Rampilla Narasayamma
Rampilla Narasayamma | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1925 |
| Died | 13 November 2024 |
| Known for | Participation in Indian independence movement |
Rampilla Narasayamma (1925–13 November 2024) was an Indian freedom fighter who actively participated in the country's struggle for independence.[1] She hailed from the state of Andhra Pradesh. She joined Salt Satyagraha movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi, which was a pivotal act of civil disobedience against British rule.[2][3]
Career
[edit]She alongside her husband Sardar Rampilla Suryanarayana, undertook significant responsibilities in the struggle for independence. The couple played a role in supporting revolutionary activities, particularly in the preparation and distribution of explosives to aid freedom fighters.[4] While jailed for their involvement in the Goa liberation movement.[5]
Under the leadership of her husband, a team of approximately forty individuals manufactured bombs on Vidyadharapuram Hill near Indrakiladri in Vijayawada. To maintain secrecy, they posed as individuals learning horse riding, a strategy that avoided drawing attention from neighbors or authorities. Narasayamma played a critical role in transporting these explosives, concealing them under her silk sarees in trunk boxes. Together, she and her husband traveled extensively, often under the pretense of going on pilgrimages, to deliver these materials to members of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.[6]
The couple’s contributions were not without risk. They were arrested on December 3, 1943, in connection with the Bezwada Bomb Case and were sentenced to four years of imprisonment in Rayavellur and Alipur jails. Despite these challenges, Narasayamma’s commitment to the cause remained unwavering.[7]
After India's independence, the couple continued their activism, participating in the liberation struggles of Goa and Pondicherry, which were still under foreign rule. Narasayamma was again arrested, along with her husband, for allegedly supplying arms to Portuguese freedom fighters.[6]
Narasayamma remained steadfast in her principles even after independence. She declined the government's offer of a freedom fighter’s pension, choosing instead to live a life of humility and resilience.
Personal life
[edit]She married Sardar Rampilla Suryanarayana and gave birth to a son, Rampilla Jayaprakash, on April 10, 1958. She spent six months in jail with her newborn.[6]
Death
[edit]Narasayamma died at her home in Vijayawada on 27 November 2024, at the age of 99.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "స్వాతంత్య్ర సమరయోధురాలు రాంపిళ్ల నరసాయమ్మ కన్నుమూత - Prajasakti". 14 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ Ameen, Md (24 November 2024). "Rich tributes paid to freedom fighter Narasayamma". The Hans India. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ "Maris Stella College students felicitate freedom fighter". The Hindu. 1 August 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ Murthy, Sistla Dakshina (16 August 2022). "India@75: 'Iron Woman of Vijayawada' recalls her 'pilgrimage'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ a b Service, Express News (14 November 2024). "Freedom fighter Narasayamma passes away at 99 in Vijayawada". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "Rampilla Narasayamma". Amrit Mahotsav.
- ^ Lanka, Venu (15 August 2017). "Andhra Pradesh: From making bombs to promoting peace". www.deccanchronicle.com. Retrieved 27 November 2024.