New Delhi: In the history of the Indian freedom struggle, it was not only the men who participated in it, but women also made significant contributions with equal valour and courage. The likes of Rani Lakshmi Bai and Sarojini Naidu showed that women too could fight for the independence of their motherland along with the men. In this article, we will take a look at the famous freedom fighters in India.
9 famous women freedom fighters of India
1. Rani Lakshmi Bai
This is possibly the most legendary among all the women freedom fighters in our country. Born on November 19, 1828, as Manikarnika Tambe, the Queen of Jhansi was one of the most prominent leaders in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, considered to be the first large-scale rebellion against the British Raj in this land. Over the years, she has been hailed as the symbol of resistance to British rule and also as a woman who was a trailblazer in every sense.
2. Bhikaiji Cama
Born on September 24, 1861, Bhikaiji Cama is hailed for unfurling one of the earliest versions of the Indian flag on August 22, 1907. In a watershed moment, Cama was the first person to hoist an Indian flag in a foreign nation when she did it at Stuttgart’s International Socialist Conference.
3. Sarojini Naidu
One of the greatest names in the Indian freedom struggle, Sarojini Naidu joined the Congress to fight against the British Raj and became Mahatma Gandhi’s ardent follower. After India gained Independence, she became Governor of the United Provinces.
4. Begum Hazrat Mahal
Like Rani Lakshmi Bai, Begum Hazrat Mahal, the second wife of Nawab of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah, played a key role during the 1857 rebellion. She served as the regent of Awadh between 1857 and 1858, she rebelled against the the British East India Company and joined hands with Nana Saheb during the fight for a brief period.
5. Aruna Asaf Ali
Aruna Asaf Ali was a legendary freedom fighter who famously hoisted the Indian flag at Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank maidan during the Quit India Movement. On August 9, 1942, a day after the Congress passed the Quit India Movement resolution and the police arrested major leaders, Aruna hoisted the flag, commencing the movement in the true sense. She was dubbed the Queen of the 1942 movement and is known as the ‘Grand Old Lady of the Independence movement’.
6. Kasturba Gandhi
Kasturba Gandhi was not just the wife of Mahatma Gandhi but also an Independence activist who vehemently protested against the British Raj and was jailed multiple times. She was a key associate of Mahatma Gandhi when it came to the latter’s fight against the British.
7. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, like her brother Jawaharlal Nehru, was a freedom fighter who was jailed multiple times by the British administration. Vijaya was jailed for 18 months from 1931 to 1933 and again for six months in 1940. Later, she was jailed for seven months in 1942 for being an active participant in the Quit India Movement. In 1943, she extensively helped the victims of the Bengal famine. Also, she was the first Indian woman to hold a cabinet post in pre-independent India.
8. Annie Besant
Annie Besant contributed to both the Indian and Irish movements for Independence. She was a member of the Congress and after the outbreak of World War I, she helped launch the Home Rule League to campaign for democracy in India. She continued to campaign for Indian independence till her death in 1933.
9. Lakshmi Sahgal
Lakshmi Sahgal was a revolutionary who became an officer of the Indian National Army led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Also, she was the Azad Hind government’s Minister of Women’s Affairs. She held the rank of Captain in the INA when she was taken prisoner in Burma during World War II.
It was not only the men who participated in the freedom struggle, but women also made significant contributions with equal valour and courage. Some notable personalities showed that women too could fight for India’s Independence. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
