Short Biography of Lakshmi Sahgal
Lakshmi Sahgal
Birth Date & Birth place: Lakshmi Sahgal born on 24th October 1914 in Madras ( Now Chennai).
Parents: Father S. Swaminathan was a lawyer and mother A.V. Ammukutty was a social worker and independence activist herself.
Early Life: She got inspired by her mother`s social works as a child. She always wanted to study medicine which she did later.
Education: She was a MBBS from Madras Medical College (1938). In 1939, she got her diploma in gynaecology and obstetrics.
Marriage: She was married to Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal in 1947 and had a daughter with him.
Career: She went to Singapore in 1940 to start her medicine career, founded a clinic for the poor Indian migrant labours.
She joined the Rani of Jhansi Regiment in the Indian army under NEtaji Subhash Chandra bose in 1943.
Contributions/ Major Achievements:
- She was the Colonel in the women’s army unit that fought against the British Colonial forces, and on the side of the Axis powers.
- She co-founded the All India Democratic Women’s Association in 1981.
- She picked up the gun when in the Indian National Army (INA) and led it bravely forward for the Indian independence.
- She worked towards providing medical facilities to the victims during the Bhopal gas tragedy.
- She worked to restore peace post the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Awards and Recognitions:
She was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1998 by the President of India.
Conclusion: She was a brave hearted soldier who inspired many women to join the army to fight for Indian independence.
Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi_Sahgal
