Born: 13 February 1879, India
Died: 2 March 1949
Country most active: India
Also known as: Sarojini Chattopadhyay
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Known as the “Nightingale of India,” Sarojini Naidu was an Indian poet and political activist born in Hyderabad, British Raj. A key figure in India’s struggle for independence and women’s rights advocate, she was the first Indian woman to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress and later as the Governor of the United Provinces. Naidu’s literary works, primarily in English, blend romanticism with patriotism. Her most famous poems include The Golden Threshold and In the Bazaars of Hyderabad.” Her poetry is celebrated for its vivid imagery and lyrical quality. Naidu died in 1949.