Subhadra Kumari Chauhan is a prominent figure in Indian literature. She was also a freedom fighter, and her works echoed the nationalist voice of Indians. Particularly, speaking about her rise in literature, it was the time when this field was dominated by males.
Today is her 117th birth anniversary. On that account, the search engine Google dedicated a doodle to pay homage to the late author. You can see in the doodle, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan is wearing a saree and holding a pen, under which lies a sheet of paper. At the back, a figure of Rani Lakshmi Bai riding a horse with her son is shown. Subhadra’s most notable work is her poem on Rani Lakshmi Bai. It is titled ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’.
Subhadra Kumari Chauhan: The First Woman Satyagrahi
She was born in a Hindu family of Nihalpur village, situated in Uttar Pradesh in 1904. The author completed her middle-school studies in Prayagraj’s (earlier Allahabad) Crosthwaite Girls’ School in 1919. Later, she married Lakshman Singh Chauhan who was a resident of the Khandwa region. Thereafter, on hearing Mahatma Gandhi’s call for the non-cooperation movement, she joined it and became the first woman satyagrahi.
Subhadra actively participated in the Indian national movement. Having a penchant for writing, she expressed dissent with words and instilled patriotic sentiments in the hearts of Indians. Since literature is the mirror of society, her writings reflected the extreme conditions of Indian women during the freedom struggle.
The Google Doodle page outline her poetic prowess as, “Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s poetry and prose primarily centered around the hardships that Indian women overcame, such as gender and caste discrimination. Her poetry remained uniquely underscored by her resolute nationalism.”
Her published works include a total of 88 poems and 46 short stories. She passed away in 1948 in a car accident.