Rajkumari Amrit Kaur: The Princess Who Fought For The Country

Born on February 2, 1889, into the royal family of Kapurthala in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur grew up surrounded by privilege. But she did not let it define her life. Educated in England at Sherborne School for girls in Dorset and thereafter at Oxford University, she was exposed early to liberal ideas, social reform, and women’s rights.

Amrit Kaur was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, served as his secretary for 16 years and became one of his close associates.

She joined the Indian National Congress and actively participated in nationalist activities, including civil disobedience movements.

Joining the INC

Following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, when the British forces shot and killed over 400 peaceful protestors in Amritsar, Kaur became a strong critic of the British rule in India.

She formally joined the Indian National Congress and began active participation in India's independence movement while also focusing on bringing about social reform.

She was strongly opposed to the practice of purdah and to child marriage, and campaigned to abolish the devadasi system in In India. source: wikipedia

Role in the Constituent Assembly

As a member of the Constituent Assembly, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur played a crucial role in shaping independent India’s democratic framework.

She was a strong advocate for gender equality, fundamental rights, and social justice. Importantly, she opposed the idea of separate electorates for women, arguing that it would isolate women politically rather than integrate them as equal citizens.

She consistently argued that political democracy would fail without social justice and accessible healthcare.

India's First Female Cabinet Minister

After Independence, Amrit Kaur made history by becoming India’s first woman Cabinet Minister, serving as the Minister of Health from 1947 to 1957, her major contribution as a health minister includes the inaguration and establishment of All India Institute Of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) on February 18, 1956. Her focus was health welfare and care.

International way forward

Amrit Kaur served as the Chairperson of the All India Women's Education Fund Association. She was a member of the Executive Committee of Lady Irwin College in New Delhi.

She was sent as a member of the Indian delegation to UNESCO conferences in London and Paris in 1945 and 1946, respectively. She also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the All India Spinner's Association. source: wikipedia

Why She Still Matters

Rajkumari Amrit Kaur represents a kind of leadership that is rare today. She believed that freedom was incomplete without dignity, health, and equality. 

She represents a model of leadership rooted in service. At a time when politics is often reduced to visibility and noise, her work reminds us that actual institutions shape a nation’s future.

Views expressed by the author are their own.