Role of Women in the Freedom Struggle

For Prelims: Non-Cooperation Movement, Quit India Movement , Rani Laxmibai, All India Women’s Conference, Savitribai Phule

For Mains: Role of women in India’s nationalist movements and revolutionary activities, Gender and social reform during the Indian freedom struggle.

Source:IE

Why in News?

As India marked its 79th Independence Day, it is crucial to recognize the pivotal role played by women in shaping the nation’s freedom struggle. These women fought not only against British rule but also against the social restrictions that sought to keep them invisible.

What was the Role of Women in the Freedom Struggle?

• Active Participation in Mass Movements: Women, inspired by the symbol of "Bharat Mata," united across regions and communities, strengthening nationalist sentiment and mobilizing support against British colonial rule.
  • Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922) women boycotted British goods, promoted khadi, joined marches, and courted imprisonment, demonstrating courage and political awareness.
  • Salt Satyagraha (1930) icons like Sarojini Naidu and Kamala Nehru led marches, picketed salt shops, and mobilized rural women, integrating women into the mainstream struggle.
  • Quit India Movement (1942): Women organized rallies, spread nationalist messages, ran underground Congress radios, and maintained movement continuity during arrests of male leaders.
• Revolutionary Contributions:  Leaders like Pritilata Waddedar and Kalpana Dutta actively participated in Chittagong raids, attacks on British establishments, and underground revolutionary networks.
  • Rani Laxmibai, Matangini Hazra, and Kanaklata Barua became symbols of sacrifice, inspiring mass participation.
  • Women smuggled arms, distributed pamphlets, and coordinated covert resistance efforts, highlighting strategic acumen.
• Leadership and Organizational Role: Formation of women-centric organizations like All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) and Women’s Indian Association (WIA) provided platforms for political activism and social reform.
  • Leaders such as Sarojini Naidu, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Aruna Asaf Ali, and Sucheta Kriplani guided protests, represented India internationally, and fostered a culture of female leadership in politics.
• Social Reform and Gender Empowerment: Icons like Savitribai Phule, promoted women’s education, legal equality, property rights, and dismantled restrictive practices like purdah and child marriage.
  • Empowered rural and urban women through khadi promotion, literacy drives, and participation in civil society, linking social reform with political activism.

Who were the Iconic Women Leaders During India’s Freedom Struggle?

• Rani Lakshmibai: Queen of Jhansi, fought bravely in the First War of Independence, (Indian Rebellion of 1857) resisted the Doctrine of Lapse.
• Rani Chennamma: The Queen of Kitturu, Karnataka, led the Kittur Rebellion against the British in 1824, one of the earliest woman-led anti-colonial struggles in India. 
  • This rebellion was sparked after the British refused to recognize her adopted son as the heir under the Doctrine of Lapse.
• Savitribai Phule: First female teacher in India, promoted girls’ education, opposed child marriage, caste discrimination, and advocated widow remarriage.
• Pandita Ramabai: Founded Sharada Sadan for widows; promoted women’s education and suffrage; worked against child marriage.
• Sarojini Naidu: First Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress; key participant in the Salt March, civil disobedience, and the Quit India Movement.
• Sucheta Kripalani: Active in the Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements. Later became the first woman Chief Minister in India (Uttar Pradesh).
• Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay: Born in Mangalore, she was a freedom fighter, social reformer, and politician. She played a key role in the AIWC, was the first woman to contest a legislative seat in Madras, and persuaded Gandhi to include women equally in the Salt Satyagraha.
• Rani Gaidinliu: Joined the Heraka Movement at 13, founded by her cousin Haipou Jadonang, and took leadership after his execution, resisting British rule and promoting Naga identity.
• Annie Besant: Launched Madras Home Rule League, first woman Congress President in 1917, promoted education and nationalist awareness.
• Kamala Nehru: Participated in non-cooperation movements alongside Jawaharlal Nehru.
• Aruna Roy: Modern activist; instrumental in the enactment of the Right to Information Act for transparency and accountability.
• Bhikaiji Cama: Hoisted the first Indian flag abroad (Germany) and continued activism while in exile.
• Aruna Asaf Ali: Hoisted the Congress flag during the Quit India Movement, earning the title ‘Heroine of 1942.’
• Kasturba Gandhi: Actively involved in civil disobedience, protests, and imprisonment alongside Mahatma Gandhi.
• Fatima Sheikh: Pioneer of girls’ education and social reform, laying the foundation for women’s empowerment.
• Rukmini Devi Arundale: Revived and promoted Indian classical dance and arts, strengthening national cultural identity.
• Usha Mehta: Ran underground Congress Radio during the Quit India Movement, spreading messages of independence.
• Bengal Women Revolutionaries: 
  • Bina Das: She was an Indian revolutionary who attempted to assassinate Stanley Jackson, the Governor of Bengal in 1932, at the Convocation Hall of the University of Calcutta.
    • She quietly protested by wearing khadi, writing about banned literature, and distributing revolutionary materials in her college. These acts challenged both the British Empire and societal norms that silenced women.
  • Pritilata Waddedar: Led the Pahartali European Club attack (1932); embraced martyrdom to protest racial discrimination.
  • Kalpana Datta: Took part in the Chittagong Armoury Raid and documented women’s equal role in revolution.
  • Kamala Das Gupta: Supported the freedom movement by hiding fugitives, carrying messages, and smuggling arms.
    • She established schools for Muslim girls in Kolkata and personally encouraged families to educate their daughters.
  • Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain: A pioneering feminist, she envisioned a society led by women, governed by reason and peace, and freed from the shackles of both patriarchy and colonialism in her novella Sultana’s Dream.
  • Labanya Prabha Ghosh: Promoted literacy as a weapon, organised reading groups, wrote for nationalist publications like Mukti, and hosted underground nationalist meetings in rural Bengal.
  • Matangini Hazra (Gandhi Buri): Led mass protests during Quit India Movement. Shot while holding the tricolour and chanting “Vande Mataram,” her martyrdom symbolized that freedom belonged to all Indians, not just the elite.

