23 Facts About Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was an Indian social reformer.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay has worked for the promotion of Indian handicrafts, handlooms, and theatre in independent India to uplift the socio-economic standard of Indian women.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay is the first woman in India to contest in elections from Madras Constituency, but lost.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay has headed the National School of Drama and Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was conferred with Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan by Government of India in 1955 and 1987 respectively.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay is known as Hatkargha Maa for her works in handloom sector.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was an exceptional student and exhibited qualities of determination and courage from an early age.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay's parents befriended many prominent freedom fighters and intellectuals such as Mahadev Govind Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and women leaders like Ramabai Ranade, and Annie Besant.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay studied about the ancient Sanskrit drama tradition of Kerala - Kutiyattam, from its greatest Guru and authority of Abhinaya, Natyacharya Padma Shri Mani Madhava Chakyar by staying at the Guru's home at Killikkurussimangalam.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was married in 1917 at the age of 14, but was widowed two years later.

Finally, when she was twenty years old, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay married Harin, much to the opposition of the orthodox society of the times, which was still heavily against widow marriage.

Shortly after their marriage, Harin left for London, on his first trip abroad, and a few months later Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay joined him, where she joined Bedford College, University of London, and later she received a diploma in Sociology.

Later in a startling move, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay went up to a nearby High Court, and asked a magistrate present there whether he would be interested in buying the "Freedom Salt" she had just prepared.

When World War II broke out Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was in England, and she immediately began a world tour to represent India's situation to other countries and drum up support for Independence after the war.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay worked tirelessly in helping the refugees to establish new homes and new professions; for this they were trained in new skills.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay helped set up health facilities in the new town.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was considered singlehandedly responsible for the great revival of Indian handicrafts and handloom, in the post-independence era, and is considered her greatest legacy to modern India.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay set up a series of crafts museums to hold and archive India's indigenous arts and crafts that served as a storehouse for indigenous know-how.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay equally promoted arts and crafts, and instituted the National Awards for Master Craftsmen, and the culmination of her enterprising spirit led to the setting up of Central Cottage Industries Emporia throughout the nation to cater to the tastes of a nation, rising to its ancient glory.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was a woman ahead of her time, she was instrumental in setting up the All India Handicrafts Board, and was its first chairperson.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay chaired the National School of Drama and later headed the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and was a member of UNESCO.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay died on 29 October 1988 in Bombay, aged 85.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1966 for Community Leadership.