Role of women in India's freedom struggle

The history of Indian Freedom Struggle would be incomplete without mentioning the contributions
of women. The sacrifice made by the women of India will occupy the foremost place. They fought
with true spirit and undaunted courage and faced various tortures, exploitations and hardships to
earn us freedom.

When most of the men freedom fighters were in prison the women came forward and took charge
of the struggle. The list of great women whose names have gone down in history for their dedication
and undying devotion to the service of India is a long one.

Woman's participation in India's freedom struggle began as early as in1817 .Bhima Bai Holkar fought
bravely against the British colonel Malcolm and defeated him in guerilla warfare. Many women
including Rani Channama of Kittur, Rani Begam Hazrat Mahal of Avadh fought against British East
India company in the 19th century; 30 years before the “First War of Independence 1857”

The role played by women in the War of Independence (the Great Revolt) of 1857 was creditable
and invited the admiration even leaders of the Revolt. Rani of Ramgarh, Rani Jindan Kaur, Rani Tace
Bai, Baiza Bai, Chauhan Rani, Tapasvini Maharani daringly led their troops into the battlefield.

Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi whose heroism and superb leadership laid an outstanding example of real
patriotism .Indian women who joined the national movement belonged to educated and liberal
families, as well as those from the rural areas and from all walk of life, all castes, religions and
communities.

Sarojini Naidu, Kasturba Gandhi, Vijayalakmi Pundit and Annie Bezant in the 20th century are the
names which are remembered even today for their singular contribution both in battlefield and in
political field.

Let us elucidate the role of Indian women who participated in the freedom struggle against British
East India Company and British Empire and made great and rich contributions in various ways.

The First War of Independence (1857-58)