Conclusion

Women were not mere participants but architects of India’s freedom, combining courage, strategic action, and social reform to shape the trajectory of the independence movement. Their contributions exemplify the intersection of political struggle and social liberation.

Drishti Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the multifaceted role of women in India’s freedom struggle.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Prelims

Q. Annie Besant was (2013)

1. responsible for starting the Home Rule Movement
2. the founder of the Theosophical Society
3. once the President of the Indian National Congress

Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.

(a) 1 only 
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only 
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (C)

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Q. With reference to Indian freedom struggle, Usha Mehta is well-known for (2011)

(a) Running the secret Congress Radio in the wake of Quit India Movement
(b) Participating in the Second Round Table Conference
(c) Leading a contingent of Indian National Army
(d) Assisting in the formation of Interim Government under Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

Ans: (a)

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Mains

Q. Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase. ( 2016)

Women-Led Economic Growth for Viksit Bharat 2047

For Prelims: Female labor force participation, Gender budgets, Startup India, Namo Drone Didi, MUDRA loans 

For Mains: Women’s Economic Empowerment and Development, Women's Active Participation in India's Economic Transformation, Key Issues Hindering Women Empowerment in India.

Source:PIB

Why in News?

India’s growth story is shifting, with women driving economic rise through higher workforce participation, entrepreneurship, and access to finance. Empowering them is now central to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

How Women are Powering India’s Economic Transformation?

• Workforce Participation:  India’s female workforce participation rose from 22% in 2017-18 to 40.3% in 2023-24, while unemployment fell from 5.6% to 3.2%. 
  • Rural female employment grew by 96%, and urban by 43%, showing strong gains in opportunities for women.
  • Female graduate employability rose from 42% in 2013 to 47.53% in 2024, while women with postgraduate and above saw Worker Population Ratio (WPR) increase from 34.5% in 2017-18 to 40% in 2023-24.
  • In the past seven years, 1.56 crore women joined the formal workforce, while 16.69 crore women unorganized workers registered on e-Shram, gaining access to government welfare schemes.
• Women Development to Women – Led Development: Gender budgets rose 429% over a decade, from Rs 0.85 lakh crore (2013-14) to Rs 4.49 lakh crore (2025-26), signaling a shift to women-led development.
  • Programs like Startup India have boosted women’s entrepreneurship, with 50% of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) startups having at least one woman director. Around two crore women are now Lakhpati Didis, supported by initiatives like Namo Drone Didi.
  • Women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) nearly doubled from 1 crore (2010-11) to 1.92 crore (2023-24) and generating 89 lakh additional jobs for women (FY21–FY23).  
    • This marks a decisive move from development for women to development by women.
  • Financial inclusion schemes are pivotal, with women receiving 68% of MUDRA loans ( worth Rs 14.72 lakh crore) and accounting for 44% of PM SVANidhi beneficiaries among street vendors.

Why is Women-Led Development Significant?

• Women as Leaders: Shifts women from welfare recipients to agents of change.
• Gender Equality: Reduces stereotypes and generational inequality, which is crucial as India ranked 131st out of 148 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025.
• Economic Growth: Bridging the gender gap in employment could potentially lead to a 30% increase in India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Inclusive Development: Inclusion of women boosts productivity, innovation, and decision-making. 
  • Empowering women gives them autonomy, access to opportunities, and influence over personal, professional, and societal decisions, driving meaningful economic and social change.

