Page 40 - NIS - English, 01-15 January 2023

Nation Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

ASHWINI KUMAR DUTT Dr Radhabai formed a

group of 'Satyagrahi women'
PROMOTED INDIGENOUS to fight for independence
PRODUCTS, FORMED SWADESH

BANDHAB SAMITI Born: 1875, Death: 2 January 1950

Born: 15 January 1856, Died: 7 November 1923 r Radhabai, recognized as the
Dfirst woman freedom fighter
shwini Kumar Dutt, a freedom fighter, from Chhattisgarh, inspired
Aeducationist, and social reformer, was born women to join the freedom
on 15 January 1856 in the Barisal district of movement. Born in 1875 in
British India which is now a part of Bangladesh. Nagpur, Maharashtra, Radhabai
A very interesting anecdote is attached to his life became a widow at the young
which proves that he was not only determined age of 9. She learned midwifery to
but also principled. In those times a minimum earn a living and started working in
age of 16 was required for appearing in the Nagpur municipality. She worked
high school examination. As he was only 14 he at many places in Maharashtra.
fudged his application to appear in the exam by In 1918 she was transferred to
increasing his age to 16. He passed his exam but Raipur. After that she started
a remorseful Ashwini Dutt stopped his studies for living in Tatyapara permanently.
two years and made atonement for that mistake. Dr. Radhabai had neither
Ashwini Kumar Dutt received a degree in law obtained a doctorate degree
from Allahabad university. After completing his
further studies in the then Calcutta, he started his
career as a teacher. He started his law practice but
soon started a movement for Swadeshi. Ashwini
Kumar established Swadesh Bandhab Samiti to Freedom fighter Maulana
promote indigenous products and boycott foreign Mazharul Haque was a
goods. When famine hit in 1906, he participated
in the relief work with the help of the volunteers symbol of national unity
of this organization. However, in 1908, the
government of newly formed East Bengal and Born: 22 December 1866, Died: 2 January 1930
Assam banned the Swadesh Bandhab Samiti.
The increasing influence of Ashwini Kumar Dutt ndian freedom fighter
on the Bengali people became an irritant for the IMaulana Mazharul
British government. The government deported Haque was born on
him from Bengal and imprisoned him in Lucknow 22 December 1866
jail in 1908. In 1910, he was released from jail. in Berhampur village
After coming out of jail, Ashwini Kumar Dutt of Patna district. He
lent his support to a movement run under the passed the matriculation
leadership of Mahatma Gandhi against the British examination from Patna
government in 1920. He was a social reformer College. Later he went to
who opposed untouchability and intoxication. Till England to study law. It
his last breath, he kept working for the public. He was in England that he met Mahatma
died on 7 November 1923. Gandhi, after which they became

38 New India Samachar January 1-15, 2023