Category Great Women

     Kalpana Chawla explored the limits of her dreams and died a heroine’s death. She was the first Indian born woman to travel to space. Her flying dreams were inspired by J.R.D Tata, a pioneering Indian pilot. After earning her degree in aeronautical engineering from the Punjab Engineering College, Kalpana Chawla left for the United States. She obtained two Master’s degrees, and a Ph.D. In 1982, she married Jean Pierre Harrison, and became a U.S citizen. She joined the NASA Ames Research Center.

      On December 5th, 1997 she flew to space in the STS-87 Columbia spacecraft. It made 252 orbits round the Earth, and Chawla was given a special award by her peers. In 2003, the ill-fated STS-107, Columbia space craft flew into space carrying Kalpana Chawla and six other crew members. While re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, the space shuttle shattered and everybody in it met a tragic end in 2003. 

        “My public life began when I was three”, said Indira Gandhi. Indira was born into the aristocratic Nehru family. She married Feroz Gandhi, a supporter of the Indian National Congress. Indira was groomed by her father Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Indira Gandhi was elected president of the Congress party in 1959, and the Prime Minister of India in 1966. The public applauded her bold decision to privatize 14 major private banks in 1969. In 1971, she led India to victory over Pakistan, and recognized the Republic of Bangladesh.

       The Emergency declared in June 26, 1975 was a dark chapter in her political life as large scale cruelties were committed. Indira Gandhi lost power in the 1977 elections, but she won a landslide majority in 1980. Her fight against terrorism in Punjab led to her untimely death. On October 31st, 1984, Indira’s own bodyguards shot her in cold blood.

         Captain Lakshmi fought fearlessly on the battle field for India’s freedom. She was a doctor, and received her MBBS degree from the Madras Medical College in 1928. She moved to Singapore, and set up a successful practice. In 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose called upon women to join his Indian national Army.

         An inspired Lakshmi, joined as Colonel in the Rani of Jhansi regiment. She fought on the battle front, and treated the wounded. However, Captain Lakshmi was captured and brought to India. She received a hero’s welcome. After Independence, she became a Rajya Sabha MP. During the Bangladesh crisis, she organized relief camps and medical help in Calcutta for the Bangladesh refugees. She was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1998.

         Aruna Asaf Ali was a true heroine of the Independence movement. On August 8th, 1942, the British threw Mahatma Gandhi and the other great leaders into prison. In the nation’s hour of need, Aruna Asaf Ali proved her mettle. Watched by thousands, she hoisted the national flag at the Gowalia Tank Maidan.

         Aruna was iron willed, and as lovely as a rose. In 1924, she married Asaf Ali brushing off the opposition of society. The Salt movement saw Aruna Asaf All in her element. She prepared salt, led processions, and addressed meetings. She was arrested.

          She was arrested again in 1932, when she took part in the Satyagraha movement. Following her hoisting of the national flag, Aruna Asaf Ali was forced to go underground. After her death, Aruna Asaf All was awarded the Bharat Ratna. 

         Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, the youngest of three children of an Albanian builder, on August 26th, 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia. At the age of 18, she joined the Order of the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto in Ireland. It was here that she chose the name Teresa, in memory of Saint Terese of Lisieux.

          Mother Teresa later came to Calcutta to teach. However, she always wanted to serve   the poor, and she received what she believed to be a call from God, telling her to devote her to working with the poorest in India. So she got permission to establish a new order of nuns, called The Missionaries of Charity. She and her fellows gathered dying people off the streets of Calcutta and brought them to this home to care for them. Mother Teresa’s first orphanage was started in 1953. While in 1957, she and her Missionaries of Charity began working with lepers. In the years following, her homes have been established in hundreds of locations in the world. Mother Teresa died in 1997.

          Mother Teresa has been given many awards, including the ‘Padmashree Award’, ‘The Nobel Peace Prize’, ‘The Pope John XXIII Peace Prize’, and ‘Medal of Freedom’ as well as many more. All through her life, she served people suffering from various incurable diseases, and those unwanted by the society… so is it any wonder that she is called ‘The Angel of Mercy’? 

