April 19, 2009
She was 87 and left behind two sons and other members of her family.
Ahilya Rangnekar, the younger sister of B.T. Ranadive was born in 1922 in Pune in a highly educated and progressive family and herself was also a brilliant student. She joined political movement and freedom struggle when she was barely out of her teens. She defied the British authorities even in jail and hoisted the Indian Tri-Colour flag on the jail wall.
Ahilyatai joined trade union movement under Girni Kamgar Union. She was one of the Vice-Presidents of CITU for more than 10 years and was a founding member of the Co-ordination Committee of Working Women along with Vimal Ranadive and Susheela Gopalan, and others in Chennai.
She joined the Communist Party in 1943. Ahilyatai was Secretary to the Maharashtra State Committee of CPI (M) from 1983 to 1986 and was a member of the Central Committee of CPI(M) from 1978 to 2005 when she stepped down for poor health and falling eye-sight.
She was elected to Mumbai Municipal Corporation for 20 years from 1957 to 1977. Then she was elected to Lok Sabha in 1977 from Central Mumbai constituency. In 1972 she, with Mrinal Gore led the famous anti-price-rise movement in Mumbai. As a Parliamentarian she took up the cause of women as well as that of the working class that commanded respect and recognition.
She suffered imprisonment for 7 years first in 1942 and during Emergency in 1975. She had to remain underground for two years.
Commrade Ahilyatai Is No More,
Her Memory Will Live For EverShe was 87 and left behind two sons and other members of her family.
Ahilya Rangnekar, the younger sister of B.T. Ranadive was born in 1922 in Pune in a highly educated and progressive family and herself was also a brilliant student. She joined political movement and freedom struggle when she was barely out of her teens. She defied the British authorities even in jail and hoisted the Indian Tri-Colour flag on the jail wall.
Ahilyatai joined trade union movement under Girni Kamgar Union. She was one of the Vice-Presidents of CITU for more than 10 years and was a founding member of the Co-ordination Committee of Working Women along with Vimal Ranadive and Susheela Gopalan, and others in Chennai.
She joined the Communist Party in 1943. Ahilyatai was Secretary to the Maharashtra State Committee of CPI (M) from 1983 to 1986 and was a member of the Central Committee of CPI(M) from 1978 to 2005 when she stepped down for poor health and falling eye-sight.
She was elected to Mumbai Municipal Corporation for 20 years from 1957 to 1977. Then she was elected to Lok Sabha in 1977 from Central Mumbai constituency. In 1972 she, with Mrinal Gore led the famous anti-price-rise movement in Mumbai. As a Parliamentarian she took up the cause of women as well as that of the working class that commanded respect and recognition.
She suffered imprisonment for 7 years first in 1942 and during Emergency in 1975. She had to remain underground for two years.
No comments:
Post a Comment