Sarojini Naidu, also known as the “Nightingale of India”, was a poet, politician, and women’s rights activist who played a major role in India’s struggle for independence. She was born in Hyderabad on February 13, 1879, to a Bengali family.
Naidu’s father, Aghornath Chattopadhyay, was a scientist and philosopher, while her mother, Barada Sundari Devi, was a poet. She was educated in Chennai, London, and Cambridge, and was the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress in 1925.
Naidu was a passionate advocate for women’s rights and was a leader in the Indian independence movement. She was a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi and was a key figure in the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921. She was also the first female governor of India, serving as the governor of Uttar Pradesh from 1947 to 1949.
Naidu was a prolific writer and poet, and her works often explored themes of Indian nationalism and women’s rights. Her most famous works include The Golden Threshold (1905), The Bird of Time (1912), and The Broken Wing (1917).
Naidu’s legacy lives on today in India and beyond. She is remembered as a powerful advocate for women’s rights and a leader in the struggle for Indian independence. Her works are still widely read and she is celebrated as the “Nightingale of India”.
—
