Page 48 - NIS English 01-15 May,2023

Nation Amrit Mahotsav

AKKAMMA CHERIAN

QUEEN OF JHANSI OF TRAVANCORE

Born: 14 February 1909; Died: 05 May 1982

'I am the leader, shoot me before you kill the the protest led by Akkamma. People across
others' Akkamma Cherian said these words the country praised her for her indomitable
before Colonel Watson in 1938. Her fearless courage and Mahatma Gandhi gave her the
attitude and calm and composed demeanor title of 'Queen of Jhansi of Travancore'.
forced Watson to withdraw his order due In October 1938, Akkamma was given a
to which a major massacre was avoided. task by the party to organize the 'Desa Sevika
Akkamma Cherian was born on 14 February Sangha' (women's volunteer corps). She
1909 in a small village in Kanjirappally, traveled across the country and appealed to
Travancore (present-day Kerala). Despite women to join as members of 'Desa Sevika
being a teacher by profession, her real dream Sangha'. Her tireless efforts increased
was to see the country as free. So she left her the number of women volunteers in the
prestigious job to join the freedom movement. local bodies. On 24 December 1939, she
In August 1938 people of Travancore participated in the annual convention of the
decided to hold a demonstration which was Travancore State Congress, for which she
suppressed by the Dewan of that place. This was sentenced to one year's imprisonment.
incident gave rise to the Civil Disobedience She was harassed, abused, and tortured in jail.
Movement which was the first of its kind in After her release from jail, she became a
Kerala. The leaders were imprisoned and the full-time party worker and then became the
movement disintegrated. It is said that the president of the party. In her presidential
President of the Travancore State Congress address, she welcomed the Quit India
Party nominated Akkamma Cheriyan as his resolution passed at the Bombay session
successor just before his arrest as he found of the Indian National Congress in 1942.
her to be a courageous and daring woman. Akkamma faced arrests several times for
Akkamma Cherian organized a massive rally violating ban orders and holding protests
aimed at pressuring the rulers to release the but this did not deter her from her goal.
jailed leaders and establish a responsible After independence, she was elected to the
government in Travancore. Akkamma was then Travancore Legislative Assembly in 1947 and
29 years old. She was aware of the seriousness after leaving active politics in 1967 served as
of her act and knew what the consequences a member of the Freedom Fighters' Pension
could be, yet she did it voluntarily. It is said Advisory Board. Akkamma Cherian died on
that more than 20,000 people participated in 5 May 1982.

46 New India Samachar May 1-15, 2023