Born on February 13 , 1879 in Hyderabad . |
Since childhood , Sarojini was a very bright and intelligent child . She was proficient in multiple languages including English , Bengali , Urdu , Telugu and Persian . She topped her matriculation exams from Madras University . Her father wanted Sarojini to become a mathematician or scientist , but young Sarojini was attracted to poetry . |
Impressed with the poetry works of the little child , the Nizam of Hyderabad granted her a scholarship to study overseas . At the age of 16 , she got admission in the King ’ s College , England and later joined Girton College in Cambridge . |
In England , She came into contact with Nobel laureate Arthur Simon and Edmond Gausse . Gausse convinced Sarojini to stick to Indian themes and depicted her poetry on contemporary Indian life and events |
Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress . |
She joined the Indian national movement in the wake of partition of Bengal in 1905 and came into contact with Gopal Krishna Gokhale , Muhammad Ali Jinnah , Annie Besant , Jawaharlal Nehru and other national leaders of that time . |
After the independence of India , she became the first governor of the United Provinces ( now Uttar Pradesh ) and remained in the role till her death in 1949 . |
Her birthday , 13 February , is honoured as National Women ’ s Day in India . |