95-Year-Old Video Of Sarojini Naidu's Speech During US Visit Goes Viral

The role of some prominent personalities in India's fight for Independence included equal contributions from both men and women. While the struggle began with the Revolt of 1857, Indian women began to made their mark a little later and solidified their role in the movement. Sarojini Naidu, the "Nightingale of India", was was one such freedom fighter and poet who worked towards the reforming the social norms while working to free the nation from the Britishers. As the first woman to lead the Indian National Congress and to serve as the governor of a state (United Provinces), she made history. Now, a 95-year-old video of Ms Naidu giving a speech during a visit to the United States is going viral.

Beautiful! Proud of Bharat 🇮🇳!

Rare footage of India's Sarojini Naidu speaking to Americans during a visit to the US in 1928.

pic.twitter.com/lkW1TvWUIp

— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) February 6, 2023

The video was shared by Former Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway Erik Solheim on Twitter. In the 55-second clip, recorded in 1928, Ms Naidu delivers a motivational speech about how, as a woman, she represents India in the "new world" and what lessons one of the world's oldest civilizations can impart on the United States. She says in the video, "Friends, I come to you from many thousand miles away as the ambassador of a very ancient country to the youngest nation in the world. It may surprise you that a country which you are taught to regard as conservative should have chosen a woman to be its representative and ambassador." Ms Naidu added that India's culture has long placed women in the forefront.

"But if you read the whole history of the Indian civilisation, you will realise that women have been the very pivot of its culture, of all its inspiration, and of all the embassies of peace that have gone abroad for many centuries to the uttermost parts of the world," she continued in the video.

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Since being shared, the video has amassed over 1.8 lakh views and four thousand likes.

"Women like Sarojini Naidu and her daughter Padmaja Naidu who later became Governor of UP and West Bengal fought for India's independence. Both highly educated and Sarojini naidu was also a poet who received recognition from YBYeats great poet," said a user.

"She is speaking in such a dignified manner. True leader and patriot," commented another user.

A third person added, "I got Goosebumps listening to her English, so much dignity in speaking."

A fourth person commented, "The country which is regarded as mother and always give a special place to women to live with dignity and respect."