Sarojini Naidu

Born: 13 February, 1879

Place of Birth: Hyderabad 
Parents: Aghore Nath Chattopadhyay
(father) and Barada Sundari Devi (mother)
Spouse: Govindarajulu Naidu
Children: Jayasurya, Padmaja, Randheer, and Leilamani.
Education: University of Madras; King's College, London;
Girton College, Cambridge
Associations: Indian National Congress
Movements: Indian Nationalist Movement, Indian
Independence Movement
Political Ideology: Right-winged; Non-violence. Religious
Beliefs: Hinduism
Publications: The Golden Threshold (1905); The Bird of Time
(1912); Muhammad Jinnah: An Ambassador of Unity. (1916);
The Broken Wing (1917); The Sceptred Flute (1928); The
Feather of the Dawn (1961)
Passed Away: 2 March, 1949
Memorial: Golden Threshold, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts
& Communication, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
Sarojini Naidu was an Indian independence
activist, poet and politician. A renowned orator and
accomplished poet, she is often known by the moniker ‘The
Nightingale of India’. As a prodigious child, Naidu wrote the
play "Maher Muneer", which earned her a scholarship to study
abroad. She became the second woman president of the Indian
National Congress. She was the first woman Governor of an
Indian state after independence. Her collection of poems earned
her literary acclaim. In 1905, she published her first book, a
collection of poems, under the title of "Golden Threshold". A
contemporary poet, Bappaditya Bandopadhyay quoted "Sarojini
Naidu inspired the Indian renaissance movement and had a
mission to improve the life of Indian woman.”
Childhood and Early Life
Sarojini Naidu (née Chattopadhyay) was born on February 13,
1879 in Hyderabad. Her father, Dr. Aghore Nath Chattopadhyay
was a scientist, philosopher, and educator. He founded the Nizam
College of Hyderabad. Her mother, Varada Sundari Devi was a
poetess in the Bengali language. Dr. Aghore Nath Chattopadhyay
was the first member of the Indian National Congress in
Hyderabad. For his socio-political activities, Aghore Nath was
dismissed from his position of Principal. One of his brothers,
Virendranath Chattopadhyay, played key role in establishing the
Berlin Committee. As a political activist involved in India’s on-
going struggle for self-rule, he was heavily influenced by
Communism. Her second brother Harindranath Chattopadhyay
was a renowned poet and a successful playwright.  Her sister,
Sunalini Devi was a dancer and actress
Since childhood, Sarojini was a very bright and intelligent child.
She was proficient in multiple languages including English,
Bengali, Urdu, Telugu and Persian. She topped her matriculation
exams from Madras University. Her father wanted Sarojini to
become a mathematician or scientist, but young Sarojini was
attracted to poetry. 
She applied her prodigious literary skills to write a 1300 lines
long poem in English titled ‘The Lady of the Lake’. Impressed
with Sarojini’s skills of expressing emotions with appropriate
words, Dr. Chattopadhyaya encouraged her works. Few months
later, Sarojini, with assistance from her father, wrote the play
"Maher Muneer" in the Persian language. 
Sarojini's father distributed some copies of the play among his
friends and relatives. He also sent a copy to the Nizam of
Hyderabad. Impressed with the works of the little child, the
Nizam granted her a scholarship to study overseas. At the age of
16, she got admission in the King's College, England and later
joined Girton College in Cambridge. There, she had the
opportunity to meet prominent English authors like Arthur
Simon and Edmond Gausse who inspired her to write on themes
relevant to India. They advised Sarojini "To be a genuine Indian
poet of Deccan, not a clever machine-made imitator of the
English classics" which led her to seek inspiration from India’s
natural beauty, religious pluralism and the essence of the
country’s social milieu.
Sarojini met Muthyala Govindarajulu Naidu, a South Indian, and
a non-Brahmin physician while she was studying in England and
fell in love. After returning to India, she married him at the age
of 19, with his family’s blessings. They were married by the
Brahmo Marriage Act (1872), in Madras in 1898. The marriage
took place at a time when inter-caste marriages were not allowed
and tolerated in the Indian society. Her marriage was a very
happy one. They had four children. 
Role in the Indian National Movement
Sarojini was initiated into the Indian political arena by iconic
stalwarts of the Indian freedom struggle, Gopal Krishna Gokhale
and Gandhi. She was deeply affected by the partition of Bengal
in 1905 and decided to join the Indian freedom struggle. She met
regularly with Gopal Krishna Gokhale, who in turn introduced
her to the otherleaders of the Indian freedom movement. Gokhale
urged her to devote her intellect and education for the cause. She
took a respite from writing and devoted herself fully to the
political cause. She met Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru, C. P. Ramaswami Iyer and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Her
relationship with Gandhi was that of mutual respect as well as of
benign humour. She famously called Gandhi ‘Mickey Mouse’
and quipped "It costs a lot to keep Gandhi poor!”
She met Jawaharlal Nehru in 1916, worked with him for the
disheartening conditions of the Indigo workers of Champaran in
the western district of Bihar and fought vehemently with the
British for their rights. Sarojini Naidu travelled all over India and
delivered speeches on welfare of youth, dignity of labor,
women's emancipation and nationalism. In 1917, she helped
found the Women’s India Association with Annie Besant and
other prominent leaders. She also presented to Congress the need
to involve more women in the freedom struggle. She travelled
extensively to the United States of America and many European
countries as the flag-bearer of the Indian Nationalist struggle.

