INFORMATION ABOUT WOMEN FREEDOM FIGHTER UMABAI KUNDAPUR ?
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Umabai Kundapur was the founder of 'Bhagini Mandal' and the leader of women's wing of Hindustani Seva Dal. She was also the head of the Karnataka branch of Kasturba Trust
She was the leader of women’s wing of Seva Dal. She was the founder of ‘Bhagini Mandal‘. She was the fearless leader who educated young girls at the ‘Tilak Kanya Shala‘. She was the iron-willed lady who sheltered the freedom fighters from the British. Mahatma Gandhi appointed her as the head of the Karnataka branch of the Kasturba Trust. Umabai Kundapur was the down-to-earth freedom campaigner who served her country fearlessly till her last breath.
Early Life
Umabai Kundapur was born as Bhavani Golikeri to Golikeri Krishna Rao and Jungabai in Mangalore in 1892. She was married to Sanjiv Rao Kundapur at a young age of 13. Her father-in-law Anandarao Kundapur was a progressive thinker and believed in uplifting the condition of women. Under his guidance, Umbai continued her education and passed her matriculation examination.
Life as a teacher
After completing her education, Umabai helped her father-in-law in educating women through Gaundevi Mahila Samaj in Mumbai. Umabai was just 25 when she lost her husband. After his death, Ananda Rao and Umabai came to Hubli, where he started the Karnataka Press. He also started a school for girls ‘Tilak Kanya Shala’, which was led by Umabai.
Life as a freedom fighter
In 1921, Dr. NS Hardikar started Hindustani Seva Dal to organize Youth and Hubli became the hub of its activities. Umabai became the leader of the women’s wing of the Hindustani Seva Dal.
In 1924, she helped Dr. Hardikar recruit over 150 women to help in Belgaum session of the All India Congress. In 1932, she was arrested and kept in Yerwada jail for four months. While she was in jail, the British confiscated Karnataka Press, sealed her school and declared her NGO ‘Bhagini Mandal’ as unlawful. Undeterred by the happenings, Umabai decided to keep fighting. Her small house became a shelter for women freedom fighters. She not only housed them in her home but also gave them money for their return journey.
In 1946, Mahatma Gandhi appointed her the head of the Karnataka branch of Kasturba Trust. Umbai along with other women took to begging bowl to collect funds for uplifting the condition of the villages by training Grama Sevikas in child-welfare, health programs, and education. After Independence, she lived in a small home called ‘Ananda Smriti’ built in the memory of her father-in-law.
Answer:
Explanation:
Umabai was born in Mangalore (locate) as Bhavani Golikeri to parents Golikeri Krishna Rao and Jungabai in 1892. She had four brothers besides. They were early migrants to Mumbai, then an upcoming metropolis of international importance. She was married at the age of 13 to Sanjiv Rao Kundapur. Her father-in-law Anandarao Kundapur was a reformist and staunch believer in upliftment of women. Under his encouragement, Umabai continued education after marriage and passed the matriculation examination. Thereafter she helped the father-in-law in educating women through Gaundevi Mahila Samaj, Mumbai.
The great funeral procession of Lokmanya Tilak in 1920 left a lasting impression on young Umabai. Half a million people had assembled with hardly handful policemen to control the crowd. Congress organization and voluntary service in those days were exemplary and Umabai was drawn towards freedom struggle and became a volunteer. She started advocating Khadi, wrote and enacted play on Swadeshi and recruited women volunteers by going door to door. At the age of 25, she lost her husband (who died of tuberculosis). Ananda Rao tried his best to console the young daughter-in-law. They then came to Hubli and Anada Rao started the Karnataka Press. In the premises, a school for girls "Tilak Kanya Shala" started and Umabai became in charge.
Dr. N. S. Hardikar had started Hindustani Seva Dal (HSD) in 1921 in order to organize Indian Youth. He had realized after his specialization in medicine in United States and return to post-Tilak India, that lack of organization at national level was the greatest impediment in creating (national) awareness regarding freedom struggle. Hubli-Dharwad became the hub of Hindustani Seva Dal (HSD) and youths from different parts of South India and Maharashtra started coming to Hubli and receive training in drill, camp life, spinning, weaving, shramadan (voluntary work). All national leaders (including Jawaharlal Nehru who came to Hubli to inaugurate industrial exhibition) visited Hubli, right under the vigilant eye of British police. Umabai became leader of women's wing of Seva Dal.