What are the Challenges to Women-Led Development in India?

• Social and Safety Constraints: Deep-rooted patriarchy limits decision-making and increases unpaid domestic work. 
  • Early marriage, domestic responsibilities, and threats to personal security (as India records 51 cases of crime against women every hour). curtail mobility, career progression, and active participation in society.
• Education and Skill Gaps: Female literacy is 65.4% (2011 census), below the global average, restricting opportunities.
• Underrepresentation in Governance & Leadership: Women remain underrepresented in political, corporate, and institutional decision-making, reducing their influence on policies affecting them.
  • India's women's representation in the Parliament remains well below the global average of 25%.
• Digital and Technological Exclusion: Limited access to technology, internet, and digital literacy prevents women from participating fully in the modern economy.
• Workforce Participation Barriers: Women face unequal pay, glass ceiling effects, occupational segregation, safety at workplace and limited representation in formal and high-skilled sectors.

What Measures can India Adopt to Further Mainstream Women in Economic Growth?

• Childcare & Care Economy: Establish a National Crèche Grid, workplace crèches, professionalise care workers, and extend paid maternity leave to informal sectors to enable workforce retention.
• Infrastructure & Digital Inclusion: Mandate gender-responsive budgeting in sanitation, transport, water, housing. Embed Digital Saksharta and PMGDISHA into national infrastructure and rural internet projects to boost women’s digital empowerment.
• Representation & Governance: Enforce gender quotas in boards, panchayats, MSME councils; build capacity in gender budgeting; link incentives to women’s inclusion.
• Decentralised Gender Planning: Institutionalize Gender Action Plans at the Gram Panchayat, block, and district levels, incorporating input from Mahila Sabhas and SHG networks. Ensure these plans are co-created with women and integrated into annual development planning and financing.
• Workplace Safety and Empowering Women's Mobility: Create women-friendly infrastructure with accessible spaces and establish Internal Complaint Committees (ICCs) under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 to address harassment.
  • Foster a zero-tolerance culture and address cultural and structural violence through education, empowerment, and policy reforms for an equitable and safe environment.

Conclusion

Women are becoming the backbone of India’s economy, driving change from rural enterprises to corporate leadership, as Jawaharlal Nehru once said, “The status of a nation can be judged by the condition of its women,” India is progressing toward Viksit Bharat 2047, embodying Nari Shakti.

Drishti Mains Question:

Q. Critically examine the role of women-led enterprises and workforce participation in achieving Viksit Bharat 2047. 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Mains

Q.1 “Empowering women is the key to control population growth”. Discuss. (2019) 

Q.2 Discuss the positive and negative effects of globalization on women in India? (2015) 

Q.3 Male membership needs to be encouraged in order to make women’s organizations free from gender bias. Comment. (2013)  

Integrated Air Drop Test for Gaganyaan Mission

Source: TH

Why in News? 

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted its first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-1) for the Gaganyaan mission.  

• IADT-1 aimed to validate the performance of the parachute-based deceleration system for the Crew Module (CM) of the Gaganyaan mission in a real-world scenario. 
• The test involved collaborations between ISRO, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard.

What is Gaganyaan Mission?

• Overview: India’s first human spaceflight program, aiming to send a crew of 3 astronauts to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at 400 km for 3 days and return them safely to Earth.
• Mission Phases: Includes unmanned test missions followed by the first manned mission expected to happen in early 2027.
• Significance: Gaganyaan success will place India among the elite group of nations (US, Russia, China) with human spaceflight capability.
• Crew training for Gaganyaan: Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla are India’s astronauts-designated for Gaganyaan.
• Key Technologies for Crew Safety:
  • Human-Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3): It is a modified version of ISRO's LVM3 rocket. It includes solid, liquid, and cryogenic stages, re-configured to meet human rating requirements. 
    • The rocket is capable of launching the Orbital Module to a Low Earth Orbit (400 km) and features a Crew Escape System (CES) with high burn rate solid motors to ensure crew safety during emergencies at launch or ascent.
    • CES ensures safe abort in case of emergencies during launch or ascent.
  • Orbital Module (OM): Houses the Crew Module (CM) and Service Module (SM) with life support, avionics, and propulsion systems.
    • The CM is a habitable space with an Earth-like environment, with a pressurized inner structure and unpressurized external structure. It houses crew interfaces, life support systems, and avionics, and is designed for re-entry. 
    • The SM supports the CM in orbit, providing thermal, propulsion, power systems, avionics, and deployment mechanisms, but remains unpressurized.
• Mission Preparatory Tests:
  • Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT): Validate parachute and deceleration systems.
  • Test Vehicle Missions (TV): Test abort and launch systems.
  • Pad Abort Test (PAT): Check crew module safety from various altitudes.
  • Water Survival Test Facility (WSTF): Recovery trials with Navy support.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ) 

