Bir Kanya Pritilata Waddedar

Pritilata Waddedar

  • Born: 5 May 1911 at village of Dhalgat, Patiya upazila, Chittagong (Chotrogram)
  • Died: 23 September 1932, Chittagong (aged 21)
  • Profession: Bengali revolutionary nationalist
  • Recognition: Residential hall in University of Chittagong and Jahangirnagar University named after her
  • Hasani? Didn't know that! First female Headmistress of Nandankanan Aparna Charan Girls' School, Chittagong

Biography

  1. Early life of 'Rani', first class student, family life, first Headmistress of a girl's school in Chittagong
  2. Pritilata: the female warrior (Chittagong: a hot bed of revolutionary action, membership of Surya Sen's group, inspiration from Ramkrishna Biswas, narrowly surviving police encounter)
  3. Night attack on the Pahartali European Club (blessing of Masterda, Kalpana Datta arrested, attack dressed as a Punjabi man, martyrdom by swallowing poison, slur by British authorities, plea for greater women's right), 'Bir Kannya' honorary title

Legacy

  1. Fading memory, 'Pritilata Bhavan' & 'Pritilata Shaheed Dibosh' honours by Bethune College, 'Bir Kannya Pritiltata Trust', 'Pritilata Waddedar Sarak'
  2. Bronze statue, 'Pritilata Hall' in University of Chittagong and Jahangirnagar University, posthumous university degree for her and Bina Das, "Khelein Hum Jee Jan Se" (2010) and "Chittagong" (2012) film
  3. What others say about Pritilata Waddedar...

Timeline of few major events in Pritilata Waddedar's life

  • 1927 - Passed matriculation examination in first division
  • 1927 - Joined Leela Nag's "Dipali Singha" in Dhaka
  • 1929 - Passed Intermediate (IA) securing first place among all the female candidates from Dhaka Board and fifth overall
  • 1929 - Joined "Chhatri Sangha" revolutionary group in Kolkata headed by Kamala Dasgupta
  • 1931 - Graduated with distinction in Philosophy from Bethune College, Kolkata, by degree withheld by British authorities
  • 1931 - Briefly appointed first Headmistress of Nandankanan Aparna Charan Girls' School
  • 1931 - Join anti-British group led by Surya Sen ('Masterda')
  • 1931 - Visited freedom fighter Ramakrishna Biswas 40 times in jail
  • 13 June 1932 - Narrow escape from police onslaught at their secret hideout in the village of Dhalghat, Patiya Upazila
  • 23 September 1932 - Attack Pahartali European Club dressed as a Punjabi man. Suicides by swallowing potassium cyanide to avoid arrest