The female freedom fighters of India were women and ladies who made a remarkable impression of bravery beginning in the 18th century. They protested with authentic spirit and fearlessness and faced many afflictions and adversities to liberate the Indians. These are the real champions of India. They sacrificed for the nation’s independence and will always be a part of Indian chronology.
In this article, we’ll be discussing the 10 female freedom fighters of India and their contributions to the nation’s independence.
List Of Female Freedom Fighters of India With Their Contributions
The table below gives a concise description of the female freedom fighters of India with their contributions.
| Names | Contributions |
| Jhalkari Bhai (1830–1858) | Battled on the front lines for the reigning monarch. |
| Savithribhai Jyotirao Phule (1831–1897) | Improvement of women’s privileges and establishment of the feminist campaign in India. |
| Velu Nachiyar (1730–1796) | Founded the first military of equipped female fighters in the late 1700s. |
| Basanti Devi (1880–1974) | One of the founders of the Nari Karma Mandira intended to train women. |
| Pritilata Waddedar (1911–1932) | Involved in revolutionary actions and led an attack at a young age. |
| Sucheta Kriplani (1908–1974) | First woman chief ambassador of Uttar Pradesh and active in the Quit India Campaign. |
| Sarojini Naidu (1879–1949) | She was responsible for the Indian women’s awakening and was the first-ever female chief of Uttar Pradesh. |
| Begum Hazrat Mahal (1820–1879) | Begum led the early Indian War of Independence in 1857. |
| Annie Besant (1847–1933) | She facilitated the Indian home rule campaign and engaged in political and academic exercises. |
| Aruna Asaf Ali (1909–1996) | Aruna was a strong player in the Indian freedom campaign and one of the lady freedom fighters who shaped India’s battle for freedom. |
Top 10 Female Freedom Fighters Of India
Let’s dive deep into history to uncover the life and personal conquest of India’s female freedom fighters.
1. Jhalkari Bai (1830–1858)
Jhalkari Bai, a female fighter and a strong player in the women’s military under Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, was significant in the Indian revolution of 1857. She later served as a key advisor to the Rani of Jhansi, the reigning monarch at the time. Jhalkari assumed the monarch’s personality when the siege of Jhansi intensified and fought on the front lines for the monarch, which helped her safely vacate the palace.
2. Savithribhai Jyotirao Phule (1831–1897)
Savithribhai Phule was an instructor, poet, and public reformer. She and her spouse, Jyothioba Phule, actively participated in the improvement of women’s rights in India. She is well known for establishing the feminist movement in India.
She also founded one of the early contemporary Indian girls’ colleges in 1848 together with her husband in Pune, close to Bhide Wada. Savithribhai launched a movement to eliminate class and gender discrimination and irrational treatment of people.
3. Velu Nachiyar (1730–1796)
Velu was born in 1780 in Ramanathapuram. She got married to the monarch of Sivagangai. Velu started a battle against the British and came out triumphant several years before the great Revolution of 1857.
After her spouse, Jyothioba Phule, was assassinated in the war with the East India Corporation, Velu joined the fight and gained a victory with the backing of neighboring monarchies. After that, she built the early human bomb and founded the first military of equipped female fighters in the late 1700s.
Kuyili, who was her military leader, is speculated to have set herself on fire and strolled into a British bullet dump. Her daughter assumed her position in 1790, and she died in 1796.
4. Basanti Devi (1880–1974)
Basanti Devi joined the fight for independence after her husband was arrested for joining the campaign of non-cooperation. She was one of the pioneer partners of the Nari Karma Mandira, intended for training women. She took part in the Khilafat and the Civil Disobedience Campaign and went to jail for a brief period for trading khadi in Kolkata.
Basanti also operated the weekly magazine Bangalar Katha and led the Bengal regional legislature as its chairman. She earned the Padma Vibhushan trophy in 1973.
5. Pritilata Waddedar (1911–1932)
Pritilata Waddedar was one of the early women to assume defense and be involved in revolutionary actions. She was born on May 5, 1911, in Chittagong. She enlisted in Deepali Sangh as a young woman. Deepali Sangh was a revolutionary group that empowered women with war practices.
Pritilata was excited to join Surya Sen’s Indian Revolutionary Military, but since it was mostly made up of men, she ran into some hostility. Regardless of the opposition, she endured tough training to become a part of this organization along with Kalpana Dutt.
