CM Rekha Gupta pays tribute to Bhikaji Cama on death anniversary
Synopsis
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta honoured Madam Bhikaji Cama on her death anniversary, saluting the revolutionary who hoisted India's flag at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, calling her courage an unparalleled example of patriotism.
Key Takeaways
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta paid tribute to Madam Bhikaji Cama on her death anniversary on 13 August 2026 .
Bhikaji Cama hoisted an early version of the Indian tricolour at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany .
CM Gupta described Cama's courage and sacrifice as an 'unparalleled example of patriotism' for Maa Bharati .
The tribute highlights Cama's role in internationalising India's freedom struggle on the world stage.
The commemoration comes days ahead of Independence Day on August 15 , a period marked by widespread freedom-movement tributes.
She raised India's flag on foreign soil decades before independence was even imaginable. On the death anniversary of Madam Bhikaji Cama, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta paid solemn tribute to the revolutionary freedom fighter, honouring her as an enduring symbol of courage, sacrifice, and national pride.
In her post, CM Gupta wrote — 'महान स्वतंत्रता सेनानी मैडम भीकाजी कामा जी की पुण्यतिथि पर उन्हें श्रद्धापूर्वक नमन' ['Reverential salute to the great freedom fighter Madam Bhikaji Cama on her death anniversary'] — and called her indomitable courage and dedication to Maa Bharati an unparalleled example of patriotism.
The flag that shook a continent
Bhikaji Cama occupies a singular place in India's freedom struggle. At the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, she unfurled an early version of the Indian tricolour — a defiant act on European soil that announced India's demand for self-rule to the world. It was a moment of extraordinary audacity: a woman, an exile, carrying the weight of a colonised nation's aspirations into a hall full of the world's left-wing intelligentsia.
CM Gupta's tribute specifically invoked that moment, noting that Cama 'raised India's flag on foreign soil and amplified the voice of freedom and national self-respect on the world stage.' The phrasing is precise — it is not merely about patriotism at home, but about internationalising a struggle that colonial powers preferred to keep invisible.
August tributes and the politics of memory
August is dense with independence-era commemorations in India. With Independence Day approaching on August 15, political leaders across the spectrum use this fortnight to invoke the freedom movement's heroes — reinforcing national identity and connecting contemporary governance to historical sacrifice. CM Gupta's tribute fits squarely within that tradition, but Bhikaji Cama's story carries particular resonance: a woman who defied empire, exile, and era alike.
A grateful nation, CM Gupta wrote, will 'always remember her great contribution' — a sentiment that transcends party lines, even as it is delivered through the unmistakable register of political commemoration.
Bhikaji Cama's life is a reminder that India's freedom was not won inside India alone. It was argued, organised, and symbolised across continents — and she was one of its most fearless ambassadors.
Point of View
Not merely defensive. For the BJP, honouring pre-independence women revolutionaries serves a dual purpose: broadening the party's historical pantheon and reinforcing a muscular, pride-centred nationalism. August tributes like this one are low-cost, high-visibility acts of political identity-signalling, timed precisely for maximum resonance ahead of Independence Day. Cama's story — a woman exile who took India's cause to Europe — also subtly counters any narrative that the freedom movement was male-dominated or parochial.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Madam Bhikaji Cama?
Madam Bhikaji Cama was an Indian freedom fighter and revolutionary who famously hoisted an early version of the Indian tricolour at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, internationalising India's demand for independence.
What did Bhikaji Cama do at the 1907 Stuttgart Congress?
At the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, Bhikaji Cama unfurled an early design of the Indian national flag — a landmark act of defiance that brought India's freedom struggle to a global audience.
Why did Delhi CM Rekha Gupta pay tribute to Bhikaji Cama?
CM Rekha Gupta posted a tribute on the death anniversary of Bhikaji Cama, honouring her courage, sacrifice, and role in raising India's flag on foreign soil as an example of patriotism.
When is Bhikaji Cama's death anniversary?
Bhikaji Cama's death anniversary falls in August. CM Rekha Gupta's tribute was posted on 13 August 2026, ahead of India's Independence Day.
Why are freedom fighter tributes common in August in India?
August is India's independence month, with Independence Day on the 15th. Political leaders across parties routinely honour freedom movement figures during this period to reinforce national pride and historical memory.
