Women Freedom Fighters — Set 11

Correct Answer: B. Home for unwed mothers and abandoned pregnant women

Savitribai Phule and her husband Jyotirao Phule established a home for unwed mothers and abandoned pregnant women, called the 'Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha' (Infanticide Prevention Home) in Pune. This was a revolutionary act in 19th century India where such women were completely ostracized. They encouraged women to give birth safely and bring up their children instead of resorting to infanticide. This home saved many lives.

Correct Answer: B. Kamala Nehru Hospital

Kamala Nehru Hospital in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is named in memory of Kamala Nehru, wife of Jawaharlal Nehru and a participant in the Indian freedom movement. She participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Salt Satyagraha and was imprisoned multiple times. Her health deteriorated due to tuberculosis exacerbated by imprisonment. She died in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1936 at the young age of 36.

Correct Answer: B. Bithoor near Kanpur

Rani Lakshmibai's father, Moropant Tambe, was a court official at the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao II's court at Bithoor near Kanpur (then Cawnpore). She grew up at Bithoor and received an unusual upbringing for a girl, learning horse riding, sword fighting, and archery along with the sons of the Peshwa. This martial training prepared her for her later role as a warrior queen. She married the Maharaja of Jhansi in 1842.

Correct Answer: C. Bombay (Mumbai) University

Usha Mehta became a Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at Bombay (now Mumbai) University after independence. She was deeply committed to Gandhian values and philosophy and taught political science with this perspective. She received the Padma Vibhushan in 1998 for her contributions to the nation. She continued to actively participate in social work related to Gandhian causes throughout her academic career.

Correct Answer: C. Bengal Volunteers

The Bengal Volunteers, inspired by Surya Sen's Chittagong movement, included Kalpana Datta, Pritilata Waddedar, and other young women revolutionaries who carried out bold actions against British rule. These women demonstrated that Indian women could participate equally in armed revolutionary activities. Their courage challenged both British authority and conventional gender roles. They remain iconic figures in Bengali nationalist memory.

Correct Answer: B. Minister in the UP Cabinet

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was elected to the United Provinces Legislative Assembly in 1937 and served as a minister in the Congress cabinet formed there, becoming one of the first women ministers in British India. She held the Local Self-Government and Public Health portfolios. She was imprisoned by the British three times during the independence movement. She later had a distinguished diplomatic career representing independent India.

Correct Answer: C. Varanasi (Benares)

Annie Besant established the Central Hindu College in Varanasi (Benares) in 1898 to provide education rooted in Hindu culture and values alongside modern subjects. This institution later became the foundation of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) established in 1916. She believed that Indians needed to be educated in their own traditions as well as Western sciences. This educational work complemented her broader campaign for Indian self-rule.

Correct Answer: B. Hindus and Muslims united

Begum Hazrat Mahal's counter-proclamation of 1858 was addressed to both Hindus and Muslims, appealing for united resistance against the British. She argued that the British were destroying the religion and culture of both communities. Her proclamation was a remarkable early example of Hindu-Muslim unity in the independence struggle. It highlighted how the 1857 revolt transcended religious divisions at least in its ideological expression.

Correct Answer: C. Aruna Asaf Ali

Aruna Asaf Ali received the Lenin Peace Prize from the Soviet Union in 1964 in recognition of her work for peace and international friendship. She had aligned herself with progressive causes after independence and was associated with communist and socialist movements in India. She also received the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1991. She received the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1997.

Correct Answer: B. Remarriage prohibition for widows and head-shaving of widows

Savitribai Phule and Jyotirao Phule campaigned against the prohibition on widow remarriage and the practice of forcibly shaving widows' heads (tonsuring) which was prevalent in Hindu society. They encouraged widow remarriage at a time when it was strictly forbidden. They also ran the Infanticide Prevention Home that rescued women from social abandonment. Their social reform work was among the most comprehensive of the 19th century.