Why so much discrimination against women?

Prabhu · November 25, 2005

WOMEN RULERS

AHILYABAI HOLKER (1725-1795)

Born in Ahmednagar of Maharashtra to Manakoji Shinde in 1725. Married to Khande Rao in 1733. When Khande Rao died in the battle of Kumbher in 1754 Ahilyabai learnt to run the princely State of Holker under the stewardship of her father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar. With the death of her father-in-law in 1766 the entire responsibility of running the State devolved on her. She proved herself to be an enlightened ruler from then onwards till her death in 1795.

RANI RASHMONI (1793 - 1861)

Born in a poor family she was married into a wealthy zamindar family of Calcutta. After the death of her husband the management of zamindari fell on her shoulders and she showed great managerial skill and leadership in her new role. Rani Rasmoni's nationalist outlook brought her in direct confrontation with the British rulers and each time and every time she had her way and the British could not prevail upon her. She was extremely religious and led an austere life. Construction of the temple complex on the banks of the Ganges, a number of bathing ghats on the river, a road from the Subarnarekha river to Puri for the benefit of the pilgrims and substantial contribution to the then Imperial Llibrary (now National Library) and Hindu College (now Presidency College) bear testimony to her benevolence.

Prabhu · November 25, 2005

OTHER GREAT WOMEN

SUBHADRA KUMARI CHAUHAN (1904-1948)

She was a great Hindi poetess who combined in her personality the patriotism of Joan of Arc and the lyricism of Meera. She was born in a village called Nihalpur in Allahabad. Married to Thakur Laxman Singh of Khandwa in 1919 she became a devoted wife and a mother. She plunged into National Struggle and was the first woman Satyagrahi to court arrest in Nagpur. She wrote highly inspiring patriotic poems like 'Senani Ka Swagat;' Veeronka Kaise ho Vasant'. Her 'Jhansi ki Rani' was one of the most recited and sung poems in Hindi literature. She died in a car accident on 15-02-1049.

SHREE MA ANANDA MAYI (1896-1982)

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.

MAHADEVI VERMA (1907-1987)

She was one of the greatest Hindi poets of all times. Born in Farukhabad UP she served as principal of the Prayag Mahila Vidyapeeth. She was an M.A.in Sanskrit. Some of her publications are Nihar (1930), Rashmi (1932), Neeraja (1934), Sandhya Geet (1936) and Deepshika (1942). She was honoured by Padma Bhushan by the President of India. She died on 11-09-1987.

RUKMINI DEVI ARUNDALE (1904-1986)

She was a renowned exponent of Indian Classical Dances and founder of Kalakshetra in Madras - a Gurukula type institution where dance, music sculpture and crafts are taught. It was through her efforts that the first Montessori school was started in the country. She was instrumental in the passing of the bill for the prevention of cruelty to animals and the establishment of Animal Welfare Board. She died on 24-02-1986.

BEGUM AKHTAR

Begum Akhtar was a renowned Ghazal singer who had reached legendary heights of musical excellence. She was popularly known as Malika-I-Ghazal, Queen of Ghazals. She enthralled the audience by her singing for nearly three decades from 1940.

NARGIS DUTT

Nargis Dutt was a legendary figure as a film artist and social worker.

She was the the first Indian artist to receive international award for the best actress at the Karloy Vary Film Festival (1958), she was the first actress to receive the Urvashi Award (1968), she was the first actress to be decorated with Padmashree Award (1958) she was the first actress to be nominated to Rajyasabha (1980) . In the area of social welfare Nagis Dutt started the country's first society and school for spastics in 1972. It has now branches all over the country taking care of thousands of families.

Prabhu · November 25, 2005

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 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 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 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.