Born - 26 January 1915
Died - 17 February 1993
Achievements - Rani Gaidinliu from Manipur was a fearless Indian
freedom fighter who joined the agitation at the age of 13 and headed the
movement against the British in the Manipur and Naga belts. The
Government of India honored her with the prestigious Padma Bhushan in
1993.
Rani Gaidinliu, who was born at the Nangkao village in Manipur, was an
active freedom fighter of India who joined the agitation at the age of
13. She spearheaded an inspiring socio-political movement to cast the
British out from the Manipur and Naga belts. It was in 1932 at the age
of 16 that Rani Gaidinliu was arrested and put behind bars for life. She
could be freed from the jail only after India's independence in 1947.
Read this biography to know about the life history of the spunky Rani
Gaidinliu.
That Rani Gaidinliu was a charismatic girl was apparent from a very early
age. While she was just 13, she grew restive witnessing the prevailing
social and political ambience in the hills of Manipur under the British
influence. It was at this time that she met prominent local leader
Haipou Jadonang at Puilon Village and swayed by his ideas and
principles, she launched the revolutionary movement against the British
in 1927. However, just when this agitation was beginning to assume
enough height to strike, Haipou was arrested by the British and put to
death in 1931.
It was from this moment onwards that the responsibility of directing
the agitation in the Manipur and Naza hill regions fell on Rani's
shoulders. Following this incident, Rani Gaidinliu immediately went
underground. Though the British announced a reward of Rs 500 to anybody
who would inform them about her whereabouts, the entire village stood
together in support of Rani. But she was finally hunted own in October
1932. Rani Gaidinliu was put under life imprisonment for waging war
against the British.
Rani Gaidinliu continued to work for the welfare of her people even
after her release from jail in 1947. She even set up a resistance
agitation against the Naga National Council (NNC)-led insurgents in 1966
and had to go underground due to this. Gaidinliu was respected by
everybody for her role as a freedom fighter and was also honored with
the prestigious Padma Bhushan in 1993. In her remembrance, the
Government of India even issued a postal stamp.
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