Aruna Asaf Ali

@Independence Activist, Facts and Childhood ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Aruna Asaf Ali was an Indian freedom fighter who is best known for hoisting Indian National Congress flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan in Bombay during the Quit India Movement Cancer Celebrities Humanitarian Indian Leaders Popularly known as the Grand Old Lady of the Independence Movement, Aruna Asaf Ali was an Indian Independence activist and a freedom fighter. Her strong collaboration with the Indian National Congress and the inclination to work for the country’s independence began when she first met her husband, Asaf Ali, who was an active member of the Congress Party. Following her husband’s footsteps, she enthusiastically took part in the Congress programmes and soon became an important member of the party. She is best remembered till date for hoisting the Indian National Congress flag at the Gowalia tank Maidan in Bombay at the scheduled time, thus initiating the commencement of the Quit India Movement. The act was historic as it came after all the major leaders and members of the Congress Working Committee were arrested by the British, thus leaving the Quit India Movement leaderless. Apart from contributing to the freedom struggle, she also worked for the enrichment of the poor and the downtrodden. She emphasized on women empowerment and education. In her lifetime, she was conferred with numerous national and international honors.

Personal Details

Birthday: July 16, 1909 Died on: July 29, 1996 Nationality: Indian Famous: Independence Activist, Humanitarian, Leaders Spouses: Asaf Ali Known as: Aruna Ganguly Birth Place: Kalka, Haryana Information Detail Birthday July 16, 1909 Died on July 29, 1996 Nationality Indian Famous Independence Activist, Humanitarian, Leaders Spouses Asaf Ali Known as Aruna Ganguly Birth Place Kalka, Haryana Gender Female Father Upendranath Ganguly Mother Ambalika Devi Sun Sign Cancer Born in Kalka, Haryana Famous as Indian Independence Activist Died at Age 87

Kalka, Haryana

Aruna Asaf Ali born at Unsplash Birth Place

It was in Allahabad that she met her future husband, Asaf Ali, a successful barrister and member of the Congress Party. Though the two fell much in love with each other, their family strongly opposed their union. Unsplash Personal Life

Asaf Ali did not just belong to a different faith, him being a Muslim while she belonged to a Bengali Brahmo family, but was 22 years elder to her. However the religious difference and the age gap meant little for the two and they tied the nuptials following Muslim rites in 1928. Unsplash Personal Life

The unorthodox marriage created quite a rage as she was subsequently disowned by her family and relatives. Post marriage, her name changed to Kulsum Zamani but she was popularly known by the name Aruna Asaf Ali. Unsplash Personal Life

Aruna Asaf Ali was born as Aruna Ganguly in an orthodox Bengali Brahmin family to Upendranath Ganguly and Ambalika Devi on July 16, 1909 at Kalka, Punjab. Brought up independently, she was the eldest child of the family. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

She attained her early education from Sacred Heart Convent in Lahore. It was while at school that she was attracted to Catholicism so much so that she decided to become a Roman nun. Infuriated by the same, her family shifted her to a protestant school in Nainital. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

Completing her graduation, she worked as a teacher at the Gokhale Memorial School in Calcutta. It was in Allahabad that she met her future husband, Asaf Ali, an eminent Congressman. The two married in 1928. Unsplash Later Life

Following her marriage to Asaf Ali, she adopted the life of her husband and became an increasingly active member of the Congress party. She turned to Indian politics and aimed at making valuable contribution. Unsplash Later Life

Gandhiji’s ideals and belief greatly influenced her as did the opinion of others in the Indian National Congress. Her first ever active venture into politics started with the active participation in public processions during the Salt Satyagraha in 1930. She was arrested on the charge that she was a vagrant and put in jail. Unsplash Later Life

Unlike other prisoners who were released on account of the Gandhi Irwin Pact in 1931, she wasn’t released but a public agitation secured her release. Unsplash Later Life

In 1932, she was yet again arrested and put in Tihar Jail in Delhi for participating in the freedom movement. While at jail, instead of mourning over the incarceration and awaiting release, she organized political prisoners and protested against the ill treatment being meted out to them by launching hunger strike. Unsplash Later Life

In 1964, she received the prestigious International Lenin Peace Prize. Unsplash Awards & Achievements

The Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding was awarded to her in 1991. Unsplash Awards & Achievements

In 1992, she received the India’s second highest civilian honour Padma Vibhushan. Unsplash Awards & Achievements

In 1997, she was posthumously conferred with Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. Unsplash Awards & Achievements

Information	Detail
Birthday	July 16, 1909
Died on	July 29, 1996
Nationality	Indian
Famous	Independence Activist, Humanitarian, Leaders
Spouses	Asaf Ali
Known as	Aruna Ganguly
Birth Place	Kalka, Haryana
Gender	Female
Father	Upendranath Ganguly
Mother	Ambalika Devi
Sun Sign	Cancer
Born in	Kalka, Haryana
Famous as	Indian Independence Activist
Died at Age	87

Aruna Asaf Ali

Indian

Jul 16, 1909

Biography

Personal Details

Kalka, Haryana