Simone Lawson
The Indian Constitution, which came into effect on 26 January 1950, is the longest written constitution in the world. Popular narratives have made us believe that only men were the architects of the Indian Constitution, but this is not true. Bhikaji Rustom Cama, also known as Madam Bhikaji Cama, is known as the Mother of the Indian Constitution. She was a fearless leader and played an important role in the Indian freedom struggle. She was also an advocate for women's rights and universal suffrage. However, there were 15 women who were members of the Constituent Assembly and shaped the Indian Constitution. They were courageous enough to overcome regressive social norms and age-old practices of patriarchy and child marriage to become the voice of the marginalised sections of society.
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What You'll Learn
- Bhikaji Rustom Cama, also known as Madam Bhikaji Cama, is known as the Mother of the Indian Constitution
- Cama was a fearless leader and played a significant role in the Indian freedom struggle
- She was an advocate for women's rights and universal suffrage
- The Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950
- The Constitution of India is the supreme law of the country, setting out fundamental rights and duties of the government and citizens
Bhikaji Rustom Cama, also known as Madam Bhikaji Cama, is known as the Mother of the Indian Constitution
Born on September 24, 1861, to Sorabji Framji Patel and Jaijibai Sorabai Patel, Madam Cama came from an affluent Parsi Zoroastrian family in Bombay (now Mumbai). Her father, a lawyer by training and a merchant by profession, was an influential member of the Parsi community. Bhikaji Cama received her education at the Alexandra Girl's English Institution and was known for her diligence and discipline. She married Rustom Cama, a wealthy lawyer, on August 3, 1885.
Madam Cama gained recognition as a fearless leader and a strong advocate for India's independence from British rule. On August 22, 1907, she made history by becoming the first person to hoist an Indian flag on foreign soil. This event took place at the International Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. The flag, designed by Cama and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was a precursor to the current national flag of India and symbolized the country's independence and unity.
In her speeches, Madam Cama highlighted the devastating effects of British colonialism in India, including constant famines and oppressive taxes that crippled the Indian economy. She was also influenced by the suffragette movement and Christabel Pankhurst, emphasizing the importance of women's rights and their role in nation-building. Madam Cama believed that with India's independence, women would not only gain the right to vote but also enjoy all other rights and equalities.
Bhikaji Rustom Cama's contributions to the Indian independence movement and her unwavering support for gender equality led to her being recognized as the Mother of the Indian Constitution. Her legacy is honored through various tributes, including streets and places named after her across Indian cities. Additionally, on India's 11th Republic Day in 1962, the Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department issued a commemorative stamp in her honor.
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Cama was a fearless leader and played a significant role in the Indian freedom struggle
Madam Bhikaji (or Bhikaiji) Rustom Cama, known as the "Mother of the Indian Constitution", was a fearless leader and a pivotal figure in India's journey towards independence. Born on September 24, 1861, into an affluent Parsi Zoroastrian family, she was disciplined as a child and had a flair for languages. She was also known for her social work.
Cama was the first person to hoist the Indian flag on foreign soil, doing so in Germany on August 22, 1907. She also designed India's first tricolour flag, which featured green, saffron, and red stripes, and bore the immortal words "Vande Mataram". In Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907, she spoke about the devastating effects of British colonialism in India. The flag she raised in Stuttgart, which featured a crescent and a sun, was smuggled into British India and is now on display at the Maratha and Kesari Library in Pune, Maharashtra.
Cama was a vehement supporter of gender equality, often stressing the role of Indian women in nation-building. Her stance on women's suffrage, however, took a back seat to her position on Indian independence. She actively maintained contacts with Indian, Irish, and Egyptian revolutionaries, as well as French Socialists and Russian leadership. During World War I, she and Singh Rewabhai Rana were briefly arrested for attempting to agitate among Punjab Regiment troops in Marseilles. She was then sent to Vichy, where she was interned.
Cama's legacy is honoured in various ways across India. Several cities have streets and places named after her, and on January 26, 1962, India's 11th Republic Day, the Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department issued a commemorative stamp in her honour. In addition, a high-rise office complex in South Delhi, which accommodates major government offices and companies, bears her name.
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She was an advocate for women's rights and universal suffrage
Bhikaji Rustom Cama, also known as Madame Cama, is known as the "Mother of the Indian Constitution". She was the first person to hoist the Indian flag on foreign land, doing so in Germany on 22 August 1907. She was a fearless leader and played a significant role in the Indian freedom struggle. She was also an advocate for women's rights and universal suffrage.
Madame Cama was influenced by Christabel Pankhurst and the suffragette movement. She vehemently supported gender equality and stressed the role of Indian women in nation-building. In a 1910 speech in Cairo, Egypt, she asked:
> I see here the representatives of only half the population of Egypt. May I ask where is the other half? Sons of Egypt, where are the daughters of Egypt? Where are your mothers and sisters? Your wives and daughters? [...] The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that moulds the character. That soft hand is the chief factor in the national life.
Despite her stance on universal suffrage, Madame Cama's primary focus was on Indian independence. When she met Herabai Tata and Mithan Tata, two Parsi women outspoken about the right to vote, she is said to have sadly shaken her head and observed: "Work for Indian's freedom and [i]ndependence. When India is independent, women will not only [have] the right to [v]ote, but all other rights."