Vijayalakshmi Pandit was the daughter of Motilal Nehru. Jawaharlal Nehru was her brother. In 1919, her family came under the magical spell of Mahatma Gandhi.

In 1932, as part of the civil disobedience movement, Vijayalakshmi Pandit organized hartals and processions and delivered speeches. She was arrested along with her sister Krishna, and spent one year in the Lucknow jail. During the Quit India movement, she braved British fire to help the wounded and carry them to hospitals. She was jailed.

After Independence, she had a distinguished innings in the field of foreign affairs. She became India’s first ambassador to the Soviet Union. She headed the Indian delegation to the United Nations from 1947 to 1949. She was elected to the Lok Sabha. In 1953, she was elected as the first woman president of the UN General Assembly. Vijayalakshmi Pandit died on December1, 1990. 

          Sarojini Naidu was born in a brilliant, Bengali Brahmin family. She spent her childhood at a comfortable home in Hyderabad, with a garden in front, and woods at the rear. Sarojini Naidu became a national sensation when she passed the Madras matriculation in the first place at the age of twelve. She was already a poetess at eighteen. She was guided by Edmund Gosse and Arthur Symons, her lecturers at Cambridge.

            While trying to solve a problem in algebra, she wrote hundreds of lines of poetry. She chased beautiful music and colourful words and wove them into rhyming lines. The passionate love for the motherland, nature and the inner joy of spiritual emotion breathe a magical life in to her poems.

            She was the first Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress. She was a great freedom fighter. In fact, she was the greatest Indian woman of her time, and perhaps, one of the greatest in the world. 

“Only two sons of mine have gone to jail, but twenty thousand sons of Mother India are in jail. How can I bemoan my fate?” said Kasturba Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi highlights Kasturba’s selfless devotion in his autobiography. She led a simple life. Kasturba toured various states, spreading the message of freedom and Swadeshi. She called upon women to take to khadi, and practice spinning. Her words came from the heart, and influenced the masses. Kasturba had to sacrifice her family life as her husband was frequently in jail. At the time of the Dandi March, Stree Swarajya Sangh was formed. This was headed by Kasturba and Mithu Ben. They led the boycott of foreign clothes and the picketing of liquor shops. Kasturba was arrested several times. On February 24th, 1944 Kasturba passed away in prison wearing the khadi sari spun by Mahatma Gandhi.

At the age of fourteen, Laxmi Bai was married to Gangadhar Rao, the Raja of Jhansi. When Gangadhar Rao died, Lord Dalhousie ordered the Rani to hand over to them the reins of Jhansi. “I will not give my Jhansi”, said Laxmi Bai. Jhansi witnessed an uprising against the British on June 5th, 1857.

The Rani was an inspirational leader, and the people fought for her. She bravely proclaimed that her reign had begun. However, the British forces led by Sir Hugh Rose laid siege to Jhansi. The Rani defended Jhansi with all her might, but the British broke through. Rani Laxmi Bai escaped with a band of soldiers and joined other revolutionary leaders at Kalpi. They took Gwalior as the Rani fought in a man’s dress at the head of fifty horsemen. The Rani died heroically while defending Gwalior against the British.

        Noorjahan was a brave beauty. She was born Meherunnisa, to Mirza Giyas Beg who went on to become the Diwan of Kabul. Meherunnisa was well educated and excelled in painting. She married Sher Afgan, a royal. However, he was killed, and Meherunnisa was appointed lady in waiting at Akbar’s court.

         Jahangir, the son of Akbar fell in love with Meherunnisa and married her in 1611. Jahangir led a life of ease and luxury. Meherunnisa’s influence grew by the day. Jahangir bestowed on her the title Noor Mahal, meaning light of the palace. Later he gave her the title Noorjahan, or light of the world. She would sit in the balcony of her palace and the nobles would listen to her orders. Coins were minted in her name. Noorjahan was a highly cultured and kind hearted lady. She was buried beside her husband in a mausoleum erected by her.