“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially,” said Jawaharlal Nehru. This was the speech delivered by our first Prime Minister of India on the night of 14th August 1947, just before the declaration of Independence. When the clock struck midnight, India began its first Independence Day celebration, being completely free of the British Empire. Now, 73 years have passed, yet when we think and remind about the aforementioned scene, a great feeling of patriotism & nationalism runs through our heart to mind. This August 15th of 2020, India is set to celebrate its 74th year of Independence, and this is the day, which stands as a reminder of the sacrifices that many freedom fighters made to gain independence from British rule so that the future generations can live freely. When one thinks of Indian freedom fighters, it is often names like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that come to mind. We remember the names of only a few female freedom fighters if any. But to be true, the history of Indian struggle would be incomplete without mentioning the contributions of women freedom fighters of our country.
Just like the men freedom fighters, the sacrifice made by the women of India will occupy the foremost place in the history of this country. There was a time when most of the men freedom fighters were imprisoned; at that time, the women freedom fighters came to the fore and fought for injustice, while taking charge of the struggle. Not just that, but they fought with true spirit & unafraid courage and faced tortures, exploitations, and hardships to earn us freedom. The history of freedom struggle is replete with the saga of sacrifice, bravery, selflessness and political sagacity of women. In this article, we have articulated about five Women Freedom Fighters of India whose stories clearly depicts that the role played by women in the Indian freedom struggle was of crusaders and not just supporters.
Ammu Swaminathan
1894-born in Palakkad district of present-day Kerala, Ammu Swaminathan was an Indian social worker and political activist during the Indian independence movement. She was also a member of the Constituent Assembly of India. She was considered one of the country’s strongest voices against the caste system. Her ideas were feminist from a very young age and this continued to manifest in her activities as a social reformer and politician. Her career both before and after Independence shows qualities of resilience and fortitude as she bravely stood up against the injustice around her and actively worked to bring about structural change as well. Ammu was very conscious of the arrogance of the upper-caste and constantly tried to unsettle them by standing against it. A dynamic personality and strong woman, Ammu Swaminathan remains an inspiration to us even today. Dabbling in multiple areas where women at that time had restricted access to and excelling in all of them, she not only led the struggle for independence but also for empowerment and gender equality.
Captain Lakshmi Sahgal
Born Lakshmi Swaminathan on 24th October 1914, she broke social conventions and dogmas from a very early age, speaking out against the caste practices in Kerala. Lakshmi began her quest to change history by questioning India’s treatment of people as per a caste system. Lakshmi was witness to the freedom struggle with her mother, A.V. Ammukutty, a social activist and a freedom fighter who would later become a member of the Constituent Assembly. In this journey, she joined the Indian Independence League formed by veteran freedom fighter Rashbehari Bose in 1941. By 1943, the leadership of the League was taken over by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose along with that of the INA, which was formed in February 1942 by Captain Mohan Singh and other Indian prisoners of war. Lakshmi was drawn to this movement by Bose’s charismatic leadership. She played an active role in the formation of the all-women infantry regiment of the INA, named after the famous ‘Rani of Jhansi’ who fought the British Raj in 1857. Thereafter, Dr. Lakshmi Swaminathan became Captain Lakshmi, leading to the conflation of a life-long identity with historical events. She was the only woman member of the cabinet of The Provisional government of the Azad Hind, led by Bose. Lakshmi was not just a freedom fighter but a woman whose efforts pushed against casteism in India.
Sarojini Naidu
Sarojini Naidu is one of the most famous freedom fighters and played a pivotal role in freeing India from British imperialism. Her selfless and relentless work during the struggle for freedom had her actively supporting Mahatma Gandhi’s movement. She also led other campaigns like the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, the Khilafat issue, the Sabarmati Pact, the Satyagraha Pledge and the Civil Disobedience Movement and received global attention for her determination and contribution as a freedom fighter.
Apart from being an Indian independence activist, she was also a great orator, crusader for equality, and poet of Modern India. She joined the freedom struggle after the partition of Bengal in 1905. Later she met Gopal Krishna Gokhale and came in contact with other prominent leaders like Annie Basant, who was also a feminist, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindra Nath Tagore and other. It was Gopal Krishna Gokhale who urged her to use her intellect for the welfare of India. So, Sarojini took a break from writing and became active in the struggle for freedom. In the year 1916, she fought for the rights of farmers in Champaran, Bihar. In 1925, she chaired the annual session of Indian National Congress at Kanpur. She was an active participant in the Civil Disobedience Movement and was sent to jail along with Gandhiji and other leaders due to it. In 1931 she participated in the Round-Table Conference with Mahatma Gandhi and Madan Mohan Malaviya in London. Sarojini Naidu was born on 13th February 1879 and kept working till the end and passed away on 2nd March 1949, in her office.
Umabai Kundapur
Umabai Kundapur was born as Bhavani Golikeri in Mangalore in 1892. She played a major role in the freedom struggle for India and served the country for nearly 50 years. She was the founder of the ‘Bhagini Mandal’ and the leader of the women’s wing of Hindustani Seva Dal. She was the fearless leader who educated young girls at the ‘Tilak Kanya Shala’. In 1924, she helped Dr. Hardikar (founder of Hindustani Seva Dal) recruit over 150 women to help in Belgaum session of the All India Congress. In 1932, she was arrested and imprisoned in Yerwada jail for four months. While she was in jail, the British confiscated Karnataka Press, sealed her school and declared her NGO ‘Bhagini Mandal’ as unlawful. At that moment, Sarojini Naidu supported her and gave her guidance to keep away from the limelight. Umabai Kundapur was the iron-willed lady who sheltered the freedom fighters from the British. Looking at her potential, Mahatma Gandhi appointed her as the head of the Karnataka branch of the Kasturba Trust. Umabai Kundapur was the down-to-earth freedom campaigner who served her country fearlessly till her last breath.
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
When India was struggling for its independence, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the woman who contributed to the freedom struggle by becoming the first woman in pre-independent India to hold a cabinet position of local self-government and public health in the year 1937 to 1939. While she may not be as famous as her brother, Jawaharlal Nehru, but she holds an esteemed place amongst those who fought for India’s freedom. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was born as Swarup Kumari Nehru on August 18, 1900, in Allahabad and later became one of the world’s leading women in the 20th century. During the freedom struggle, she actively took part in politics to try and influence the treatment of Indians and was imprisoned by the British Raj on three separate occasions, 1932-1933, 1940, and 1942-1943. In the late 1960s, though she left politics due to personal reasons, her commitment brought her back in the 1970s by protesting against the Emergency rule (1975) imposed by Indira Gandhi - who was her niece. In her autobiography, The Scope of Happiness, not only does she recount these stories but she also talks about her relationship with her brother, her views on her niece - the polarizing Indira Gandhi, and gives an insight into the life of Mahatma Gandhi.
Besides these women freedom fighters that we have featured, there are many other women who have contributed significantly to the freedom fight of India. From shouldering critical responsibilities to handling public meetings, and selling Khadi to spreading awareness they actively participated in all of the National Movements. They bravely faced the baton of the police and went to jails. Hundreds and thousands of Indian women dedicated their lives for obtaining the freedom of their motherland. This Independence Day, let’s recall their contribution and learn something from their bravery.