The First War of Independence (1857-58) It was the first general agitation against the rule of the
British East India Company. The Doctrine of Lapse, issue of cartridges greased with cow and pig fat to
Indian soldiers at Meerut ‘triggered the fire’. Further, the introduction of British system of education
and a number of social reforms had infuriated a very wide section of the Indian people, soon became
a widespread agitation and posed a grave challenge to the British rule.
30 Anudhyan An International Journal of Social Sciences (AIJSS) Role of Women in Indian Freedom
Struggle (1905 – 1927) Dr. Rina Pal To call women the weaker sex is a libel, it is men’s injustice to
women. If by strength is meant moral power, then women is immeasurably man’s superior. Has she
not greater intuition, is she not more self sacrificing …has she not greater powers of endurance, has
she got greater courage? Without her man could not be. If non-violence is the law of our being, the
future is with woman. I have nursed this thought now for years.” (Mahatma Gandhi) Whenever the
history of India’s freedom struggle is written, the sacrifices made by Indian Women will surely find
the most prominent place in it. It was disgraceful to call women a weaker section, it was an injustice
committed to them by men. If they meant moral courage, women had it many times more than men.
If she had not had more inner strength, self sacrifice and tolerance than men and mankind would
not have survived. If man was governed by nonviolence, the future belongs to women.1 When most
of the men folk were in prison, a wonderful thing happened. Our women jumped into the arena of
freedom struggle. They had always been contributing in the freedom struggle, but the wave of their
unprecedented enthusiasm had surprised the British Government. The Home Secretary of the British
govt. had to confess that nothing had disturbed him more than the great awakening among the
Indian Women and the part played by them in Indian politics. The consciousness of the women in
the whole of India took a unique shape and the women of Bengal did not lag behind. The
participation of the Bengali women in resistance movement had its origins and background in the
social reforms of the 19th century. It may be recalled that during the late eighteenth and early
nineteenth centuries protestant missionaries with the support of allies in India and England took the
initiative in advocating a number of social reforms in Hindu Society. They drew attention to practices
such as infanticide, child marriage, the deplorable conditions of widows, the exposure of the sick and
dying on the banks of holy rivers, Hook- 31 swinging at the Hindu festivals, the practice of sati, the
prevalence of caste system that dehumanized a great part of the society, bonded labour etc. In
1820, Raja Ram Mohan Roy emerged as the first modern Hindu exponent of social reform. The first
step in the direction of Women’s liberation in modern India was taken by Raja Ram Mohan Roy by
way of opposition to sati and its abolition through legal sanctions (Dec. 1829) has left a lasting legacy
for the women’s movement in India. The issues that dominated the 19th century were sati abolition,
widow remarriage, education, rising the age of marriage. It was with the efforts of Raja Ram Mohan
Roy, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, KeshabChandra Sen, and a host of others came forward for the
betterment of the women and her lot in society started improving. Under pressure from social
reformers, the Govt. of India Act of 1856 legalised the marriage of Hindu widows, child Marriage Act
of 1872 banned child marriage and fixed minimum age of marriage at 14 for the girl and 18 for the
boy, permitted widow remarriage and inter caste marriage and penalized polygamy among the
Brahmo Samaj. It is these reforms mainly in the provinces of Bengal that helped the women to
participate actively, even as early as 1885, in the emerging nationalist movement, by freeing them
from the shackles of the traditional practices and values. From the inception of Indian National
Congress (1885) its membership was open to women also. Allan Octavian Hume even went ahead
asking for all shades of opinion never to forget that unless the evaluation of the female element of
the nation proceeded parsi pressure (with an equal place) with their work, all their labour of the
political enfranchisement of the country would prove vain.2 The women attended the fourth session
of the Congress at Bombay in 1889. Like the males, females participated from Calcutta including
Swarnakumari Devi, sister of Rabindranath Taore. She had abandoned purdah and together with her
husband, edited the Bengali journal, Bharati, having thus achieved the name of being the first Indian
Woman editor. Swarnakumari began ‘Sakhi Samiti’ (Ladies Association) to infuse among Indian
Women an active and enlightened interest in country’s welfare. From Bengal also came Kadamboni
Ganguli, a graduate of Kolkata University and the first woman doctor from Bengal. Swarnakumari
Devi and Kadambori Ganguli attended the Congress Session as delegates in 1890. The later Dr. Rina
