Rahjumari Amrit Kaur: Freedom Fighter for Indian Independence, Women’s Rights, and Healthcare

Rahjumari Amrit Kaur (1887–1964) became a devoted follower of Mahatma Gandhi. She joined the Indian National Congress and became a fighter for Indian independence, women’s rights, and healthcare. Born into the Kapurthala royal family, she was the only daughter among ten siblings. Her father, a Christian convert, encouraged her independence. She received a British education at a girls’ school and then attended the University of Oxford.

In 1930, Amrit took part in Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent Salt March against British colonial rule in India. It marked a crucial moment in India’s struggle for independence. The 240-mile march was a protest against the British prohibition on producing their own salt, a basic necessity. And on top, charging high taxes on it. The British arrested over 60,000 people, including Gandhi and Amrit Kaur, with sentences ranging in length from weeks to months.

Amrit also joined Gandhi in his Quit India Movement, which began on August 9, 1942. The mass protest demanded an immediate end to the British rule of India. Fervor for independence spread across the country, but with over 100,000 jailed by the British. Conditions in prison were horrific. During Amrit’s three-year incarceration, she endured a baton beating, which had a lasting impact on her health. 

Amrit Kaur accomplished a great deal in her life. Prime Minister Nehru appointed her as the first Minister of Health in India. As the founder of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, she fought for the eradication of malaria and tuberculosis, as well as maternal and child health, and nursing education. As if she were not busy enough, Amrit served as Minister of Urban Development, Minister of Sports, and helped draft the Indian Constitution.

As the first Asian woman to lead the World Health Organization’s governing body, Kaur sought to advance women’s education. She also took up arms against purdah, child marriage, and the Devadasi system, which forced lower-caste women to either be servants in temples or elsewhere.

Amrit Kaur, a devout Christian, lived a life of simplicity and service, freeing and helping everyday Indian people.