CM Samrat Choudhary Pays Tribute to Bhikhaiji Cama on Her Birth Anniversary
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary paid tribute to revolutionary Bhikhaiji Cama on her birth anniversary, recalling her iconic act of unfurling an early Indian tricolour at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart and her lifelong fight for Indian independence from European exile.
Key Takeaways
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary posted a tribute to Bhikhaiji Cama on her birth anniversary on September 24, 2026 .
Bhikhaiji Cama (1861–1936) was an Indian revolutionary who fought for independence from exile in Europe.
She unfurled an early version of the Indian tricolour at the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart on August 22, 1907 .
Cama collaborated with figures like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and co-edited the journal Bande Mataram from Paris.
She was barred from returning to India for years before finally coming home in 1935 , dying in 1936 .
BJP leaders have increasingly highlighted women and revolutionary contributors to the independence movement on such anniversaries.
On her birth anniversary, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary paid homage to one of India's most daring revolutionary figures — a woman who carried the fight for independence to the heart of Europe over a century ago.
Posting on Thursday, September 24, 2026, CM Choudhary wrote: 'स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन की महान क्रांतिकारी एवं साहसी राष्ट्रभक्त मैडम भीकाजी कामा जी की जयंती पर उन्हें कोटि-कोटि नमन' — ('A million salutes to Madam Bhikhaiji Cama, the great revolutionary and courageous patriot of the freedom movement, on her birth anniversary. Her dedication and struggle for the nation's independence will continue to inspire forever.')
The woman who unfurled a flag before India had one
Bhikhaiji Rustom Cama (1861–1936) is among the most remarkable figures of the Indian independence movement — and among the least widely celebrated. Born in Bombay to a prosperous Parsi family, she channelled her privilege into radical dissent, eventually relocating to Europe where she became a tireless voice for Indian self-rule in the drawing rooms and conference halls of London, Paris, and Berlin.
Her most iconic act came on August 22, 1907, at the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany. Standing before delegates from across the world, she unfurled an early version of the Indian tricolour — a flag she had partly designed — and declared that India deserved freedom. It was, by any measure, a breathtaking act of defiance: an Indian woman, on foreign soil, making the case for her nation's liberation to an international audience, decades before independence arrived.
Exile, service, and a legacy reclaimed
Cama spent years in exile, collaborating with revolutionary figures including Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Shyamji Krishna Varma, and co-editing the journal Bande Mataram from Paris. The British government banned her from returning to India for years. She eventually returned to Bombay in 1935, frail but unbroken, and died the following year.
Her legacy has seen renewed emphasis in recent years. BJP leaders have increasingly spotlighted revolutionary and women contributors to the independence movement — figures whose stories sit outside the Congress-led mainstream historical narrative. CM Choudhary's tribute fits that pattern, using social media to extend the pantheon of remembered freedom fighters to a wider public.
A woman who took India's cause to the world stage before the world was ready to listen. That story deserves every anniversary it gets.
Point of View
Spotlighting revolutionary and women contributors who have historically received less mainstream attention. For CM Choudhary, the post reinforces a recurring BJP communication strategy: use birth and death anniversaries of such figures to claim historical legitimacy and cultural ownership on social media. Cama's story — internationalist, feminist, defiant — lends itself to cross-ideological admiration, making her a particularly safe and resonant figure for such tributes. Whether these social media moments translate into deeper institutional commemoration, such as curriculum inclusion or state-level events, remains the real measure of the movement.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Bhikhaiji Cama and why is she famous?
Bhikhaiji Cama (1861–1936) was an Indian revolutionary who fought for independence from exile in Europe. She is most famous for unfurling an early version of the Indian tricolour at the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907 — one of the earliest public displays of an Indian national flag on foreign soil.
What did Samrat Choudhary post about Bhikhaiji Cama?
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary posted a tribute on September 24, 2026, calling Cama a 'great revolutionary and courageous patriot' and saying her dedication and struggle for India's independence 'will continue to inspire forever.'
When is Bhikhaiji Cama's birth anniversary?
Bhikhaiji Cama's birth anniversary falls on September 24, and Indian political leaders across parties typically use the occasion to post commemorative tributes on social media.
What was the significance of the 1907 Stuttgart flag unfurling by Bhikhaiji Cama?
At the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart on August 22, 1907, Bhikhaiji Cama unfurled an early version of the Indian tricolour before an international audience. It was a landmark act of defiance, asserting India's claim to nationhood and independence before a global forum, decades before independence was achieved.
Why do BJP leaders frequently pay tribute to freedom fighters like Bhikhaiji Cama?
BJP leaders routinely commemorate revolutionary and women contributors to the independence movement as part of a broader effort to highlight figures outside the Congress-led mainstream historical narrative, reinforcing the party's claim to a wide and inclusive national heritage.
