Sarojini Naidu, also known as India’s Nightingale, passed away on March 2, 1949, because of a heart problem. She was a remarkable Indian woman who did many important things. She was a political activist, which means she worked to make changes in politics. She was also a poet, writing beautiful poems. And she played a big role in India’s fight for freedom from British rule. Sarojini Naidu was special because she was the first Indian woman to lead the Indian National Congress, a big political group in India. She was also the first woman to be a governor in India. People loved her poems so much that they called her the Nightingale of India.
Sarojini Naidu’s life story is inspiring. She showed that women can do big things in politics and art. Even though she is no longer with us, her legacy lives on, and people still remember her for her important contributions to India.
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Sarojini Naidu’s Biography
Sarojini Chattopadhyay, famously known as The Nightingale of India or Bharat Kokila, was born on February 13, 1879, in Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British India. She was the daughter of Aghorenath Chattopadhyay and Varada Sundari Devi.
Sarojini Naidu passed away on March 2, 1949, at the age of 70, in Lucknow, United Provinces, Dominion of India. She left behind a remarkable legacy as a political activist, poet, and influential figure in India’s struggle for independence. She was married to Govindarajulu Naidu and had a strong educational background, having attended King’s College London and Girton College, Cambridge.
Sarojini Naidu was associated with the Indian National Congress and played a significant role in the freedom movement. Her contributions led to the establishment of several memorials and institutions in her honor, including Sarojini Naidu Medical College, Sarojini Naidu College for Women, and Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication.
Sarojini Naidu’s Political Journey
Sarojini Naidu had a significant political career, starting in 1904 when she became a well-known speaker advocating for Indian independence and women’s rights, especially women’s education. She gained popularity as an orator and addressed important gatherings like the Indian National Congress and the Indian Social Conference in Calcutta in 1906.
Recognized for her social work during the floods in 1911, she was awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal. However, in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in April 1919, she returned the medal.
In 1917, along with Muthulakshmi Reddy, she founded the Women’s Indian Association, working towards women’s rights. She also accompanied Annie Besant to advocate for universal suffrage in London.
Sarojini Naidu was closely associated with prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Rabindranath Tagore, and Sarala Devi Chaudhurani. She joined Gandhi’s Satyagraha movement in 1917 and participated in various movements against British rule, including the non-cooperation movement.
She traveled to Africa in 1924 to advocate for Indian rights and played a significant role in the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement. In 1925, she became the President of the Indian National Congress.
During her political career, she also toured North America, giving lectures on the Congress movement. She was a founding member of the All Indian Women’s Conference and presided over the East African and Indian Congress session in South Africa in 1929.
Despite facing imprisonment several times for her anti-British activities, she continued to actively participate in India’s struggle for independence. She also attended the Round Table Conferences in London and supported the Congress Party’s policies during World War II. In recognition of her contributions, she was appointed the governor of the United Province, a position she held until her death.
Sarojini Naidu Quotes
- “We want deeper sincerity of motive, greater courage in speech, and earnestness in action.”
- “The secret of happiness is freedom, the secret of freedom is courage.”
- “A country’s greatness lies in its undying ideals of love and sacrifice that inspire the mothers of the race.”
- “Our love, our hope, our prayers are with the millions of sufferers who are being trampled underfoot by a great and pitiless military machine.”
- “We are all sons and daughters of one Mother India, and our only duty is to honestly love and serve her to the best of our ability.”
- “We must fight fearlessly and unitedly against any force that seeks to undermine the very fabric of our society.”
- “Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge – meet it. Life is a dream – realize it.”
- “True education must correspond to the surrounding circumstances or it is not a healthy growth.”
- “The fairy tales of our childhood yield truths not always embodied in the practical politics of our adult lives.”
- “Fate is the outcome of all our actions, and our destinies are the total of our deserts.”
- “We want deeper sincerity of motive, greater courage in speech, and earnestness in action.”
- “We have believed – and we do believe now – that freedom is indivisible, that peace is indivisible, that economic prosperity is indivisible.”
- “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
- “Love is not a mere impulse; it must contain truth, which is law.”
- “When there is oppression, the only self-respecting thing is to rise and say this shall cease today because my right is justice.”
- “My husband often said, ‘There are many hopes and aspirations which are so dear to my heart and which I should like to achieve, but I would like to earn a special name as the husband of Sarojini Naidu’.”
- “We do not know, in most cases, how far social failure and success are due to heredity, and how far to environment. But the environment is the easier of the two to improve.”
- “We, the inheritors of a proud civilization, are face to face with a world in a state of transition.”
- “Life is a series of imprisonments and releases.”
- “Suffering is the badge of the human race – not the sword, but the cross is the symbol of our faith.”
National Women’s Day (Sarojini Naidu Birth Anniversary)
In India, every year on February 13, National Women’s Day is celebrated. Many people don’t know why this specific day is chosen for Women’s Day. It is because Sarojini Naidu, a famous poet and fighter for independence, was born on this day. She is often called the “Nightingale of India” because of her beautiful poetry.
Sarojini Naidu played a big role in India’s fight for independence. She was actively involved in the Indian National Movement. She worked hard to make India free from British rule. Her efforts and contributions are remembered and celebrated on National Women’s Day.
People admire Sarojini Naidu not just for her poetry, but also for her courage and dedication to the country. She inspired many women to be strong and fight for their rights. That’s why her birthday is celebrated as National Women’s Day in India. It’s a day to honor her and all the other amazing women who have contributed to the progress of the nation.
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| FAQ – National Women’s Day |
1. Whose birthday is celebrated as National Women’s Day?
In India, National Women’s Day is celebrated on February 13 to honor the birthday of Sarojini Naidu. She was a leader who fought for women’s rights. Sarojini Naidu was also known as the Nightingale of India because she was a politician and a poet.
2. What is the importance of February 13th?
February 13th is important because it is celebrated as National Women’s Day in India. This day is dedicated to remembering Sarojini Naidu, who was a poet and a political activist. We celebrate her birth anniversary on this day.
3. Who started Women’s Day in India?
National Women’s Day in India, celebrated on February 13, commemorates Sarojini Naidu’s birth anniversary. Sarojini Naidu played a significant role in advocating for women’s rights in Indian society.
