Gaidinliu, Rani (1915—)

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Gaidinliu, Rani (1915—)

Indian freedom fighter . Name variations: Rani Gaidinliu of Nagaland. Born in 1915.

The daughter of a poor farmer, Rani Gaidinliu joined the Indian freedom fighters in the 1920s, when she was just 13. At age 16, she led the Naga guerrillas against the British in a battle that led to her arrest and a 14-year imprisonment. In 1947, after India's hard-won independence, she was released by President Jawaharlal Nehru and later became a social worker in Nagaland. Her Zeliangrong Heraka Association worked to revive the cultural and religious heritage of the region. Professor Meijinlung Kamson created the Rani Gaidinliu Foundation in 1993.