Role of Indian Women Freedom Fighters.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya (3 April 1903- 29 October 1988)

Kamaladevi was born in a Saraswat family on 3 April 1903. But above everything, she is remembered for her phenomenal role in reviving the traditional handicrafts of India during the post independence era. Read on to know more about the life history of Kamaladevi Chattapadhya, whose father was the district collector of Mangalore, whereas her mother hailed from one of the wealthiest families of Karnataka.

Kamaladevi fought against social evils that restricted the development of women. She was an active member of the youth wing of INC (Indian National Congress). During partition, Kamaladevi set up co-operative societies and self-employment schemes to help refugees. She worked to revive customary industries like weaving and handicrafts. As chief of the Board of Handicrafts, she started the pension system for craftsmen.

She was a trade-unionist, a revolutionary, a reformer, a great patron of arts, an talented writer, an orator, and a freedom fighter.

Belonging from an illustrious family, she got ample opportunity to meet the great freedom fighters and intellectuals of her time like Mahadev Govind Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Annie Besant, who being friends of her parents visited her home frequently. Such acquaintances bore great influence on Kamaladevi Chattapadhya, who became an early supporter of the nations’ swadeshi mission. She married at 14 and widowed two years later while still in school. Yet she went on to take up acting which was considered inapt for women in those days.

The life history of Kamaladevi Chattapadhya went on and she next wedded the poet-playwright brother Harindranath Chattapadhya of the great poetess, Sarojini Naidu in 1920. After this, she also acted in two silent movies. Later she shifted to London with her husband, where she enrolled into the Bedford College to study sociology. But the couple returned to India to participate in the nation-wide non-cooperation movement launched by Gandhiji in 1923. Thereafter, Kamaladevi joined the Seva Dal established to work for social upliftment of the broken

In her missionary zeal she championed the causes of women empowerment, education, handicraft, theater along with her contribution to the field of arts, crafts and writings.  In her pursuit and commitment she turned down many offers such as being nominated to the posts of the Vice President of India, Governor of Orissa or Tamilnadu, Ambassador in Cairo or Moscow.  She preferred instead to devote herself to social causes.  It was her courage displayed with a keen sense of humour that was extremely rewarding.

As a befitting tribute to a cultural icon of India one can conclude with the words of former President of India, R. Venkataraman, quoted , “Flower buds seemed to blossom at her touch-whether they be flower buds of human beings or institutions.  People became more human and more sensitive to the deeper impulses of society when they came into contact with her.”