Veeramangai

 "Mom, we have celebrated the 76th Independence Day this year. Could you please tell me about the lives of forgotten women freedom fighters who deserve to be recognized for their role in the freedom struggle?"My daughter Anusree told me.

"Definitely dear Anu. The new generation should know about those women martyrs.

One of those brave female warriors was Rani Velu Nachiyar of Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu), the princess of Ramanatapuram. Born on January 3, 1730, she was the only child of her parents, who ruled the Ramnath kingdom. She was married to the king of Sivaganga. She assumed the throne of Sivaganga in 1780 after her husband was murdered by British soldiers and the Nawab of Arcot. Rani Velu Nachiyar formed an army and successfully led a suicide attack on British troops in 1780, with the help of local allies. She also built an army of women, known as ‘Udaiyaat’ and trained them in warfare. Her commander-in-chief Kuyili’s sacrifice helped Velu Nachiyar defeat the British. Kuyili doused herself with flammable oil and blew up the British arsenal in a suicide attack and she holds the distinction of being the first woman suicide bomber in the world. A statue commemorating Kuyili stands in Sivaganga town. Rani Velu Nachiyar was considered the first woman of Tamil origin to challenge the British Empire and the second queen to have fought against any European power in India. Trained in the art of warfare and martial arts, she was fluent in Urdu, English, and French. She successfully ruled her kingdom for over a decade. In 2008, India Posts released a stamp commemorating Rani Velu Nachiyar. Due to her grit and bravery, the queen is fondly remembered as ‘Veeramangai’ meaning ‘brave woman’.A comic book, “India’s Women Unsung Heroes”, published by the Union Ministry of Culture in partnership with Amar Chitra Katha, as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav was released by the Union Minister of State for Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi. It tells the stories of the queens who battled colonial powers in the struggle against imperial rule and the women who dedicated and even laid down their lives for the cause of the motherland. The 20 women freedom fighters featured in the book include names like Rani Abakka, Velu Nachiyar, Jhalkari Bai, Matangini Hazra, Gulab Kaur, Chakali Ilamma, Padmaja Naidu, Bishni Devi Shah, Durgawati Devi and Sucheta Kripalani.

" Thanks, dear Mom, for telling me the story of this great lady warrior. This Independence Day, let us pay tributes to all those Women Unsung Heroes of the Freedom Struggle, the brave daughters of Mother India! We are proud of you!"