Rani HN SK I’ll d I’m k | |
|---|---|
 Rani Gaidinliu on a 1996 stamp of India | |
| Born | Gaidinliu Pamei 26 October 1915 Nungkao village, Manipur, British India |
| Died | 17 February 1993 (aged 78) Longkao, Manipur, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation(s) | Spiritual and political leader of the Zeliangrong Nagas |
| Known for | Armed resistance against the British Raj |
| Parents |
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| Awards | Padma Bhushan (1982), Tamrapatra Freedom Fighter Award (1972), Vivekananda Seva Award (1983) |
Gaidinliu Pamei (26 January 1915 – 17 February 1993) popularly known as Rani Gaidinliu was an Indian Naga spiritual and freedom fighter, political leader who led a revolt against British rule in India.[1] At the age of 13, she joined the Heraka religious movement of her cousin Haipou Jadonang. The movement later turned into a political movement seeking to drive out the British from Manipur . Within the Heraka faith, she came to be considered an incarnation of the Goddess Cherachamdinliu.[2] Gaidinliu was arrested in 1932 at the age of 16, and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the British rulers. Jawaharlal Nehru met her at Shillong Jail in 1937, and promised to pursue her release. Nehru gave her the title of "Rani" ("Queen"), and she gained local popularity as Rani Gaidinliu.
She was released in 1947 after India's independence, and continued to work for the upliftment of her people. An advocate of the ancestral religious practices, she staunchly resisted the conversion of her community to Christianity. She was honoured as a freedom fighter and was awarded a Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.
- ^ Kusumlata Nayyar (2002). Rani Gaidinliu. Ocean Books. ISBN 978-81-88322-09-1. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ Arkotong Longkumer (4 May 2010). Reform, Identity and Narratives of Belonging: The Heraka Movement in Northeast India. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 162–176. ISBN 978-0-8264-3970-3. Retrieved 12 June 2013.