There are many women freedom fighters from Odisha who are lost in history, they were courageous and dedicated. They have also sacrificed ordinary life and fought for the freedom of the nation with other freedom fighters. Now it is upon us to change the myths that only men have given their lives for independence, there are many women also, we shouldn’t let them go unnoticed.
Let us recognize some women freedom fighter from Odisha
Index
Annapurna Maharana
- Born- 3 November 1917
- Known For- Freedom fighter, Social Activist
- Died- 31 December 2012
At the age of 14 she joined the “Harijan Pada Yatra” march in 1934. In 1921 with the meeting with Gandhi Ji and other 40 women she pledged for the freedom of her country. In 1923 she also participated in a Satyagraha campaign in Inchudi and encouraged other women to join a camp in Balasore. She was also arrested by the British, notably during the Quit India Movement, and subsequently released. After the independence she went on to establish a school in the Rayagada district of Odisha for the children of the local tribal people.
Honors
- On 19 August 2012, Maharana received an Honoris Causa (honorary degree) from the Central University of Odisha.
Parbati Giri
- Born- 19 January 1926 in Sambalpur
- Other Name- Mother Teresa of western Odisha
- Died- 17 August 1995
She is one of the prominent women freedom fighters of Odisha. While living in Bari Ashram, Parbati studied Ahimsa and Self Reliance. She got acquainted with the nationalist struggle through her uncle Ramchandra Giri. At that time there were many meetings of nationalist happen in Sambalpur village from the meeting she got initiated into the struggle for independence.
She began travelling to different villages where she organised meetings with people and taught them weaving and spinning. She was imprisoned by the British for her anti-British activities in the early twentieth century. After gaining her freedom, she continued to work for the people of Western Odisha.
After the independence in 1954 she joined Rama Devi Ashram and devoted her remaining years to social service. She also helped establish Kasturba Gandhi Matruniketan in Nrusinghanath and Dr Santra Bal Niketan in Birasingh Gar. She also worked for leprosy education and improved jails. And on 17 Aug. 1995 she passed away.
Honors
- Honorary Doctorate by Sambhalpur University- by the Governor of Orissa, Shri C. Rangarajan in 1998.
- Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme named after Parbati Giri.- December 2016
Ramadevi Choudhury
- Born– 3 December 1899 Satyabhamapur village, Cuttack district, Odisha, British India
- Other Name– Maa Rama Devi
- Occupation– Indian independence activist, social reformer
- Died– She died on 22 July 1985 at the age of 85
From being an Indian freedom fighter, Rama Devi was also a social reformer. It is after her that the Ramadevi Women’s University in Bhubaneswar was named. She was a pioneer among women freedom fighters in Odisha. In 1921, she convened a meeting with forty women at the Binod Vihari temple in Cuttack. And took the pledge for the freedom of India. In 1952, she and Gopabandhu Choudhury led a foot march covering 2000 miles in one year.
She helped the people of Odisha by establishing the Utkal Relief Committee and was a major force behind the Hindu-Muslim unity movement. In recognition of her services to the nation.
Honors
- On 4 November 1981 she was awarded Jamnalal Bajaj Award
- On 16 April 1984 she was awarded Doctor of Philosophy by Utkal University.
Kuntala Kumari Sabat
- Born- 8 February 1901, Jagdalpur
- Occupation- Physician, poet
- Died- 8 February 1901
Kuntala Kumari Sabat was an Odia poet during colonial India. Kuntala Kumari Sabat’s poetry ignited the fervor of patriotism, encouraging women to join the national movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Her thought-provoking poetry anthologies titled Ahwan and Gadajata Krishaka inspired many. She worked to eradicate caste discrimination. She wrote against child marriage, discrimination against women and Purdah.
She worked for widow remarriage, women’s emancipation. She was one of the key figures from Odisha in the Indian freedom Struggle. Kuntala Kumari’s literary work and her role in public life were many times comparable to those of Sarojini Naidu.
So here are some of the greatest women freedom fighters from Odisha who are lost in the history, who are fought agents British for the freedom of India.
