Shaheed Matangini Hazra

Early life and background

Born into a poor peasant family near Tamluk, Matangini was married as a child and widowed young. She lived a modest life in her village.

Historical context

Midnapore was a strong centre of the national movement. In the 1930s Matangini became an active participant in the Civil Disobedience Movement and was imprisoned.

Key achievements

During the Quit India Movement of 1942, activists in the Tamluk area planned to take over police stations and government offices. On 29 September 1942 Matangini, then in her seventies, led a large procession towards the Tamluk police station.

Important events and milestones

• 1930s Joins the Civil Disobedience Movement; imprisoned.
• August 1942 Quit India Movement begins.
• 29 September 1942 Shot dead while leading a procession in Tamluk.
• December 1942 A parallel national government (Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar) is proclaimed in Tamluk.

Awards and honours

India Post featured her on a 2002 stamp commemorating the Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar. Her statue, unveiled in 1977, was the first statue of a woman erected in Kolkata after Independence, and another stands where she fell in Tamluk.

Her sacrifice

Police opened fire on the procession. Matangini Hazra was shot and killed while holding the national flag. She was in her seventies.

Enduring legacy

Her courage at an advanced age made her a symbol of the mass, popular character of the Quit India Movement.