Sarojini Naidu was an Indian political activist, poet, freedom fighter, and member of the Indian National Congress. She was amongst the first women who fought for women, women empowerment, and India’s Independence. She was also got a mastery of Hindi, Telugu, English, Bengali, and Persian Languages. Due to her extraordinary poems, she also got a sobriquet “the Nightingale of India” or “Bhagat Kokila” from the father of the nation Mahatama Gandhi.
Sarojini Naidu’s Family Background
Sarojini naidu born as Sarojini chattopadhay on 13 feb 1879 in Hydrebad to Aghoranath Chattopadhyay and Varada Sunderi Devi.Her father was the Principal of Nizam College and she was known for writing Poetry in Bengali languages. She was the eldest among the eight siblings and at a very young age she has a passion for writing poems, Naidu wrote her first poem at the age of 12 namely “Maher Muneer” written in the Persian language which impressed the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Education
Sarojini Naidu was an extraordinary girl from childhood as she passed her matriculation with the highest rank. Eager to write poems was one of her hobbies. She was educated from the madras university and later after the scholarship given to her by the Nizam of Hyderabad for brilliant academics she studied at king’s college London from (1895-1898) and further shifted to Girton College, Cambridge.In the same year 1898, she married Govindarajulu Naidu a doctor by Profession at the age of 19.
Role in India’s Independence
1)Sarojini Naidu’s role in India‘s Independence started in 1904 when she was more focused on women should be given the Politics rights and became a part of India’s struggle for Independence.
2) After the Bengal Partition in 1905 she got fully involved in the freedom struggle after joining the Indian National Congress.
3)In 1911 Naidu was given a Kaisar-i-Hind medal for her contribution to flood relief later it was returned by Naidu as a protest over the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in April 1919.
4)In 1917 she contributed with Annie besant, Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay to set up the Women’s India Association for women’s suffrage, to liberate the women from the social, economic and political matters and for the upliftment of Indian Women.
5)In 1917 when the first satyagraha movement was started she joined the movement along with Gandhiji.
6)In 1919 she went to London as a part of the home rule league to support India’s struggle for Independence from the Britishers.
7)Naidu also supported the Noncooperation movement launched on 5 September 1920 by the Indian national congress led by Mahatma Gandhi.
8)The Indian national congress choose Sarojini Naidu as the first women president in the year 1925 and later became the first Indian female governor of Independent India till 1949.
9)In 1930 Naidu joined the salt march with Gandhiji as one of the influential civil disobedience movements led by Gandhi and as result, something around 60,000 people were arrested along with Gandhiji.
10)In 1941 due to Involvement in the Quit India movement Naidu also faces 21 months imprisonment.
11)In 1947 after India’s Independence Naidu became the first women governor of the United Provinces.
Popular Books
- “Maher Muneer” (Play) at the age of 12.
- “The Golden Threshold” first poem published in 1905 London.
- “The Bird of Time: Songs of Life, Death and the spring” in the year 1912.
- “In the Bazaars of Hyderabad” in 1912.
- “The Broken Wings” in the year 1917
- “Palanquin Bearers” in the year 1917.
- “Muhammad Jinnah: An Ambassador of Unity” in 1919.
- “Speeches and Writings” of Sarojini Naidu in 1925.
Popular Quotes
- I am not ready to die because it requires infinitely great courage to live. – Sarojini Naidu
- “Oh, we want a new breed of men before India can be cleansed of her disease.
- “A country’s greatness lies in its undying ideals of love and sacrifice that inspire the mothers of the race.”- Sarojini Naidu
- “The new has come and now the old retires, and so the past becomes a mountain cell. where lone apart old hermit memories dwell.- Sarojini Naidu
- “We want deeper sincerity of motive, a great courage in speech and earnestness in action”.-Sarojini NaiduMy heart is very weary, sad, and alone. For its dreams like the fluttering leaves have gone, And why should I say behind.- Sarojini Naidu
- “We want deeper sincerity of motive, eater courage in speech, and earnestness in action.-Sarojini Naidu
Death
Sarojini Naidu died on 2 March 1949 due to cardiac arrest at the Government House in Lucknow after two years of Independence, she is undoubtedly one of the influential women at the time of Independence. In India, Feb 13 her birth date is commemorated as National Women’s day every year for her outstanding contribution to the Indian Women, for women’s emancipation, empowerment, and for the upliftment of women throughout the country.
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