Birth: February 13, 1879 Death: 2nd March 1949 Achievements: Travelled to America and Europe as flag-bearer of India’s freedom movement, One of the delegates of the Indian National Congress Party to the East African Indian Congress, in 1925 she was elected as the President of the Indian National Congress Party, first lady Governor of the State of Uttar Pradesh of free India. Sarojini Naidu, known as the nightingale of India was born on February 13, 1879 in Hyderabad to Dr. Aghornath Chattopadhyaya, who was a scientist, philosopher, and educator. He was the founder of Nizam College of Hyderabad. Dr. Aghornath Chattopadhyaya was the first member of the Indian National Congress in Hyderabad and owing to his socio-political activities; he was fired from his position as Principal. Sarojini Naidu’s mother was Varada Sundari Devi was a Bengali poetess. Coming from an educated family, she was a brilliant student and owing to this, her father wanted her to become a scientist or a mathematician. However, she was more keen and interested in writing poetry and at a very tender age she wrote a thirteen-hundred-lines long poem "The Lady of the Lake". Her father supported her and allowed her to help him with a play named "Maher Muneer" in Persian language. Her father distributed the copies of the play and the Nizam was impressed with her work and awarded her with a scholarship to study abroad. She joined the King's College of England at the age of 16 years and there she came in contact with some of the prominent English authors namely Arthur Simon and Edmond Gausse and they encouraged her work and persuaded her to write about various topics related to India. After she came back to India, she got married to Muthyala Govindarajulu Naidu, who was a doctor. Although, inter-caste marriage was totally discarded in India during that time, she was supported by her parents and was happily married with four children. As her family was inclined towards the freedom movement of India and as Sarojini Naidu was brought up in such an environment, she tilted towards it at a very tender age. However, she never actively participated in the freedom struggle until 1905, after the Bengal partition. This incident kindled her and she joined the Indian National Congress. She then actively participated in the freedom movement of India and during this time she came in contact with some of the prominent leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Mahatma Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. These were the people who encouraged her to clutch on to the freedom movement. She travelled to America and Europe as flag-bearer of India’s freedom movement and in 1915, she travelled all over the nation delivering speeches to persuade the youth to join the freedom movement and promote Nationalism and also raised several social issues. In the year 1916, she took up the issue of the indigo workers of Champaran in the western district of Bihar. In 1919, Mahatma Gandhi started the non-cooperation movement against the Rowlatt Act, which was passed in March 1919, which prohibited possession of seditious documents. Sarojini Naidu was the first among all to participate in the movement and also actively participated in the other movements related to t freedom struggle, which include Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, the Khilafat issue, the Sabarmati Pact, the Satyagraha movement and the Civil Disobedience Movement. In the year 1919, she went to England as a member of the All India Home Rule Deputation and in the year 1924, she was one of the two delegates of the Indian National Congress Party to go to the East African Indian Congress and in the 1925, she was elected as the President of the Indian National Congress Party. Besides all her activities and sacrifices for the nation, she continued with her passion for poetry, thereafter, in the year 1905, her collection of poetries was published with the title "Golden Threshold" and soon after “The Bird of Time", and "The Broken Wings" were published. Sarojini Naidu was appointed as the first lady Governor of the State of Uttar Pradesh of free India. On 2nd March 1949, Sarojini Naidu breathed her last, leaving behind her sign as a woman of dignity. She became an inspiration for the womenfolk of India. She was the one, who initiated women empowerment in India. Her contribution towards the nation, especially towards women of India is noteworthy. She tops the list among the Indian Women freedom fighters. She is not only an inspiration for women of India but also for every women in the World and hence, her birthday is celebrated world wide as “Women’s Day”.