Pal 32 Anudhyan An International Journal of Social Sciences (AIJSS) had the honour of being the first
woman to speak from the congress platform when she proposed a vote of thanks to the President
Pheroze Shah Mehta. Sarala Devi Chaudhurani, daughter of Swarna Kumari, who was to take an
active part in the nationalist movement in the years to come, composed a song urging the people
different provinces of the country to join the freedom struggle. Interestingly the same song was sung
in chorus at congress session in 1901.3 The decision for the partition of Bengal, announced by the
Govt. on 20th July 1905, first time galvanized the common people including women into political
action. In Sept. 1905, Rabindranath Tagore announced his plan for observing Rakhi Bandhan on the
partition Day i.e. 16 October. Women also took ‘non-cooking day’ as suggested by Ramendra Sunder
Trivedi. Protest meetings were convened by women and about five hundred of them witnessed the
laying of the foundation stone of the Federation Hall at Calcutta on 16 Oct. 1905. Women organized
Swadeshi fairs and Saraladevi Chaudhurani opened ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ selling only indigenous
articles, gave up use of foreign articles and use of foreign cloth and smashed their foreign bangles.
Another eminent lady was Kumudini Mitra (daughter of Krishna Kumar Mitra, a renowned
nationalist) also organised a group of educated ladies in order to make a liaison among different
revolutionaries. It also propagated and preached the cause of the revolutionaries through
Suprabhat, a Bengali magazine.4 Women helped in distributing revolutionary pamphlets and
literature and in maintaining connections between different revolutionary leaders. Mrs. Ramsay
McDonald, who accompanied her husband in his tour of India, visualized that the Swadeshi
movement could not have succeeded without the female assistances.5 Swadeshi movement arose
from Bengal and spread throughout the country-stormy tours of leaders, women’s dharnas at
foreign goods stores and bonfires of foreign goods and students giving up schools and colleges in the
face of expulsions for violating Government orders became a routine matter. Women too played an
important role in organizing processions, rallies and dharnas and in spreading the boycott movement
and raising funds for it. Women of Bengal, Maharashtra, Punjab and the central provinces were
more active. Sushila Devi of Sialkot was spreading new awareness by delivering lectures at various
33 places. Hardevi, wife of a barrister of Lahore Mr. Roshan Lal was editing Hindi magazine Bharat
Bhagini Pooran Devi of Hisar, a leading member of Arya Samaj, was visiting every district to spread
the message of Swadeshi Agyawati and Ved Kumari of Delhi were delivering lectures to men folk
more than to women. Sarla Devi of Bengal visited Punjab and served as a bridge between the two
provinces.6 Among the freedom fighters of the Central Provinces, the most active women were
Satyabhama Tilak, Yamunabai Savarkar, Avantika Bai Gokhale, Lakhmibai Khare, Janakibai Gore,
Lakshmibai Datar, Lakshmibai Rahalkar, Godabai Khare etc. They set up a women’s wing of Abhinav
Bharat and named it Atma Night Yuvati Sabha whose members secretly assisted the revolutionaries
through this institution. The women of Maharashtra organized Hindu Sahbhojam7 and Haldi
Kumkum etc. to eradicate untouchability. Mrs. McDonald, wife of Ramsay McDonald, who visited
India during those days, worte : A storm like movement is running through the women.8 The year
1917 was considered a milestone in the history of women’s progress in India. Mrs. Annie Besant
became the first woman President of the Congress. Under Annie Besant’s Presidentship a resolution
was passed demanding equal voting rights for women. A women’s deputation led by Smt. Sarojini
Naidu met Mr. Montague, Secretary of State for India and Viceroy Lord Chelmsford. Although in the
name of the social incapability of women, the British Government did not give voting right to women
in the Parliament under the Mount – Ford Reforms Scheme, but the Provincial Legislature Council
was given the right to think over the matter of it so desired. Women Indian Association, Mahila Sewa
Sabha, Women’s Home Rule League and Indian Women’s University joined together to register a
strong protest against it and intensified their activities. Consequently the British Government was
compelled to pass on the issue to the State Legislative Councils.9 The entire history of the freedom
movement, as we know underwent a change with the advent of Mahatma Gandhi on the political
scene in 1917. With his experience of South Africa behind him, Gandhi was conscious of the female
potentialities as passive resisters. As he experimented with his weapon of Satyagraha in India he felt
that women could take part in it together with men. Women were drawn to Gandhi by his magnetic
personality, his distinctive naturalness and transparent sincerity. Dr. Rina Pal 34 Anudhyan An
International Journal of Social Sciences (AIJSS) During the days of the Champaran Satyagraha in India
in 1917, women had lent a helping hand to him by organizing literacy classes and doing other