After the Chittagong arsenal invasion, many of the IRA’s commanders were arrested, and Pritilata was assigned to lead a league of 7 to 10 youthful men who set a siege on the Pahartali European League. She was only 21 years old at the time. This league was mainly targeted due to its ethnic and discriminatory policies.
Pritilata clothed herself like a man and led the attack courageously on the 23rd of September, 1932. During the brutal gun battle that followed, she was shot in the leg, making it impossible for her to run away. Rather than submit, she preferred to gulp a tablet of cyanide and became a martyr.
6. Sucheta Kriplani (1908–1974)
Sucheta Kriplani, a loyal patriot with communist exposure, was an intimate partner of Jai Prakash Narayana, who was very active in the Quit India Campaign.
Sucheta was a St. Stephen’s trained diplomat who piped Vande Mataram in the constituent council’s freedom match on August 15, 1947.
Furthermore, she became a member of the constituent council in 1946 and was the universal secretary of the Indian federal council from 1958–1960. She was also the chief ambassador of Uttar Pradesh from 1963 to 1967.
7. Sarojini Naidu (1879–1949)
Sarojini Naidu is well-recognized among women freedom fighters’ names in India. She was responsible for the Indian women’s awakening. Sarojini was the earlier Indian female president of the Indian Federal Council, elected in 1925 at the Kanpur round.
She came to America in 1928 with information about Gandhi’s nonviolent campaign. When Gandhi was later apprehended for an uprising in 1930, Sarojini continued at the helm of his campaign. In 1931, she took part in the round table conference, together with Gandhi and Pundit Malavyaji.
Sarojini was further appointed the temporary president of the council in 1932. She was later captured during the Quit India riot in 1942 and stayed in prison for a year and 10 months. She was also a talented poet of English vocabulary and was famously recognized as India’s Nightingale. When independence ended, she became the first-ever female chief of Uttar Pradesh.
8. Begum Hazrat Mahal (1820–1879)
Begum Hazrat Mahal was one of the early female freedom fighters of India. From 1857 to 1858, she led the early Indian war for freedom. She was further recognized as the Begum of Awadh and was counted as one of the few females who questioned the British during the revolution of 1857. Begum served with Tantia Tope, Nana Saheb, etc. in the revolution. In 1984, the Indian Administration issued a symbol to celebrate her.
9. Annie Besant (1847–1933)
Annie Besant was born on October 1, 1847. She was an Irish woman and a renowned fellow of the theosophical community. As a British communist, instructor, and female rights advocate, she was recognized for her role in facilitating the Indian home rule campaign, which she established in 1916. She enlisted in the Indian Federal Congress and was engaged in political and academic exercises in India. Annie was the first female chairman of the Congress.
In addition to that, she launched a magazine named “New India” and established many schools and universities, like the Central Hindu School at Banaras in the year 1913. Annie was one of the pioneers of Banaras Hindu University. She improved her studies of historical Indian theologies and principles. Also, she founded the Central Hindu School to motivate schooling.
10. Aruna Asaf Ali (1909–1996)
Aruna Asaf Ali, an Indian instructor, political advocate, and publisher, was a strong player in the Indian freedom campaign. She is best known for raising the Indian national flag during the Quit India Campaign at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay in the year 1942. This gave the campaign one of its most lasting impressions.
She was named the heroine of the 1942 campaign because of her courage in the face of a threat. She was further named the Great Ancient Lady of the Freedom Campaign in the later years of her life. Aruna and Ram Manohar Lohia also updated Inquilab, a monthly publication of the Congress party.
In a case that ensued in 1944, she prompted the youngsters to action by instructing them to ignore fruitless dialogues about riots and non-riots and enlist in the revolt. Executives like Aruna and Jayaprakash Narayan were portrayed as “the political kids of Gandhi but current scholars of Karl Marx.” Aruna Asaf Ali is one of the lady freedom fighters who have molded India’s battle for freedom.
Lady Freedom Fighters Of India
Here’s a list of the female freedom fighters of India who never married.
- Sarojini Naidu.
- Sucheta Kriplani.
- Aruna Asaf Ali.
- Pritilata Waddedar.
- Annie Besant.
- Begum Hazrat Mahal.
- Jhalkari Bai.
Last Words
In conclusion, we have successfully discussed the female freedom fighters of India and their contribution to the nation’s independence. These women had courage and resolution even in the face of pressure and life-threatening situations. Their selflessness and loyalty to their beloved country have helped to serve as motivation in the minds of the Indians to aspire for a favorable nation.
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