Great Women of India - Other Great Women II : Kamaladevi Chattopadyay,Arati Gupta

great women of India

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Women have a special place of pride and honour in the Indian Society. Their role in nation building is also well recognized. Like men they too have excelled in every walk of life.
If we turn the pages of History we come across great women rulers, queen warriors, women leaders, women Freedom Fighters, women saints, scholars, writers, social workers and what have you? . The country remembers them and honours them and brings out commemorative postage stamps in their fond memory even after they are gone. Some like are the following:

OTHER GREAT WOMEN - II

KAMALADEVI CHATTOPADYAY (1903-1988)

She was born in a wealthy Saraswat family of South Kanara. She went to London for her higher studies. She married Harindra Nath Chattopadyay, the brother of Sarojini Naidu. She held many distinguished positions in public life. She will however be more remembered for her contributions towards growth of handicrafts and folk arts in the country. She was the recipient of many awards including Padma Vibhushan. She died on 29-10-1988.

ARATI GUPTA (SAHA) (1940-1994)

She hailed from an orthodox Brahmin family of Kheora. She was married to Ramani Mohan Chakravarthy who later became her devotee. She did not have any formal education. From her very childhood she was spiritually inclined and she remained immersed in herself all the time. She travelled extensively preaching love, compassion and self discipline. She established Ashrams charitable institutions and hospitals everywhere. She breathed her last on 27th Aug. 1982.

JIJABAI

She was the mother of Shivaji. Her husband Shahaji Bhosle was in the service of Ahmednagar kingdom. Jijabai's life is an example of how a mother can transform the lives of individuals, society and even a nation. Jijabai narrated stories of bravery to her son Shivaji and gave him training in martial arts and equipped him for the role he was to play in the years to come. Shivaji's bravery skill and exploits were the direct result of the training he received from his mother Jijabai and she remained the silent source of strength inspiration and power behind him.

SAVITRIBAI PHULE (1831-1897)

SAVITRIBAI PHULE (1831-1897)

Savitribai Phule was the wife of the social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. Women's education, liberating women from the cultural patterns of the male dominated society, widow remarriages, removal of untouchability became a mission of life for her. In 1852 she opened a school for untouchable girls. In 1868 she welcomed untouchables to take water from her well. In 1973 she adopted a son of a widow. Hers was a life of struggle against the evils of society she died on 10-3-1897).

SISTER NIVEDITA (1867-1911)

Sister Nivedita (Margaret Noble) was born on 28-10-1867) in Northern Ireland. She met Swami Vivekananda in London in 1895 and became his disciple. She came to India in 1898. In India she engaged herself in running a school for girls and young women. After Swamiji's death she involved herself actively in the Freedom Movement. She maintained close association with Sri Arobindo, Rabindranath Tagore, Gokhole and J.C. Bose and her writings and speeches attracted notice. She died in 1911.

NELLI SENGUPTA (1886-1973)

NELLI SENGUPTA (1886-1973)

Nelli Sengupta was an English lady who married Jatindra Mohan Senguta in 1909 and came to India to live in Chittagong. She supported her husband whole heartedly in his role in the National Movement. She was elected un-opposed to Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1940 and 1946. She was the president of Indian National Congress in 1922. After partition she opted to live in East Pakistan. Later she came to India for medical treatment and died in Calcutta in 1973.

INDIAN WOMEN IN AVIATION

Mrs. Urmila K. Parekh was the first Indian woman to obtain pilot's licence is 1930. Her photograph was published in the magazine "Indian Aviation" in July 1931 as the first Hindu woman to receive the air pilot's licence. The following are some of the major achievement stories of women in aviation after Independence.

Prem Mathur (born on 25-08-1924) obtained commercial pilots license in 1947 and started flying in 1948 at Allahabad joining Deccan Airways. She co-piloted a scheduled flight on 24-10-1951.

Capt. Durba Banerjee started her aviation career flying Dakota as an Air Survey Pilot in 1959,joined Indian Air Lines in 1966 and retired from there on 30-11-1988 and she has to her credit the most flying hours with 18500 hrs.

Cpt. Saudamini Deshmukh with co-pilot Nivedita Bhasin and two air hostesses flow I.C. 258 (Being 737-200) from Silchar to Kolkata on 15-01-1986, and I.C. 169 jet flight (Boeing 737-200) on Mumbai - Goa sector with 126 passengers on board on 16-09-1989

Dr. Kalpana Chawla became the first Indian born Astronaut in 1997.dian

VIJAYA RAJE SCINDIA (1919 - 2001)

VIJAYA RAJE SCINDIA (1919 - 2001)

Vijaya Raje Scindia was one of the most respected political leaders of the country. She was born in an aristocratic family and had her education from Dr. Annie Besant Theosophical college Banaras and Thorborne college Lucknow and received honorary Doctorate from Vikram University Ujjain. She was married to Maharaja Jivaji Rao Scindia in 1941.

For the first time in 1957 she won the election to Loksabha and went on to win several elections there after. Her husband died in 1961 and she spent the remaining part of her life in working for several social and political causes close to her heart. All through her life she kept a distance from position of power even when she was the popular choice to the post of Chief Minister of MP and President of Bharatiya Janata Party. Despite being actively involved in politics, she remained committed to the spread of education and helping the poor and down -trodden. She initiated many projects for the benefit of the weaker sections of society around Gwalior.

Women Warriors
Women Rulers
Women Leaders
Women Leaders II

Women Saints
Other Great Women
Other Great Women II

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