Kamini Roy, A Trailblazer

 

Though it was the age of emancipation, still the struggle had never been easy. Raja Rammohan Roy heralded the eon of liberty. He flashed light on the condition of women in the society.  But only by enacting some laws and thrusting them on the society was not the real change. Social change must come from within the society. The process gained momentum in the nineteenth century India, when the doors of schools and colleges were opened for the women. The perspective regarding the place of women in the society began to change. At that time some women led the process and set an example for the millions of women. They lifted up their spirit and ignited their ambition. One of them asked the question, “Why should a woman be confined to home and denied her rightful place in society?” She was Kamini Roy. She is still remembered as a noted Bengali poet, educator and activist.

On 12^th October, 1864 she was born in the Village of Basunda, presently in Jhalokati district of Bangladesh. She was one of the first girls to get admitted in schools. In 1883 she joined Bethune School, which was founded in 1849 as the Calcutta Female School by John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune, an English educator, mathematician and polyglot who will ever be remembered for his contribution in women’s education in India. In 1886 Ka mini Roy became the first female graduate to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree with Sanskrit honours. Thereafter she pursued the teaching profession there.

She fought vigorously for the real emancipation of women and their participation in nation building.  In 1921 she along with Kumidini Mitra and Mrinalini Sen  Roy founded The Bangiya Nari Samaj. The organisation fought not only or the women’s education, but also for the women’s suffrage. They used to organize meetings of educated Bengalis with the hope of generating support for women’s suffrage.  For their insistence women of India got voting rights in 1926. In that year Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay created another history to become the first woman to contest an election in India.  

She was a trailblazer in several arenas of Bengali society. In 1889 her book of poems Alo O Chhaya was published. Her literary journey includes Nirmalya (1891), Pauraniki (1897), Malya O Nirmalya (1913), Dip O Dhup (1929) etc. For her literary contributions she was conferred Jagattarini medal by Calcutta University in 1929. At that period of time Thirty was considered much higher age for women to get married. But by ignoring frowns of her critics, she married Kedarnath Roy in 1894. This indomitable spirit left us for her heavenly abode on 27th September, 1933. 

Her 155th birth anniversary was commemorated by Google through dedicating a doodle to her. Her invaluable contribution towards the rights of women must be cherished for many years to come.