She was an amazing example of being a great woman, her heart was tender enough to aid her patients and enough brave and courageous too that led her in the way of politics and the Army. She was Lakshmi Sehgal who later got famous with the name of Captain Lakshmi as she became the captain of Rani of Jhansi Regiment during the pre-independence era under the supervision of Subhash Chandra Bose. Lakshmi was born on October 24, 1914 in Madras to a family of a lawyer and a social activist. Since childhood she was very brave and courageous girl, she rebelled against social taboo of untouchability in a very tender age.
She got married at a very young age to a pilot named P.K.N Rao but Lakshmi sooner realized it as her mistake and returned back to Madras to continue her MBBS. Later in 1940 she shifted to Singapore where she established a clinic to treat the poor and migrant labourers from India she also actively participated in the India Independence League. During her stay in Singapore she got to know about the conviction of Subhash Chandra Bose that he wanted to establish a women’s regiment that could participate in the struggle for Indian Independence. Lakshmi without any delay requested Subhash Chandra Bose to set up a meeting, she them along with the help of Bose set up the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. This endeavour got a huge admiration from the women folk and since then Lakshmi became the Captain of the Regiment and got acknowledged as Captain Lakshmi. Meanwhile she met a soldier from the Indian Army named Prem Sehgal and tied the knot of marriage with him in 1947 and came back to India for setting in Kanpur.
After settling in Kanpur she joined the Communist Party of India and also represented the party in the Rajya Sabha. During these years she had organized many medical camps for the refugees who came to India from Bangladesh during the Bangldesh crisis. She also was one of the founding members of All India Democratic Women’s Association in 1981. She had witnessed a long journey of India from pre-independence/British’s Rule period to the free India and then the political transformation in the same. She played an active role in contributing to the country at different times of crisis as she led many medical aids camps to Bhopal after the gas tragedy in 1984; she also worked for restoring peace in Kanpur after the Sikh-riots in 1984 once again.
Lakshmi Sehgal lived her live fully as never hesitated and missed even a single opportunity to help and support her country. Her contributions to the country can never be forgotten, till the age of 92 she continued to medical practice and treated her patients. She was a self-sufficient person always used to do her works at own, never begged anyone for any dependence, she was felicitated by Padma Vibhushan Award, the second highest civilian award, by the then Indian President Mr. K.R. Narayana. She left her body on July 19th 2012 due to a cardiac problem at the age of 97, in Kanpur. Her life had been an inspiration for the Indian women who think that they are weak and not able to touch the heights.
She got married at a very young age to a pilot named P.K.N Rao but Lakshmi sooner realized it as her mistake and returned back to Madras to continue her MBBS. Later in 1940 she shifted to Singapore where she established a clinic to treat the poor and migrant labourers from India she also actively participated in the India Independence League. During her stay in Singapore she got to know about the conviction of Subhash Chandra Bose that he wanted to establish a women’s regiment that could participate in the struggle for Indian Independence. Lakshmi without any delay requested Subhash Chandra Bose to set up a meeting, she them along with the help of Bose set up the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. This endeavour got a huge admiration from the women folk and since then Lakshmi became the Captain of the Regiment and got acknowledged as Captain Lakshmi. Meanwhile she met a soldier from the Indian Army named Prem Sehgal and tied the knot of marriage with him in 1947 and came back to India for setting in Kanpur.
After settling in Kanpur she joined the Communist Party of India and also represented the party in the Rajya Sabha. During these years she had organized many medical camps for the refugees who came to India from Bangladesh during the Bangldesh crisis. She also was one of the founding members of All India Democratic Women’s Association in 1981. She had witnessed a long journey of India from pre-independence/British’s Rule period to the free India and then the political transformation in the same. She played an active role in contributing to the country at different times of crisis as she led many medical aids camps to Bhopal after the gas tragedy in 1984; she also worked for restoring peace in Kanpur after the Sikh-riots in 1984 once again.
Lakshmi Sehgal lived her live fully as never hesitated and missed even a single opportunity to help and support her country. Her contributions to the country can never be forgotten, till the age of 92 she continued to medical practice and treated her patients. She was a self-sufficient person always used to do her works at own, never begged anyone for any dependence, she was felicitated by Padma Vibhushan Award, the second highest civilian award, by the then Indian President Mr. K.R. Narayana. She left her body on July 19th 2012 due to a cardiac problem at the age of 97, in Kanpur. Her life had been an inspiration for the Indian women who think that they are weak and not able to touch the heights.