Movement·Unit 3 — Colonial Andhra

Women Participation

Andhra women in the freedom struggle and social reform.

1900 – 1950Importance 4/52 min readUpdated: 2026-07-01
Sarojini NaiduDurgabaiPonaka Kanakamma

Focus

Salt Satyagraha (1930) opened mass participation. Durgabai Deshmukh — 'Iron Lady of Andhra' — led salt march at Madras.

  1. 1917

    Women's Indian Association founded (Madras) — Sarojini active

  2. 1921

    Chirala-Perala — women boycott municipal council

  3. 1930

    Salt Satyagraha — Durgabai leads Madras march

  4. 1937

    Andhra Mahila Sabha, Madras — Durgabai

  5. 1942

    Quit India — women's underground network in Guntur, Krishna

  • 1917

    Women's Indian Association

  • 1925

    Sarojini becomes INC president

  • 1930

    Durgabai leads Madras salt march

SN

Sarojini Naidu

Nightingale of India; INC president 1925 (born Hyderabad)

DD

Durgabai Deshmukh

Salt Satyagraha; founded Andhra Mahila Sabha 1937

PK

Ponaka Kanakamma

Chirala-Perala movement; funded Andhra University land

UL

Unnava Lakshmi Bayamma

Sarada Niketan (widows' home)

SB

Sri Bharati Devi Ranga

Kisan movement leader

SS

Suryadevara Sitaram

Rayalaseema Congress organiser

NS

Nadimpalli Sundaramma

Guntur salt satyagrahi

  • Mass picketing of liquor & foreign-cloth shops.
  • Setting up women's schools (Andhra Mahila Sabha).
  • Rehabilitation of widows and destitute women.
  • Providing shelter and funds to underground leaders during Quit India.
Don't confuse
Sarojini Naidu
Durgabai Deshmukh

Sarojini = poet & national INC leader. Durgabai = grassroots reformer & Planning Commission member.

SDP

Sarojini · Durgabai · Ponaka — Andhra women's freedom trio.

60-Second Revision
  • Sarojini Naidu — INC president 1925.
  • Durgabai — Iron Lady of Andhra; Andhra Mahila Sabha 1937.
  • Ponaka Kanakamma — Chirala satyagraha and Andhra University donor.
  • Andhra Mahila Sabha year

    MCQ
  • Sarojini INC presidency year

    MCQ