Women in Indian Freedom Movement

Key Pointers

Pre-1900 and early reform: Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Begum Hazrat Mahal (Awadh) in 1857; reformers Savitribai Phule (first girls' school, Pune, 1848), Pandita Ramabai, Anandibai Joshi, Kadambini Ganguly.
Early nationalist phase: Women attended Congress sessions from 1889; Sarla Devi Chaudhurani (Bharat Stri Mahamandal, 1910); Madame Bhikaji Cama (unfurled flag at Stuttgart, 1907); Annie Besant (Home Rule; first woman INC president, 1917).
Women's organisations: Women's India Association (1917) (Annie Besant, Margaret Cousins), National Council of Women in India (1925), All India Women's Conference (1927).
Gandhian era: Large-scale participation in Non-Cooperation (picketing foreign cloth and liquor shops; spinning; Basanti Devi, Urmila Devi, Sunity Devi), Civil Disobedience (salt satyagraha; Sarojini Naidu led the Dharasana raid; Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Kasturba Gandhi, Rani Gaidinliu, Rameshwari Nehru).
Sarojini Naidu: Poet ('Nightingale of India'), first Indian woman President of INC (Kanpur, 1925).
Revolutionary movement: Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Dutta, Bina Das, Suniti Choudhury and Shanti Ghosh (shot a magistrate in Comilla, 1931), Durgawati Devi (Durga Bhabhi).
Quit India (1942): Aruna Asaf Ali (hoisted the flag at Gowalia Tank), Usha Mehta (Congress Radio), Sucheta Kripalani, Matangini Hazra (killed at Tamluk), Kanaklata Barua (Assam), Bhogeshwari Phukan.
INA: Captain Lakshmi Sahgal (Swaminathan) led the Rani of Jhansi Regiment.
Constituent Assembly: 15 women members including Hansa Mehta, Durgabai Deshmukh, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Sarojini Naidu, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Begum Aizaz Rasul, Ammu Swaminadhan, Renuka Ray.
Significance: Political awakening, entry into public life, link between social reform and nationalism; foundation for equal franchise in independent India.

MCQs

Q1. Who was the first Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress? (a) Annie Besant (b) Sarojini Naidu (c) Sucheta Kripalani (d) Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit Answer: (b). Presided at Kanpur, 1925.

Q2. The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was part of the: (a) Indian National Army (b) Ghadar Party (c) HSRA (d) Royal Indian Navy Answer: (a).

Q3. Who hoisted the Congress flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan during the Quit India Movement? (a) Usha Mehta (b) Aruna Asaf Ali (c) Sarojini Naidu (d) Matangini Hazra Answer: (b).