Shaheed Pritilata Waddedar

Early life and background

Born in Chittagong, Pritilata was an outstanding student. She studied at Eden College in Dhaka and graduated in philosophy from Bethune College, Calcutta. She then became a schoolteacher in Chittagong.

Historical context

Chittagong was the base of Surya Sen’s revolutionary group, which had carried out the armoury raid of 1930. Pritilata joined the group and trained in the use of arms.

Key achievements

Surya Sen chose Pritilata to lead an attack on the Pahartali European Club on 24 September 1932. She led a small group of revolutionaries in the attack.

Important events and milestones

• 1932 Joins Surya Sen’s group.
• June 1932 Involved in the Dhalghat encounter.
• 24 September 1932 Leads the Pahartali European Club attack; dies.

Awards and honours

Memorials stand in Chittagong and in India. Her university degree, withheld by the colonial authorities, was awarded posthumously by the University of Calcutta in 2012.

Her sacrifice

Wounded during the attack and surrounded, Pritilata took cyanide to avoid capture. She was twenty-one.

Enduring legacy

Her decision to lead from the front made her an icon for women in the revolutionary movement and is honoured in both India and Bangladesh.