Lakshmi Sahgal
Encyclopedia
Lakshmi Sahgal née Swaminathan, also known as Captain Laxmi. (born October 24, 1914 in Madras
, Madras Presidency
, British India
) is an activist of the Indian independence movement, an ex-officer of the Indian National Army
, and the Minister of Women's affairs in the Azad Hind Government.
A doctor by profession, Captain Lakshmi came into the limelight in India towards the end of World War II for her role as the commander of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
of the INA and her role as a minister in Subhas Bose's Azad Hind government. She later became involved in politics in independent India, serving as a member of parliament in the Upper House
and later running for President
as a left wing candidate. Lt Col Swaminathan is commonly referred to as Captain Lakshmi in India, referring to her rank at the time of being taken prisoner in Burma, as widely reported in Indian newspapers at the end of the war and which captured the public imagination, as opposed to her not widely known promotion in the last days of Azad Hind.
. Her mother was A.V. Ammukutty, better known as Ammu Swaminathan
, a social worker and independence activist and hailed from the famous Vadakkath family of Anakkara in Palghat, Kerala
. A.V. Kutty Malu Amma was another well known freedom fighter from the same family.
Lakshmi decided to study medicine because she wanted to be of service to the poor, especially to poor women. As a result, she received an MBBS degree from Madras Medical College
in 1938. A year later, she received her diploma in gynaecology
and obstetrics
.
In 1940,she left for Singapore
where she established a clinic for the poor, mostly migrant labour, from India. She was not only a doctor but also played an active role in the India Independence League.
by the British to the Japanese, she worked in serving the prisoners of war who were wounded during the fighting. In the process, she came in contact with Indian Prisoners of War (POWs) who were thinking of forming an Indian liberation army.
Subhas Chandra Bose arrived in Singapore on July 2, 1943. In the next few days, at all his public meetings, Netaji spoke of his determination to raise a women's regiment, the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
, which would also "fight for Indian Independence and make it complete".
Lakshmi joined the new regiment, called the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
. She was given the rank of a Colonel. The unit had the strength of a Brigade. In a regular army, this women's army unit was the first of its kind in Asia. The army fought on the side of the Axis powers against the British.
Lakshmi was active both militarily and on the medical front. Later, she became the Minister in charge of Women's Organization in Arzi Hukumate Azad Hind (Provisional Government of Free India), led by Subhash Chandra Bose
. She held this portfolio over and above her command of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
.
.
In 1971 she joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
and represented the party in the Rajya Sabha
. During the Bangladesh crisis
she organised relief camps and medical help in Calcutta for Bangladesh refugees who streamed into India at the time. She was nominated the Left Front
's candidate for post of President of India
in 2002.Later she became a leader of the All India Democratic Women's Association
.
In 2002 four leftist parties (Communist Party of India (Marxist)
, Communist Party of India
, Revolutionary Socialist Party
and All India Forward Bloc
) nominated her as a candidate in the presidential elections. She was the sole counter-candidate to the winning A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
, British India. Colonel Sahgal was the son of Justice Achhru Ram Sahgal. After their marriage, they settled in Kanpur.
Her daughter Subhashini Ali
is a prominent communist politician and a labour activist. According to her daughter, Sahgal is an atheist.
by the President of India.
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
, British India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
) is an activist of the Indian independence movement, an ex-officer of the Indian National Army
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
, and the Minister of Women's affairs in the Azad Hind Government.
A doctor by profession, Captain Lakshmi came into the limelight in India towards the end of World War II for her role as the commander of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
Rani of Jhansi Regiment
The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the Women's Regiment of the Indian National Army, the armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia with the aim of overthrowing the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
of the INA and her role as a minister in Subhas Bose's Azad Hind government. She later became involved in politics in independent India, serving as a member of parliament in the Upper House
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
and later running for President
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
as a left wing candidate. Lt Col Swaminathan is commonly referred to as Captain Lakshmi in India, referring to her rank at the time of being taken prisoner in Burma, as widely reported in Indian newspapers at the end of the war and which captured the public imagination, as opposed to her not widely known promotion in the last days of Azad Hind.
Early life
Sahgal was born as Lakshmi Swaminathan, daughter of Dr S. Swaminathan, a leading lawyer practising Criminal Law at Madras High CourtMadras High Court
The Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts....
. Her mother was A.V. Ammukutty, better known as Ammu Swaminathan
Ammu Swaminathan
Ammu Swaminathan was an Indian social worker and a prominent political activist during the Indian independence movement. After independence, she served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and later, as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Madras State...
, a social worker and independence activist and hailed from the famous Vadakkath family of Anakkara in Palghat, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. A.V. Kutty Malu Amma was another well known freedom fighter from the same family.
