Independence Day 2021: Saluting India’s unsung women freedom fighters

Gayatri Vinayak

16 August 2021 at 2:26 am

Mata Bhag Kaur (1666-1708):

Mai Bhago, also called Mata Bhag Kaur was the first woman from Punjab to enter the battlefield and fight against the Mughals. The daughter of a prominent landowner, Mai Bhago persuaded a group of 40 Sikh warriors, who had initially deserted Guru Gobind Singh at the siege of Anandpur Sahib, to return to the Guru.

A skilled warrior, Kaur led the group against Mughal invaders in the Battle of Muktsar and forced them to retreat. Kaur went on to serve as the personal bodyguard of Guru Govind Singh during his years in exile in Maharashtra. She has been featured among the three most badass women in history by the BBC.

Image credit: Sikh warrior statue at Sikh temple as on 21 Jan 2018 in Woolgoolga Australia. Statue of Mai Bhago. Statue of Bhago Kaur

India’s path towards independence has been a long, arduous one. The decades of freedom struggle saw many greats risk their lives and face oppression and torture at the hands of the British to ensure that future generations are able to live in a free and democratic country.

Among the many who fought for India’s freedom were fearless women, many not spoken about, who loved their motherland fiercely and gave all they had to fight for freedom and rights. This Independence Day, we salute 10 courageous women who have fought valiantly for India’s independence.

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