India celebrates National Women's Day 2021 on February 13, to mark the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu, who is popularly known as ‘The nightingale of India’. The day is observed to recognise the powerful voices of women in the country. A poet and political activist, she was given the title of 'the Nightingale of India', or 'Bharat Kokila' by Mahatma Gandhi because of colour, imagery, and lyrical quality of her poetry.
History of behind National Women’s Day
On the birthday of Sarojini Naidu which falls on February 13, National Women’s Day is celebrated in India, to honour her work as she has been an inspiration to many women. She advocated civil rights, women’s liberation and anti-imperialistic ideas. Apart from being actively involved in India’s independence struggle against British rule, she was the first woman President of the Indian National Congress and the first woman to be appointed as the governor of the United Provinces, which is present-day Uttar Pradesh. She also played an important role during the Civil Disobedience Movement and was imprisoned for 21 months and contributed to the drafting of the Indian constitution. She was an amazing poet as well, who wrote on several themes of romance, tragedy and patriotism.
This year is the 142nd birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu.
Sarojini Naidu was born on February 13, 1879, in a Bengali family in Hyderabad and completed her education in Chennai before going to London and Cambridge for higher studies.
After finishing her studies, she married Paidipati Govindarajulu Naidu - a physician from Andhra Pradesh, and together the couple has five children.
Significance of the National Women’s Day
This day is observed to pay tribute to Sarojini Naidu’s outstanding work and contribution to India, especially for its women gender. She had worked for the upliftment and empowerment of women in India. Many women till now take inspiration from Naidu and celebrating this day becomes necessary so that young women come to know about her personality and her work.
The primary goal of the day is to honour Sarojini Naidu and recognise powerful women like her in India’s history and also to inspire others to walk down the same path.
Sarojini Naidu poetic work
Sarojini Naidu had written some beautiful poems running from themes like love, romance, patriotism, freedom and women. Some of her prolific literary works are Golden Threshold, The Bird of Time: Songs of Life, Death, and the Spring, The Broken Wing: Songs of Love, Death and the Spring, The Gift of India, Muhammad Jinnah: An Ambassador of Unity, The Sceptred Flute: Songs of India, Kitabistan, The Indian Weavers etc. Her poems are still taught in the English literature curriculum.