi-ism. She was a major force behind the Non-cooperation
movement in 1921. In fact, during her lifetime and even later on, she was
addressed to as JL Nehru’s wife more than anything else. Despite being under
the constant shadow of India’s one of the most popular leaders, she carved a
niche for herself by encouraging women’s groups to participate in the freedom
struggle and also went to jail twice under the British rule.
Sarojini Naidu
The
‘Nightingale of India’, was a spirited freedom activist and a poet, who took
part in the Civil Disobedience movement of 1930-34. She even went to jail with
the likes of MK Gandhi and others of the Indian National Congress in British
India. She joined the INC in the wake of the partition of Bengal in 1905.
Became the first woman governor of independent India. Her collection of poems
are still considered as important Indian writing in English, even though many consider
them to be of mediocre literary content. She was given the Kaisir-i-Hind
medal by the British government for her work during the plague epidemic in
India
Sucheta Kriplani
(Mazumdar)
She
came into the forefront of the freedom struggle during the Quit India movement
in 1942. Played a role in allaying communal tensions during the partition riots
in 1946-47. She was a part of the subcommittee that drafted the Indian
Constitution. She was also the founder of All India Mahilla Congress, which
came into existence in 1940. Post independence, she was involved actively in
public life and Indian politics.She was the first woman Chief Minister in India
and served a term between 1963 to 1967 in the state ofUttar Pradesh.