Prelims

Q. With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: (2018)

1. PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites. 
2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.
3. GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

(a) 1 only  
(b) 2 and 3 
(c) 1 and 2  
(d) 3 only 

Ans: (a) 

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Q. Consider the following statements: (2016)

1. The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission
2. made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA
3. made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

(a) 1 only  
(b) 2 and 3 only 
(c) 1 and 3 only  
(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: (c)

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Mains

Q. India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space mission. What are the main obstacles to launching a manned space mission, both in terms of technology and logistics? Examine critically. (2017)

Project 17A: INS Himgiri & INS Udaygiri

Source: IE

Two advanced Nilgiri-class (Project 17Alpha (P-17A)) multi-mission stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri have been commissioned, marking a significant step in India's naval modernization 

• Project 17A: P17A ships feature enhanced stealth capabilities compared to their predecessors P17 (Shivalik) class, with improvements in hull design and weapon systems.
  • The seven ships under Project 17A, are INS Nilgiri, INS Udaygiri, INS Himgiri, INS Taragiri, INS Mahendragiri, INS Dunagiri, and INS Vindhyagiri.
  • The Project 17A design incorporates ‘State of the Art’ weapons and sensors that include supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, and rapid-fire Close-in Weapon Systems.
  • These multi-mission frigates are designed to operate in a ‘Blue Water’ environment, meaning they can handle both conventional and non-conventional threats within India's maritime interests.
  • An Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) is also installed to optimize the ship’s functionality and crew coordination.
  • The ships are configured with Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) main propulsion plants, comprising a Diesel Engine and Gas turbine, driving a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft.
• INS Himgiri: First P-17A stealth frigate built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
• INS Udaygiri: Second P-17A stealth frigate built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), also the 100th ship designed by Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.
• Capabilities: Equipped with BrahMos missiles, Barak-8 missiles, LRSAM, torpedoes, rocket launchers, advanced radars, and Shakti Electronic Warfare Suite.
• Legacy names: Both ships revive historic names of earlier INS Udaygiri (1976) and INS Himgiri (1974), which played key roles in Operation Pawan, Operation Cactus, Operation Sahayata and others.
• Project 17 Bravo (P-17B): In 2024 the Defence Acquisition Council approved Project 17 Bravo stealth frigates, the next phase after the Project 17A.

Read more: Project 17A Frigate Himgiri

India- Fiji Relations

Source: PIB

The Prime Minister of Fiji, in his 3 day visit to India, held talks with the Indian Prime Minister to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

• India agreed to provide training, equipment, and capacity building for Fiji’s military; collaborate on UN Peacekeeping Operations, military medicine, White Shipping Information Exchange and cybersecurity.
• Agreements include 100-bedded Super-Specialty Hospital, Jan Aushadhi, Heal in India, telemedicine under e-Sanjeevani.
  • Focus was made on Hindi-Sanskrit studies, Girmitiyas (Indian indentured labourers) recognition, sports, professional/student mobility. 
• Joint vision for Indo-Pacific peace, support India’s UNSC membership, counter-terrorism, climate action, sustainable development, South-South cooperation, reinforces India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) counterbalancing Chinese influence in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs).
• The PM of India lauded Fijian PM for championing the ‘Ocean of Peace’ initiative, which seeks a stable, secure, and sustainable Indo-Pacific.

Fiji

• Fiji is a country and archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean & part of Pacific Island Countries (PICs), located north of Auckland, New Zealand, comprising over 300 islands, of which around 100 are inhabited. 
• Known as the “soft coral capital of the world,” it has over 4,000 sq km of coral reefs.
• Historically, sugarcane has been a major economic driver. 
• Fiji is a parliamentary democracy with a diverse population of Indigenous Fijians, Indians, Europeans, and other communities, and is home to the Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple, the largest Hindu temple in the Southern Hemisphere. 

 

Read More: Third FIPIC Summit 

Typhoon Kajiki

Source: HT

Typhoon Kajiki struck Vietnam’s coastal provinces, resulting in extensive flooding, significant crop losses, and multiple fatalities.

• It originated over the Philippines, strengthened over the South China Sea and hit China & Vietnam, as a Category 2 storm on Saffir-Simpson (SS) Scale.
• Typhoons are tropical cyclones originating from western Pacific Ocean, particularly in Southeast Asia & China.

Vietnam

• Vietnam (capital Hanoi) is a Southeast Asian country bordered by China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South China Sea to the east.
• Mekong (south) and the Red River (north) are its key rivers that flow into the South China Sea & Annamite Cordillera is a major mountain range.
• Vietnam gained independence from French colonial rule on 2 September 1945.

 

Read More: Cyclone