In March 1919, the British government passed the Rowlatt Act

by which the possession of seditious documents was deemed
illegal. Mahatma Gandhi organized the Non-Cooperation
Movement to protest and Naidu was the first to join the
movement. Sarojini Naidu religiously followed Gandhi’s
example and actively supported his other campaigns like the
Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, the Khilafat issue, the Sabarmati
Pact, the Satyagraha Pledge and the Civil Disobedience
Movement. When Gandhi was arrested after the Salt March to
Dandi in 1930, she led the Dharasana Satyagraha with other
leaders. She accompanied Gandhi to London to take part in the
Round Table Talks with the British Government in 1931. Her
political activities and role in the Freedom struggle led to several
stints in prison – in 1930, 1932, and 1942. Her 1942 arrest led to
imprisonment for 21 months.
She went to England in 1919 as a member of the All-India Home
Rule Deputation. In January 1924, she was one of the two
delegates of the Indian National Congress to attend the East
African Indian Congress. As a result of her selfless contribution
to the cause of freedom, she was elected as the President of the
Indian National Congress Party in 1925.
Naidu played an immense role in presenting the nuances of the
Indian non-violent struggle for freedom to the world. She
travelled to Europe and even to the United states to disseminate
Gandhian principles and was partly responsible for establishing
him as this icon of peace.
After the independence of India, she became the first governor of
the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) and remained in the
role till her death in 1949. Her birthday, March 2, is honoured as
Women's Day in India.

Literary Achievements
Besides her role and contribution to the Indian Nationalist
Movement, Sarojini Naidu is also revered for her contribution in
the field of Indian poetry. Many of her works were transformed
into songs. She drew her inspiration from nature as well as
surrounding daily life and her poetry echoed with the ethos of
her patriotism. In 1905, her collection of poems was published
under the title "Golden Threshold". Later, she also published two
other collections called "The Bird of Time", and "The Broken
Wings", both of which attracted huge readership in both India
and England. Apart from poetry, she also penned articles and
essays like ‘Words of Freedom’ on her political beliefs and
social issues like women empowerment.

Death & Legacy

Sarojini Naidu was the first women Governor of Uttar Pradesh.
On 2nd March 1949, Sarojini Naidu died at Lucknow, Uttar
Pradesh. She lived her glorious life by her own words, “As long
as I have life, as long as blood flows through this arm of mine, I
shall not leave the cause of freedom…I am only a woman, only a
poet. But as a woman, I give to you the weapons of faith and
courage and the shield of fortitude. And as a poet, I fling out the
banner of song and sound, the bugle call to battle. How shall I
kindle the flame which shall waken you men from slavery...” Her
childhood residence at Nampally was bequeathed to the
University of Hyderabad by her family and it was christened as
‘The Golden Threshold’ after Naidu’s 1905 publication. The
University renamed its School of Fine Arts and Communicationa
s ‘Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication’ to honour
the Nightingale of India.