constructive work. Also in the Ahmadabad labour movement of Feb 1918, Anusuyaben Sarabhai
fought a brave battle on behalf of the workers even against her own brother. Mahatma Gandhi was
deeply influenced by Ghokhale’s views. Like him, he was a moderate, as such he favoured social
reforms and cooperation with the Government for this purpose. In the issue of young India (31st
Dec. 1919) he wrote “ “The Reform Law and the declaration accompanying it indicate the British
Government’s intention to do justice to the Indians. Indians should, therefore, shed all doubts. It is
not our duty to criticize the proposed reforms, we must make efforts for their success. “Gandhhi,
thus, co-operated with the British Government from the very beginning. But the issues of the
Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre and Khilafat compelled him to follow the policy of non-co-
operation. Defense of India law was to lapse six months after the end of war. Therefore, the
government tried to bring in the oppressive Rowlatt Act to acquire preventive and punitive powers.
Gandhi declared a country wide strike on 6th April 1919. The Hindu – Muslim unity made the strike a
great success.10 A massive public meeting was organised at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, on 13 April
1919. When people had assembled there, General Dyer reached Jallianwala Bagh with 100 Indian
and 50 English Soldiers. Without warning the people, General Dyer fired 1650 rounds. According to
the government reports, 500 persons were killed and one to two thousand persons got injured.11 At
General Dyer’s Cruel orders, the injured were left there in pain for the night without any water or
medical aid. Women were caught and molested. The wailing women had to undergo this humiliation
when they came there to look for their dear ones. Some of the women, who managed to enter or
were already inside, did commendable work. Most prominent of them were Mata Attar Kaur and
Rattan Devi. Wailing for their dead husbands, they ran to and for throughout the night driving away
dogs gnawing at the dead bodies. They looked after the injured and consoled and encouraged them
till morning. A wave of resentment ran throughout the country against this massacre. Women’s
organizations till now working through national organizations, for women’s education, social reform
and the social, economic and political 35 rights of women had now started preparing themselves for
the coming national Boycott movement. In July 1919, Sarojini Naidu went to England as a
representative of the Home Rule League. At Kingsley Hall in London, she delivered a fearless speech
based on facts about Jallianwala Bagh which opened the eyes of the whole world and Naidu’s
oratory was universally acknwoeldged.12 After the First World War, Indians expected something
from the British, but they met with disappointment. And during this period of excitement and
frustration, the Jallianwala Bagh incident took place. The incident lent great strength to the freedom
struggle which brought the Indian struggle closer to freedom. It was an unprecedented incident. Due
to the British policy against Khilafat in Turkey, Indian Muslims had turned against he English.
Therefore, in 1920, Hindus and Muslims joined hands to fight against Britain on the Punjab and
Khilafat issues. On 4 th September 1920 at a Special Session of the Congress at Calcutta, it was
decided that a nonviolent Non-Co operation movement be launched.13 The national level
programme of this movement was to boycott foreign institutions, government institutes and foreign
goods and to adapt Swadeshi goods and organizations. The resolution got approval in the annual
session at Nagpur in the Central province in Dec. 1920. Gandhi issued an appeal saying that non-
violent Non-co-operation Movement for Swarajya could not succeed without the participation of
women. He called upon women to join the Indian National Congress and to participate in this
movement for Swarajya.14 He wrote in 1921, “I have great expectations from women. I want that
they should make an equal contribution for the attainment of Swarajya. Their job would become
much easier if women did so willingly.15 “At Gandhi’s call, women joined the congress and played an
important role in taking it forward and making it successful.16 In the non-cooperation movement,
women in the several parts of the country joined the processions and propagated use of khadi and
charkha. Some of them deserted government schools and colleges. Bengal had come to occupy an
important place in the freedom movement. Bengal had come to occupy an important place in the
freedom movement. Under the leadership of Basanti Devi (wife of Chitraranjan Das), her sister
Urmila Devi and the organizer of Nari Karmo Mandir Suniti Devi and several other women for the
first time courted arrests by selling Khadi Dr. Rina Pal 36 Anudhyan An International Journal of Social
Sciences (AIJSS) and indulging in other illegal activities. They went from home to home persuading
people to purchase and use Khadi. They appealed to the people to observe a complete strike on the
