Who was Rani Gaidinliu, who led India's independence movement after her brother was...? Spent 14 years in jail due to...

India remains indebted to several freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives during the conflict with British colonisers. While many of the freedom fighters are well-known today, several of them have been somewhere lost in the pages of history. 

In this article, we are going to talk about Rani Gaidinliu, a Naga spiritual and political leader, who fearlessly fought against the British rule to shield the rights of her community. Let's delve into her story further. 

Who is Rani Gaidinliu?

Born on January 26, 1915, in the Tamenglong district of present-day Manipur, Rani Gaidinliu belonged to the Rongmei Naga tribe. She looked at her community with pride and was keen to preserve her identity and culture of her tribe. 

Gaidinliu joined the freedom struggle in 1930 at the age of 13. For the next three years of her life, she dedicated herself to driving out the British from her region. At the age of 16, she was sentenced to life imprisonment. Therefore, she had to spend the next 14 years in jail. 

In 1947 -- the year India got independence from the British rule -- Gaidinliu was finally released from jail on the orders of India's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who described her as the "daughter of the hills". The then-Prime Minister also honoured her with the title of "Rani" for her indomitable courage. 

Heraka movement 

Gaidinliu was a prominent face in the Heraka movement which was kicked off by her cousin Haipou Jadonang. Meaning 'pure', Heraka was a socio-religious movement that rose in the 1920s in the Zeliangrong territory.

The movement aimed to resist the infiltration of Christian missionaries as well as the reforms imposed by the British government. Jadonang, who had started the movement, had to face repression by Britishers who imposed harsh labour on tribals, forcing them to pay high yearly revenue tax. 

Soon enough, he was able to garner the support of his community, emerging as a potent threat to the colonial rule. In 1931, Jadonang was arrested by the Britishers. After a mock trial, he was sentenced to death on August 29, 1931. 

Following this, Gaidinliu took up the battle, ensuring it doesn't die along with her cousin. She was greatly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and evoked his efforts at the national level to inspire her community to fight for freedom. 

“Loss of religion is the loss of culture, loss of culture is the loss of identity", she used to say. Interestingly, Gaidinliu had become a whole different version of the non-cooperation movement among Naga tribes and made it extremely difficult for the British to function in the region. 

After independence, Gaidinliu was awarded Tamra Patra in 1972 -- an award to honour distinguished individuals for their contribution to the Indian freedom battle. In 1982, she was awarded with Padma Bhushan.