A glimpse about India’s women freedom fighters

Team L&M

If you are interested in knowing more about our freedom fighters, especially women freedom fighters, do visit IIC, New Delhi. At the Art Gallery in Kamaladevi Complex there is running an exhibition Hamaara Itihaas Archives of Freedom Fighters.

It is India’s first and perhaps the only international archive with a special focus on women freedom fighters. Beginning today at 5,30pm the show will run to August 23.

Rasammah Bhopalan, Rani of Jhansi
Regiment. Photo: Sagari Chhabra

The archive contains oral testimonies, photos, audio, video and film recordings across India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar. It also displays photos and documents from London, Paris, Geneva, Stuttgart, San Francisco and other places, showing that India’s freedom struggle was both revolutionary and non-violent.

Anjaly Suppiah, Rani of Jhansi Regiment.
Photo: Sagari Chhabra

You will also get to see the rare documents of the paper, ‘Bande Mataram’ and ‘Talvar’ started by Madam Bhikaiji Cama and the Ghadar Party based in Vancouver and San Francisco. Plus, it has a special section dedicated to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army, based in Southeast Asia with a particular focus on the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, one of the earliest all-woman military regiments of the world.

Lt. Perumal (right), Lt. David in front of a
former INA office. Photo: Sagari Chhabra. 

The exhibition also screens the documentary film, ‘Asli Azaadi’ on women freedom fighters. The courage and sacrifice of our freedom fighters, most of whom have gone unsung and unrecognised, deserves to be recorded.

Lata Bhardwaj, broadcaster INA.
Photo: Sagari Chhabra

What’s more: The founder-director, Sagari Chhabra will conduct a walk-through daily at 5.30 pm.