day of prince of Wales’ arrival in Calcutta. The government arrested them for showing disrespect to
a VIP and for selling Khadi. It surprised even Gandhi and he remarked that along with men, women
also made a great contribution in the attainment of Swarajya. In the Central Provinces in Gujrat,
Kasturba Gandhi led the movement. She toured various places and inspired the people to follow
Gandhi’s advice for the attainment of freedom. In the Nagpur area of the Central provinces, Anusuya
Bai Kale was in the forefront both in Congress work and in spreading awareness among women. In
the Jabalpur area, well known poetess Subhadra Kumari Chauhan was busy in organizing volunteers
raising funds and at the same time writing inspiring poems.19 In the Central provinces and Gujrat,
Dandi Behan, Dahi Behan, Bhakti Bai, Mithu Ben, Maniben, Shiva Bai Patil, Nandu Ben, Narmoda Ben
Bhatt etc. were organizing Satyagraha under Kasturba’s leadership. Sarala Devi Tarabhai was busy in
organizing volunteers. Her daughter Mridula Tarabhai also lent a helping hand. Women helped
Gandhi in raising Tilak Swaraj Fund. They helped with cash and ornaments. Annapurna Devi was the
first women in Andhra Pradesh to set an example of sacrifice by donating all her ornaments. Among
the Muslim women, there was Abida Banu Begum who was known as Bai Amman was the mother of
Ali brothers. She went from place to place in the Central Provinces to popularize Khadi and to
promote Hindu Muslim unity. Women members of the Nehru family were also active. Despite weak
health, Kamala Nehru took part in the movement. In Delhi, the movement was going strong under
the leadership of Ved Kumari, daughter of Swami Shradhanand and in Punjab under Lala Lajpat Rai’s
wife Radha Devi. In Orissa, Rama Devi Chaudhuri and Savitri Devi of Nepal were going from place to
place to create public opinion in favour of the non-cooperation movements. In Southern India,
women like Lilabai Sangram, Muttu Lakshmi Reddy who had been till then active in the social field
alone, then jumped into the freedom struggle through the boycott movement. In Bombay, women
organized several public meetings to protest against Prince of Wales’ arrival and the civil reception
to be given to him. Kasturba Gandhi presided over them and 37 visited many states to make the
movement successful.20 On 8 Nov., 1927 British Govt. appointed a Commission of British only, called
Simon Commission. The Congress passed a resolution that it should be opposed everywhere.
Women too did not lag behind. Hansa Mehta played leading role among the demonstrators. Annie
Besant played an important role in opposing Simon Commission. Under her leadership a public
meeting was organized at Malabar in which a large number of women participated. They held that
the appointment of the Simon Commission was a negation of India’s right to self determination.22 In
Punjab, Radha Devi, Pravati Devi, Lado Rani Zutshi, Atma Devi, Kartar Kaur, Rajkumari, Amrit Kaur
etc. participated in the boycott of the Simon Commission. In Uttarpradesh, Swarup Rani Nehru,
Beguam Abdul Qadir, Suniti Devi and in the Central Provinces Anusuya Bai were in the forefront. In
1928, Amina Ghulam Rasul Qurreshi, Kusum Ben, Ganga Ben, Danda Ben, Shivabhai Patel, Mani Ben
Vallabhbhai Patel, Madhumati etc. cooperated in the no-tax movement in Gujrat and the Central
Provinces. The movement succeeded only because of the efforts of women.23 To conclude : Women
of all the provinces and Presidencies were fully active during the Freedom struggle. Due to lack of
education, initially the movement was not so strong but gradually women got enlightened about the
movement and at Gandhiji’s call, not only the urban but women from rural areas also came forward
played a very significant role in it. They were not second to none in the respect of making
contribution and taking interests in the on going freedom struggle of the country. References 1.
Anoop Taneja, Gandhi, Women and National Movement: 1920 – 1947, Delhi, 1962, P. 39. 2. B.B.
Mazumdar and B.P. Mazumdar, Congress and Congressmen the Pre-Gandhian Era, Calcutta 1968, P.
128. 3. Monmohan Kaur, Role of Women in Freedom Movement, sterling publishers, Delhi 1968, P.
97. 4. Aparna Basu, The role of women in the Indian Struggle for Freedom (ed.), P. 18. 5. Asha Rani
Vohra, Nari Vidroh ke Bhartiya Manch, Delhi, 1962, P. 73. 6. Ibid., P. 73. 7. Modern Review – August
1910, P. 124. Dr. Rina Pal 38 Anudhyan An International Journal of Social Sciences (AIJSS) 8. Asha
Rani Vohra …., P. 53. 9. Asha Rani Vohra …., P. 79. 10. Pattavi Sitaramayya, The History of the
Congress, Publication Division, Govt. of India, New Delhi, 1972, P. 279. 11. Asha Rani Vohra, P. 81.
12. Pattabhi Sitaramayya, P. 341. 13. M. Kaul, Role of Women in the Freedom Movement Delhi,
1967, P. 150. 14. Dr. R.K. Sharma, Nationalism, Social Reform and Indian Women, Janaki Prakashan,
Patna, 1981, P. 60. 15. Report 36th Indian National Congress (1921), P. 4. 16. Modern Review, Feb.
1922, P. 244. 17. Young India, 15th Dec., 1921. 18. Asha Rani Vohra, pp. 83 – 84. 19. Hindu Navjivan,
23rd Nov., 1924. 20. Amrit Bazar Patrika, 20 May, 1922. 21. Times of India, 3rd Dec., 1927. 22.
Modern Review, Aug. 1928, P. 216.