Madame Cama's efforts extended beyond advocacy. During World War I, she maintained active contacts with Indian, Irish, Egyptian, French, and Russian revolutionaries and socialists. In 1914, she and Singh Rewabhai Rana were arrested for attempting to agitate among Punjab Regiment troops in Marseilles. She was sent to Vichy, where she was interned. After her release, she continued to fight for Indian independence and women's rights.
In addition to Madame Cama, 15 other women are considered "founding mothers" of the Indian Constitution. These women, who came from diverse backgrounds, were members of the Constituent Assembly and helped draft the constitution. They were lawyers, reformists, and freedom fighters, and most of them were part of the feminist movement. They include Ammu Swaminathan, Dakshayani Velayudhan, Begum Aizaz Rasul, Durgabai Deshmukh, Hansa Jivraj Mehta, Kamla Chaudhry, Leela Roy, Malati Choudhury, Purnima Banerjee, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Renuka Ray, Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kriplani, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, and Annie Mascarene.
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The Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest written constitution for a sovereign nation. It is a document that has served as a model for several other constitutions, including South Africa's. The Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950. The date of implementation was chosen as it was Purna Swaraj Day, celebrated since 1930 when Nehru waved the Tricolour and demanded Purna Swaraj at the Indian National Congress Session in Lahore on 31 December 1929.
The process of drafting the constitution took 2 years, 11 months, and 17 days, with a total expenditure of ₹6.4 million. The constitution was prepared by a seven-member drafting committee, which was appointed on 29 August 1947 with B. R. Ambedkar as the chair. The committee's draft was based on the initial draft prepared by constitutional advisor Sir B. N. Rau in February 1948. Before its adoption, the assembly held eleven sessions in 165 days. The constitution was then signed and accepted on 24 January 1950, with 395 articles, 8 schedules, and 22 parts.
The Indian Constitution establishes a parliamentary system of government that is federal in structure but has certain unitary aspects. It is the supreme power of the nation, governing all laws, and establishes the framework that demarcates the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions. It also sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. The constitution provides for Directive Principles of State Policy in Chapter IV and is not enforceable by the courts for their violation.
The Indian Constitution has managed to keep a culturally diverse and vast country together for 75 years. It embodies the values of justice, liberty, equality, fraternity, and secularism. It is one of the most dynamic and evolving constitutions in the world, with the ability to adapt to the aspirations of the people of India. This would not have been possible without the contributions of the 15 women members of the Constituent Assembly, who came from diverse backgrounds and fought many battles to shape the Indian Constitution. These women were lawyers, reformists, freedom fighters, and members of the feminist movement. They include Ammu Swaminathan, Dakshayani Velayudhan, Begum Aizaz Rasul, Durgabai Deshmukh, Hansa Jivraj Mehta, Kamla Chaudhry, Leela Roy, Malati Choudhury, Purnima Banerjee, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Renuka Ray, Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kriplani, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, and Annie Mascarene.
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The Constitution of India is the supreme law of the country, setting out fundamental rights and duties of the government and citizens
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal authority, establishing India as a 'Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic' with a parliamentary form of government. It is the lengthiest and longest constitution in the world and serves as the source of legal authority, empowering the Parliament and the Legislatures of States and Union Territories to enact statutes. The Constitution grants all citizens fundamental rights and empowers the independent judiciary to invalidate legislation or government actions that violate it.
The Constitution embodies the values of justice, liberty, equality, fraternity, and secularism. It ensures free and fair elections, equality before the law, and freedom of conscience and religion. It also provides for a federal system of governance between the Union and the States, as well as the separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial organs of the government.
The drafting of the Indian Constitution involved the tireless work of 299 members, who dedicated 2 years, 11 months, and 17 days to creating one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. While popular narratives often attribute the drafting solely to men, it is important to recognise the contributions of 15 exceptional women members of the Constituent Assembly. These women, from diverse backgrounds, included lawyers, reformists, freedom fighters, and feminists. They courageously challenged regressive social norms and patriarchal practices to become the voice of marginalised sections of society.
Among these women was Bhikaji Rustom Cama, also known as Madam Bhikaji Cama. She is often referred to as the "Mother of the Indian Constitution." Cama was a fearless leader and advocate for women's rights and universal suffrage. She played a significant role in the Indian freedom struggle and was the first person to hoist the Indian flag on foreign land, in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907. She spoke out against the devastating effects of British colonialism in India and inspired Indian revolutionaries.
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Frequently asked questions
Bhikaji Rustom Cama is known as the mother of the Indian Constitution.
The Indian Constitution is the supreme law of India. It sets out fundamental rights and duties of the government and citizens.
The Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and was implemented on 26 January 1950.
There were 15 women members of the Constituent Assembly who were lawyers, reformists, and freedom fighters. These included Ammu Swaminathan, Dakshayani Velayudhan, Begum Aizaz Rasul, Durgabai Deshmukh, Hansa Jivraj Mehta, Kamla Chaudhry, Leela Roy, Malati Choudhury, Purnima Banerjee, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Renuka Ray, Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kriplani, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, and Annie Mascarene.
Madam Bhikaji Cama was the first person to hoist the Indian flag on foreign land in Germany on 22 August 1907. She was an advocate for women's rights and universal suffrage and played a role in the Indian freedom struggle.
