Arana Asaf Ali
(A Dedicated Freedom Fighter)
Aruna Asaf Ali was a revolutionary freedom fighter. She has left unforgettable service in the revolution of “Quit India Movement” in 1942. She had served India in many posts efficiently.
Arunaji was born in 1909 in a Bengali family. Her original name was Aruna Ganguli. She got her education from Nainital. She was a very intelligent student from her childhood. After education, she married a person of her choice, a famous lawyer, Asaf Ali. It was an intercast marriage. She went to jail many times during freedom struggle. She hoisted courageously the Tricolour in 1942 in Mumbai facing police threat.
After Independence, she was elected president of Delhi Congress Committee. She worked hard to organise the congress party in Delhi. In 1958, Arunaji was elected first Mayor of Delhi Municipal Corporation. She worked efficiently for cleanliness, health and development of Delhi.
Arunaji was also associated with indo Soviet Cultural Society’, All India Peace Council’ and ‘National Federation of Indian Women’ etc. She worked hard with honesty and zeal, wherever she was posted. Really she was a great patriot. She was awarded with ‘Lenin Peace Prize’, and ‘Indira Gandhi Award’ for national unity. She was also associated with the newspaper ‘Patriot’. To honour her, a road in Delhi was named as ‘Aruna Asaf Ali Marg’. She left for heavenly abode in 1996 leaving her good deeds.