About Rani Gaidinliu:

Rani Gaidinliu was born on January 26, 1915, in the present-day Tamenglong district of Manipur. She belonged to the Rongmei Naga tribe.

About Heraka Movement:

• At the age of 13, Rani Gaidinliu joined the Heraka Religious movement of her cousin Haipou Jadonang.
• Heraka was a socio-religious movement that arose in the 1920s in the Zeliangrong territory. It was started by Jadonang to resist the infiltration of Christian missionaries as well as the reforms imposed by the British government.
• However, in 1931, Jadonang was arrested by the British and was hanged for opposing colonial rule. To ensure the movement does not die down, Gaidinliu took up the movement.
• She openly rebelled against British rule by telling the Zeliangrong people not to pay taxes. She also received donations from the local Nagas, many of whom also joined her as volunteers.
• She was then arrested in 1932 and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the British rulers. Between 1932 and 1947, the Naga freedom fighter was kept at several prisons across the Northeast.
• Acknowledging her role in the struggle against the British, Jawaharlal Nehru called her the “Daughter of the Hills” and gave her the title “Rani” or queen.

Source: EPIC November 2021