WINSPIRE EMPOWERING YOUTH Issue 5 Volume 3 | Page 41

Quick Facts

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The Nightingale of India , Sarojini Naidu was born on February 13 in the year 1879 . Her father

Aghoranath Chattopadhyaya was a scientist and was the founder of the Nizam College , Hyderabad . Her mother Barada Sundari Devi was one of the famous Bengali poets . She was called the Nightingale of India or Bharatiya Kokila because her poems are rich in imagery and have much rhetorical gesturing for an ideal love . For this reason , she is called the ‘ Nightingale of India ’. On her birth anniversary this month , here we listed are some interesting facts about Sarojini Naidu :
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
Little lord of battle , hail In your newly-tempered mail ! Learn to conquer , learn to fight In the foremost flanks of right , Like Valmiki ’ s heroes bold , Rubies girt in epic gold . Lord of battle , may you be , Lord of love and chivalry .
SAROJINI NAIDU 1879-1949
GOLDEN sun of victory , born In my life ’ s unclouded morn , In my lambent sky of love , May your growing glory prove Sacred to your consecration , To my heart and to my nation . Sun of victory , may you be Sun of song and liberty .
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 .
WINSPIRE : Empowering youth | January , 2017