Born as Aruna Ganguly on July 16 1909 in Kalka, Haryana to a conventional Hindu Bengali famil, Aruna Asaf Ali was a renowned female protagonist of India's freedom struggle. She was educated at Sacred Heart Convent in Lahore, and then in Nainital and after graduating from school, she taught at the Gokhale Memorial School in Calcutta. While in Allahabad, she met her husband, Asaf Ali, who was an important Congressman who was 23 years older than she was. They were married in 1928 against parental disagreement on the grounds of both religion and age. Since Asaf Ali was profoundly involved with freedom struggle, after marriage Aruna Asaf Ali too plunged into it. Her first major political action was during the Salt Satyagraha in 1930 when she addressed public meetings and led processions. British Government charged her for being a “itinerant” and sentenced her to one year’s imprisonment. When political prisoners were released in the aftermath of Gandhi-Irwin pact, Aruna was not released. But a public agitation in favour of her release forced British government to release her. In the year 1932, she was arrested again and put in Tihar Jail and during this time, she went on a hunger strike against the treatment meted out to political prisoners. Her protest caused an improvement in conditions, but she herself was moved to solitary confinement in Ambala. After her release, she dropped out of the national movement for 10 years. In the year 1942, she attended the Bombay Congress Session with her husband, where the historic Quit India resolution was passed on 8th August. When the Congress leaders were arrested on the day after this resolution was passed, her instant of consideration came in 1942 during Quit India Movement and she ascended to the occasion. She unfurled the national flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan to signify the commencement of the Quit India Movement and became a legend for thousands of youth that rose to emulate her. She became a full-time activist in the Quit India movement and went underground to evade arrest. Her property was seized by the Government and sold and Government as well announced Rs. 5000 reward for her arrest. Meanwhile, she fell ill and on hearing, this Gandhiji advised her to surrender. Aruna Asaf Ali surrendered herself only when the warrants against her were cancelled on 26th January 1946. During the time of independence, Aruna Asaf Ali was a member of the Congress Socialist Party, which until then had been part of the Congress framework. In 1948, however, the socialists, including Aruna, formed a socialist party of their own. In the year 1955, this group merged with Communist Party of India and she became a member of its Central committee and a Vice President of the All India Trade Union Congress. In the year 1958, she left the Communist Party of India and was elected Delhi's first Mayor. She rejoined the Congress party in 1964 but ceased to play any active part in politics. She was awarded the Lenin Prize for peace in 1975 and the Jawahar Lal Nehru award for International understanding for 1991. Aruna Asaf Ali died on died July 29 1996. She was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, and was honoured with a stamp issued by the Indian Postal Service in 1998.
