Sarojini Naidu, the name echoes every nook and corner of India especially in the heart of Hyderabad. She is well known as a poetess, most importantly as a freedom fighter and activist. Who can forget her oratory skills? She was a God-gifted and an intelligent poetess. Her pen name" the Nightingale of India "was coined by Mahatma Gandhiji as he was mesmerized by her poems. She is one of the prominent figures of the twentieth century. The mother earth was blessed with a beautiful daughter on 13th February 1879. In India, the 13th of February, the anniversary of her birth is also observed as National Women's Day. The nation will be observing her 144th birth anniversary. Here the proud Bengali parents Dr. Aghore Nath Chattopadhya, was a scientist, philosopher, and teacher, he founded Hyderabad's Nizam College, her mother Varada Sundari Devi was a poetess in Bengali language and the proud city of Hyderabad was overjoyed. Her father was the first INC member in Hyderabad. She was the master of languages with command over Urdu, Telegu, Bengali, Persian, and undoubtedly English. The first kickstart to her literary career was when at the age of twelve she wrote "Lady of the lake " a 1300-line poem. This made her a worldwide star. Everyone was in the praise of her especially the Nawab of Hyderabad. She passed her matriculation exams from Hyderabad with flying colors. She nurtured her creative skills with time and went abroad as she received a scholarship for her Persian play "Maher Muneer" with the help of her father when she was just a young girl of age 16 to complete her higher education in the prestigious King's College in London.
It was Noble Laureates Arthur Simon and Edmond Gausse who gave her some advices. They suggested her to highlight the richness of Indian culture and tradition through her writings. She had immense passion for writing and who could have stopped her to publish her first volume of poetry “The Golden Threshold” in 1905. She achieved literary success hereafter. According to popular critics like Bappaditya Bandopadhyay said that she influenced the freedom struggle and was a voice of the women of India. She used poetry as a tool to express her thoughts, feelings and also to share her experiences. Her main source of Inspiration was the beautiful nature and the world around her. The spirit of patriotism is also reflected in her writings. There are two additional volumes of poetry "The Bird of Time" and "The Broken Wings", which were well celebrated in both India and England. She also wrote essays and articles on social concerns like women's empowerment and political difficulties. Her writings have been praised by noteworthy people including Tagoreji and Nehruji.
Sarojini was exposed to politics in India by Gandhi and Gopal Krishna Gokhale, two renowned figures in the Indian liberation struggle. After the partition of Bengal in 1905 had a lasting impression on her, she took the choice to join the Indian freedom movement. She often met with Gopal Krishna Gokhale, who also introduced her to other figures involved in the Indian freedom struggle. Gokhale convinced her to use her education and experience for the cause. She put off writing so she could give the political cause her all. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and Mahatma Gandhi were among the people she dealt with. She initially connected with Jawaharlal Nehru in 1916, and the two of them worked together to ameliorate the appalling working conditions of the Indigo workers in Champaran, a region in western Bihar, while tenaciously fighting the British for their rights. Sarojini Naidu gave talks about nationalism, women's independence, the dignity of labour, and youth welfare while travelling around India. She helped establish the Women's India Association in 1917, together with Annie Besant and other famous individuals. She also spoke with Congress about the need of getting more women involved in the struggle for independence. She travelled extensively in the United States and numerous European countries as the Indian Nationalist movement's ambassador. After Rani Laxmi Bai, her successor was Sarojini Naidu who actively participated in India's freedom movement. The largest political party of India, The Indian National Congress was blessed have her as the leader. India got its first female Governor of the state Uttar Pradesh. Sarojini Naidu, a freedom fighter: In March 1919, the British government introduced the Rowlatt Act, which made it illegal to own seditious literature. Naidu was the first to join the Non-Cooperation Movement, a method of protest that Mahatma Gandhi began. Sarojini Naidu closely followed Gandhi's example and actively took part in his various endeavours, including the Civil Disobedience Movement, the Khilafat Issue, the Sabarmati Pact, and the Satyagraha Pledge.
When Gandhi was imprisoned after the Salt March to Dandi in 1930, she and other leaders led the Dharasana Satyagraha. She accompanied Gandhi on his trip to London in 1931 to take part in the Round Table Discussions with the British administration. Due to her political activity and contribution to the fight for independence, she was sentenced to jail in 1930. She travelled to England in 1919 while serving on the All-India Home Rule Deputation. In January 1924, she was one of the two Indian National Congress deputies that attended the East African Indian Congress. In 1925, she was selected to lead the Indian National Congress Party as a consequence of her tireless advocacy for freedom. Naidu made a significant contribution to the understanding of the complexities of India's peaceful struggle for freedom. She travelled to Europe and even the United States to promote Gandhi's ideas, and she contributed to his elevation to the status of a global peace icon.
The main motto and principle of her life were to work for the dignity of the common man, upliftment of women, against racial and communal discrimination. She also encouraged setting up of schools for girls and also orphanages. Sarojini Naidu went to heavenly abode on 2nd March 1949 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, but her teachings in the form of her speeches and poems will be always remembered, followed, and cherished generations after generations. She is unforgettably the founder of modern, secular India. In her words,
"When there is oppression, the only self-respecting thing is to rise and say this shall cease today, because my right is justice. If you are stronger, you have to help the weaker boy or girl both in play and in the work."