Ashoka Gupta
Encyclopedia
Ashoka Gupta (November 1912 - 8 July 2008) was an Indian
freedom fighter and social worker. She was the founder of Mahila Seva Samity, member of the All India Women's Conference and president of Indian Society for Sponsorship and Adoption. She took part in rescue and relief operation during the Noakhali genocide.
. Her father died at the age of six, and she was brought up by her mother, who struggled to bring her up along with five other siblings. She attended St. Margaret's school in Kolkata
. She stood first among the girls in the matriculation examination. She graduated from Bethune College
with honours in Mathematics. At the age of 20, she was married to Saibal Gupta, an I.C.S. officer.
where her husband was transferred. In 1946, during the Noakhali genocide, she led a team of relief workers on behalf of the Chittagong branch of the AIWC, for rescue and relief operations in Noakhali. After the Partition
, she moved to Kolkata
along with her husband.
After the Partition
, she engaged herself in refugee rehabilitation, child literacy and uplift of rural women and tribals. She was the chairperson of the West Bengal State Social Welfare Advisory Board from 1955 to 1959. In 1959, Gupta became a member of the Central Social Welfare Board, at the suggestion of Bidhan Chandra Roy
and Durgabai Deshmukh
. In 1964, he took part in relief work among the Bengali Hindu
refugees Mana and other camps in the Dandakaranya.
She was the State Commissioner (Guides) from 1956 to 1967 and the State Chief Commissioner of The Bharat Scouts and Guides
from 1968 to 1974.
She was a Fellow of the Senate of the University of Calcutta from 1948 to 1953. She was associated with the Palli Sangathan Vibhag of Vishwabharati University from 1956. In 1965, she became a member of the Executive Council of the University and remained there till 1973.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
freedom fighter and social worker. She was the founder of Mahila Seva Samity, member of the All India Women's Conference and president of Indian Society for Sponsorship and Adoption. She took part in rescue and relief operation during the Noakhali genocide.
Early life
Gupta was born the fourth of six children and second daughter to Kiran Chandra Sen and Jyotirmoyee DeviJyotirmoyee Devi
Jyotirmoyee Devi was an Indian writer in the early twentieth century. She wrote predominantly about women in the Rajasthan of her childhood and in what is now Bangladesh at the time of Partition...
. Her father died at the age of six, and she was brought up by her mother, who struggled to bring her up along with five other siblings. She attended St. Margaret's school in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. She stood first among the girls in the matriculation examination. She graduated from Bethune College
Bethune College
Bethune College is a women's college in India. It was founded as a school in 1849 by John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune and in 1879 developed as the first women's college in India. It is located at 181, Bidhan Sarani, Kolkata -700006, just opposite the current campus of Scottish Church College,...
with honours in Mathematics. At the age of 20, she was married to Saibal Gupta, an I.C.S. officer.
Career
In 1936, Gupta became a member of the All India Women's Conference, founded in 1929. She actively participated in setting up branches of AIWC and various welfare organizations. During the Bengal famine of 1943, she took part in relief work in Bankura. In 1945, she moved to ChittagongChittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
where her husband was transferred. In 1946, during the Noakhali genocide, she led a team of relief workers on behalf of the Chittagong branch of the AIWC, for rescue and relief operations in Noakhali. After the Partition
Partition of Bengal (1947)
The Partition of Bengal in 1947, part of the Partition of India, was a religiously based partition that divided the British Indian province of Bengal between India and Pakistan...
, she moved to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
along with her husband.
After the Partition
Partition of Bengal (1947)
The Partition of Bengal in 1947, part of the Partition of India, was a religiously based partition that divided the British Indian province of Bengal between India and Pakistan...
, she engaged herself in refugee rehabilitation, child literacy and uplift of rural women and tribals. She was the chairperson of the West Bengal State Social Welfare Advisory Board from 1955 to 1959. In 1959, Gupta became a member of the Central Social Welfare Board, at the suggestion of Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy, M.R.C.P., F.R.C.S. was the second Chief Minister of West Bengal in India. He remained in his post for 14 years as a Indian National Congress candidate, from 1948 until his death in 1962. He was a highly respected physician and a renowned freedom fighter...
and Durgabai Deshmukh
Durgabai Deshmukh
Durgābāi, Lady Deshmukh was an Indian freedom fighter, lawyer, social worker and politician. She was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and the Planning Commission of India....
. In 1964, he took part in relief work among the Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindus are an ethno-linguistic group, belonging to the Indo-Aryan family and are native to the Bengal region of the Indian Subcontinent. The Bengali Hindus along with other related ethno-linguistic groups constitute the vast majority of Hindus...
refugees Mana and other camps in the Dandakaranya.
She was the State Commissioner (Guides) from 1956 to 1967 and the State Chief Commissioner of The Bharat Scouts and Guides
The Bharat Scouts and Guides
The Bharat Scouts and Guides is the national Scouting and Guiding association of India.Scouting was founded in India in 1909 as an overseas branch of the Scout Association and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1938...
from 1968 to 1974.
She was a Fellow of the Senate of the University of Calcutta from 1948 to 1953. She was associated with the Palli Sangathan Vibhag of Vishwabharati University from 1956. In 1965, she became a member of the Executive Council of the University and remained there till 1973.