Rani Gaidinliu - Freedom Fighter, Political Activist and Religious Reformer

Rani Gaidinliu (1915-1993) was born on 26th January 1915 in a Rongmei village in former princely state of Manipur. Gaidinliu, the charismatic, spiritual and political successor of Jadonang , who organized a violent protest against the British Imperialism, was opposed to the oppressive rule of the British particularly the forced labour imposed on the poor villagers. Gaidinliu’s movement  included social, religious and political objectives. She also fought for integration of three Naga kindred tribes (Zemei, Liangmai and Rongmei) known as Zeliangrong. She wanted to preserve the traditional Naga culture. She was opposed to any alien religion. She established the Heraka religion. (See article by Mukherjee, Gupta and N K Das in Tribal Movements in India, Edited by K S Singh).

In an article published in Hindustan Times, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru described her as “Rani” and this title had stuck to her ever since.

Rani Gaidinliu used the name of Mahatma Gandhi in her political propaganda. She told her followers that a new king named Gandhi would come to rule over the country and she popularised Jadonang’s song about Gandhiji (appealing to Gandhiji to become our ruler). Rani herself provided to N K Das the Gandhi Song, which is produced in ‘ Ethnic Identity, Ethnicity and Social Stratification in Northeast India’, by N K Das (1989).

Rani Gaidinliu and her religious cult named Heraka were attacked and criticized by the Naga rebels of Naga National Council who spread insinuating rumours against her. She came overground and stayed in Kohima since 1960s.

After a brief illness, she passed away on 17th February 1993.

On her death, Prime Minister P.V. Narashimha Rao sent a condolence message: “I am deeply grieved to learn of the sad demise of Rani Gaidinliu. Rani Gaidinliu was one of the most primeval freedom fighters of north east India”.

First anthropological report on her was commissioned through PMO during Rajiv Gandhi era. Report was authored by N K Das and submitted through K S Singh, DG,ASI. In this report recommendations were for all-round development of Zeliangrong Areas of northeast. A comprehensive map of all Zeliangrong villages of Manipur, Nagaland and Manipur was prepared and submitted. This ethnographic report had suggested that the three sub-tribes within Zeliangrong indeed had tremendous similarity. It was expected that the government will recognize the collective identity of the Zeliangrong people spread in contiguous areas of three states.

Rani Gaidinliu was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan award by the Indian Government in the year 1981 for her social work. She was also conferred the ‘Tamrapatra Freedom Fighter Award’ in 1972 and Vivekananda Seva Award in 1983. She was also conferred the ‘Birsa Munda Award’ posthumously (ASI). The Government of India instituted an award called Shree Shakti Puraskar in honor of five eminent women in the Indian history of whom Rani Gaidinliu was one of them. In the commemorative function held in New Delhi recently,  the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi released two coins of Rs.100/- and Rs.5/- denomination in her memory.