CM Majhi pays tribute to Bhikaji Cama on her birth anniversary
Synopsis
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi marked the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhikaji Cama on 24 September 2026, honouring her courageous struggle for independence and her enduring legacy as a symbol of patriotism and sacrifice.
Key Takeaways
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi posted a tribute in Odia on 24 September 2026 , marking the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhikaji Cama .
Bhikaji Rustom Cama was born on 24 September 1861 in Bombay into a prominent Parsi family.
She famously unfurled an early Indian tricolour at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany — one of the first public assertions of Indian nationhood on foreign soil.
Cama spent years in exile in London and Paris , editing the journal Bande Mataram and championing India's independence cause internationally.
Majhi described her as a 'symbol of patriotism and sacrifice' whose ideals would continue to inspire service to the nation.
A Parsi woman from Bombay who unfurled an early Indian tricolour on European soil nearly two decades before independence — Bhikaji Cama's audacity still resonates. On her birth anniversary, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday, 24 September 2026, offered a reverential tribute to the freedom fighter, honouring her fearless struggle and unwavering devotion to the motherland.
Posting in Odia, CM Majhi wrote: 'Bisishta swadhinata sangami, deshaprema o tyagara pratika Madam Bhikaji Kamaanka jayantire bhaktiputa pranama' — 'Heartfelt salutations on the birth anniversary of the distinguished freedom fighter and symbol of patriotism and sacrifice, Madam Bhikaji Cama.' He added that her fearless struggle for the country's independence and her unbroken dedication to the motherland would remain forever memorable, and that her life and ideals would always inspire the nation to serve the country.The woman who carried India's flag abroad
Bhikaji Rustom Cama was born on 24 September 1861 in Bombay into a prominent Parsi family. Exiled in Europe for her revolutionary activities, she became one of the most visible faces of the Indian independence movement on the international stage. Her defining moment came at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, where she unfurled a hand-designed flag representing India — widely regarded as a precursor to the modern tricolour — and declared India's demand for freedom before a global audience. The act was extraordinary in its defiance: a woman, an exile, raising an unrecognised nation's flag on foreign soil. Cama spent years in London and Paris, editing the journal Bande Mataram and networking with European socialist and nationalist circles to internationalise India's independence cause. She returned to India only in 1935, the year of her death, after decades of exile.A ritual of remembrance in Indian political life
CM Majhi's post is part of a well-established tradition across India's political spectrum: leaders routinely mark the birth anniversaries of major freedom fighters with public tributes on social media, keeping these historical figures alive in civic consciousness. For the BJP, such messaging also reinforces its broader nationalist narrative — the idea of an unbroken thread of patriotic sacrifice from India's independence struggle to the present. Bhikaji Cama's legacy carries particular resonance because of her role as an internationalist — someone who took India's case beyond its borders at a time when most of the world barely knew the subcontinent's name. Her story is taught in schools and commemorated by institutions, yet she remains less widely recognised than contemporaries such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, with whom she worked closely. The flag she raised in Stuttgart is preserved in history as one of the earliest visual assertions of Indian nationhood — a reminder that independence was not only won on Indian streets, but argued for in the halls of Europe.Point of View
But Bhikaji Cama is a less-mainstream figure than the pantheon most leaders invoke — her selection signals an intent to broaden the nationalist iconography beyond the usual names. For the BJP, honouring a Parsi woman who internationalised India's independence struggle also subtly reinforces an inclusive-patriotism narrative. The post carries no direct policy weight, but it contributes to the steady, cumulative project of constructing a ruling-party identity rooted in historical reverence. Watch for whether Cama's anniversary generates state-level cultural programming in Odisha.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Bhikaji Cama?
Bhikaji Rustom Cama was an Indian independence activist born on 24 September 1861 in Bombay. She is best known for unfurling an early version of the Indian tricolour at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany , making her a pioneering figure in the international fight for Indian independence.
Why is Bhikaji Cama remembered today?
Cama is remembered for her fearless advocacy of Indian independence on the international stage during her decades of exile in Europe. Her act of raising a flag representing India in Stuttgart in 1907 is widely regarded as one of the earliest public assertions of Indian nationhood abroad.
What did Odisha CM Mohan Majhi say about Bhikaji Cama?
CM Majhi posted a tribute in Odia calling Cama a 'symbol of patriotism and sacrifice' and said her fearless struggle for independence and her unbroken dedication to the motherland would remain forever memorable and continue to inspire service to the nation.
When is Bhikaji Cama's birth anniversary?
Bhikaji Cama's birth anniversary falls on 24 September . She was born on 24 September 1861 .
What flag did Bhikaji Cama unfurl at Stuttgart?
At the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart , Bhikaji Cama unfurled a hand-designed flag representing India, which historians widely regard as a precursor to the modern Indian tricolour — one of the first visual assertions of Indian nationhood on foreign soil.
