Annie Beasant
Jun 08 2022 Indian fighters for freedom Annie BeasantAnnie Beasant was a very popular British right activist of women, socialist, orator, theosophist and was a strong supporter of the Indian and Irish self rule. She was a successful lecturer in the Theosophy. She was a famous writer and speaker of the National Self Society. She also got involved in Indian politics and joined the Indian National Congress.
Early Life of Annie Beasant
Being born to a middle class family in the year 1847 she was the daughter of William Wood and Emily Morris. She lost her father when she was 5 years old who was a doctor by profession. Her mother used to run the boarding for boys to support the family. Her mother was unable to support her and persuaded her to Ellen Marryat to take care of her.
Annie Beasant married when she was 19 years old to Rev. Frank Besant. They got two children Digby and Mabel. Due to their difference in thinking she got separated from her husband.
Political Activisim of Annie Beasant
She joined the Fabian society and started writing for them. She was also a speaker in the event called as “Bloody Sunday”. She was involved in the London matchgirls strike of 1888 where Annie Beasant set up a committee which led the women in to strike for better pay and conditions.
She even stood for election to the London School Board where she won with 15,000 votes. She even was involved in the London Dock Strike in the year 1889 where she was the speaker and help the dock won the strike.
Theosophy
Annie Besant was a powerful orator and a vivid writer who was invited to write on the The Secret Doctrine for the Pall Mall Gazette. In 1893 she became a member of the Theosophical Society and went to India for the first time where she got interested and joined the politics and played a major role in the Indian movement.
Her role as a freedom fighter
Being an Irish origin woman she was the first women president of the Indian National Congress. She played a very important role to make India Independent. She was successful in many of her campaigns and fought for many rights like women’s rights, workers rights secularism, birth control campaign and Fabian socialism. She was deeply involved in Indian Independence movement and gave great speech to make Indian’s aware of their rights. She started guiding and bringing people from Buddhism to Hinduism after she became the president of the Theosophical Society.
Annie Beasant Achievements
She became a well known speaker at NSS. She was a part of various activities like Bloody Sunday and London match girls strike. She was a speaker for the Fabian society and was selected for the Tower Hamlets at London School Board.
She helped in establishing the Central Hindu College at Varanasi in 1898 and establishing the Hyderabad National College Board, Mumbai India 1922. She became the president of the Theosophical society and became the first women president.