As a result of this agitation the East India Company was brought under the direct rule of the British
Crown.Even though the British succeeded in crushing it within a year, it was certainly a popular
revolt in which the Indian rulers, the masses and the militia participated so enthusiastically that it
came to be regarded as the First War of Indian Independence. Rani Lakshmibai was the great
heroine of the First war of India Freedom. She showed the embodiment of patriotism, self-respect
and heroism. She was the queen of a small state, but the empress of a limitless empire of glory.

Jalianwalabagh massacre (1919)

General Dyer's Jalianwala Bagh massacre followed the strike wave, when an unarmed crowd of
10,000 Baisakhi celebrators was mercilessly attacked with over 1600 rounds of ammunition. Yet,
Gandhi continued to advocate cooperation with the British in December 1919, even as the resistance
of ordinary Indians continued. The first six months of 1920 saw an even greater level of mass
resistance, with no less than 200 strikes taking place involving 1.5 million workers. It was in response
to this rising mass revolutionary tide that the leadership of the Congress was forced to confront its
conservatism and give a somewhat more militant face to its program. The "non-violent non-
cooperation" movement was thus launched under the stewardship of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi,
Lajpat Rai and Motilal Nehru.

Non-cooperation movement launched (1920)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915 and took up the demand
for self-rule and non-cooperation movement. Sarla Devi, Muthulaxmi Reddy, Susheela Nair,
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Sucheta Kripalani and Aruna Asaf Ali are some the women who participated in
the non-violent movement. Kasturba Gandhi, the wife of Mahatma Gandhi, and the women of the
Nehru family, Kamla Nehru, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit and Swarup Rani, also participated in the National
Movement. Lado Rani Zutshi and her daughters Manmohini, Shyama and Janak led the movement in
Lahore.
Civil Disobedience the Dandi Salt March (1930)

Gandhiji inaugurated the Civil Disobedience Movement by conducting the historic Dandi Salt March,
where he broke the Salt Laws imposed by the British Government. Followed by an entourage of
seventy nine ashram inmates, Gandhi embarked on his march from his Sabarmati Ashram on a 200
mile trek to the remote village Dandi that is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea. On 6th April
1930, Gandhi with the accompaniment of seventy nine satyagrahis, violated the Salt Law by picking
up a fistful of salt lying on the sea shore. The Civil Disobedience Movement was an important
milestone in the history of Indian Independence. The aim of this movement was a complete
disobedience of the orders of the British Government. During this movement it was decided that
India would celebrate 26th January as Independence Day all over the country. On 26th January 1930,
meetings were held all over the country and the Congress tri- colour flag was hoisted. The British
Government tried to repress the movement and resorted to brutal firing, killing hundreds of people.
Thousands were arrested along with Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru. But the movement spread to all
the four corners of the country.

The Quit India Movement (1942)

In August 1942, the Quit India movement was launched. "I want freedom immediately, this very
night before dawn if it can be had. We shall free India or die in the attempt, we shall not live to see
the perpetuation of our slavery", declared the Mahatma, as the British resorted to brutal repression
against non-violent satyagrahis. The Quit India resolution, taken against British, directly addressed
women "as disciplined soldiers of Indian freedom", required to sustain the flame of war.

Usha Mehta, a committed patriot set up a radio transmitter, called The "Voice of Freedom" to
disseminate the "mantra" of freedom-war. News of protest and arrests, deeds of young nationalists,
and Gandhi’s famous "Do or Die" message for the Quit India movement were circulated amongst the
masses. Usha Mehta and her brother persisted with their task of broadcasting until their arrest.

These acts proved that the British could maintain the empire only at enormous cost due to wide
spread agitation.