Lakshmi decided to study medicine because she wanted to be of service to the poor, especially to poor women. As a result, she received an MBBS degree from Madras Medical College
Madras Medical College
The Madras Medical College is an educational institution located in Chennai, India. It was established on February 2, 1835. It is the oldest medical college in India, along with the Medical College Kolkata.-History:...
in 1938. A year later, she received her diploma in gynaecology
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
and obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
.
In 1940,she left for Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
where she established a clinic for the poor, mostly migrant labour, from India. She was not only a doctor but also played an active role in the India Independence League.
Azad Hind
In 1942, during the surrender of SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
by the British to the Japanese, she worked in serving the prisoners of war who were wounded during the fighting. In the process, she came in contact with Indian Prisoners of War (POWs) who were thinking of forming an Indian liberation army.
Subhas Chandra Bose arrived in Singapore on July 2, 1943. In the next few days, at all his public meetings, Netaji spoke of his determination to raise a women's regiment, the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
Rani of Jhansi Regiment
The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the Women's Regiment of the Indian National Army, the armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia with the aim of overthrowing the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
, which would also "fight for Indian Independence and make it complete".
Lakshmi joined the new regiment, called the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
Rani of Jhansi Regiment
The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the Women's Regiment of the Indian National Army, the armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia with the aim of overthrowing the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
. She was given the rank of a Colonel. The unit had the strength of a Brigade. In a regular army, this women's army unit was the first of its kind in Asia. The army fought on the side of the Axis powers against the British.
Lakshmi was active both militarily and on the medical front. Later, she became the Minister in charge of Women's Organization in Arzi Hukumate Azad Hind (Provisional Government of Free India), led by Subhash Chandra Bose
Subhash Chandra Bose
Subhas Chandra Bose known by name Netaji was an Indian revolutionary who led an Indian national political and military force against Britain and the Western powers during World War II. Bose was one of the most prominent leaders in the Indian independence movement and is a legendary figure in...
. She held this portfolio over and above her command of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
Rani of Jhansi Regiment
The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the Women's Regiment of the Indian National Army, the armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia with the aim of overthrowing the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
.
Later years
After marrying Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal, the couple settled down in Kanpur. She carried on with her medical profession and served the refugees who were arriving in large numbers following the Partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
.
In 1971 she joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
and represented the party in the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
. During the Bangladesh crisis
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
she organised relief camps and medical help in Calcutta for Bangladesh refugees who streamed into India at the time. She was nominated the Left Front
Left Front
The Left Front is an alliance of Indian leftist parties. After a 34-year reign in West Bengal, the Left Front was swept from power in the 2011 election...
's candidate for post of President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
in 2002.Later she became a leader of the All India Democratic Women's Association
All India Democratic Women's Association
The All India Democratic Women's Association is the women's wing of the Communist Party of India .-History and Scope:...
.
In 2002 four leftist parties (Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
, Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
, Revolutionary Socialist Party
Revolutionary Socialist Party (India)
Revolutionary Socialist Party is a Marxist-Leninist political party in India. The party was founded on March 19, 1940 and has its roots in the Bengali liberation movement Anushilan Samiti and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army. The party got around 0,4% of the votes and three seats in the Lok...
and All India Forward Bloc
All India Forward Bloc
The All India Forward Bloc is a leftwing nationalist political party in India. It emerged as a faction within the Indian National Congress in 1939, led by Subhas Chandra Bose. The party re-established as an independent political party after the independence of India...
) nominated her as a candidate in the presidential elections. She was the sole counter-candidate to the winning A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Family
Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal was among those who were released from the Red Fort by the British. In March 1947, Colonel Sahgal and Captain Lakshmi were married in LahoreLahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, British India. Colonel Sahgal was the son of Justice Achhru Ram Sahgal. After their marriage, they settled in Kanpur.
Her daughter Subhashini Ali
Subhashini Ali
Subhasini Ali is an Indian politician and a member of the Communist Party of India . She is the President of the All India Democratic Women's Association.-Family:...
is a prominent communist politician and a labour activist. According to her daughter, Sahgal is an atheist.
Awards and recognition
In 1998, she was awarded the Padma VibhushanPadma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
by the President of India.
See also
- Rani of Jhansi
- Indian National ArmyIndian National ArmyThe Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
- Janaky Athi NahappanJanaky Athi NahappanPuan Sri Janaki Athi Nahappan, also known as Janaky Devar, is a founder member of the Malaysian Indian Congress and one of the earliest women involved in the fight for Malaysian independence....
- Rasammah BhupalanRasammah BhupalanRasammah Bhupalan , also known as Rasammah Naomi Navarednam or Mrs F.R. Bhupalan, is a renowned Malaysian freedom fighter and social activist...