CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Pays Tribute to Bhikaji Cama on Her Jayanti
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma paid homage to Madam Bhikaji Cama on her birth anniversary, honouring the early 20th-century revolutionary who famously unfurled an Indian flag at the 1907 Stuttgart conference as a symbol of women's strength and national sacrifice.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma posted a tribute on 24 September 2026 marking the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Madam Bhikaji Cama .
Sharma described Cama as 'a powerful symbol of women's strength, courage, and patriotism' ( Nari Shakti ).
He called her sacrifice and dedication 'a glorious chapter in the history of India's independence movement.' Bhikaji Cama is best known for unfurling a version of the Indian flag at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany .
Sharma expressed that her contribution would continue to inspire Indians to remain devoted to the nation.
A freedom fighter who carried India's flag to foreign soil more than a century before independence was remembered on Thursday, as Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma paid tribute to Madam Bhikaji Cama on her birth anniversary, 24 September 2026.
Posting on X in Hindi, CM Sharma wrote: 'नारी शक्ति, साहस और राष्ट्रभक्ति की सशक्त प्रतीक' — 'a powerful symbol of women's strength, courage, and patriotism' — offering 'countless salutations' to Cama on her jayanti. He described her struggle, sacrifice, and dedication to India's freedom as 'a glorious chapter in the history of the independence movement,' adding that her invaluable contribution would continue to inspire citizens to remain devoted to the nation.
The Woman Who Flew India's Flag in Stuttgart
Bhikaji Cama's place in Indian history is anchored to a single, electrifying moment: at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, she unfurled a version of the Indian national flag on foreign soil — a defiant act that announced India's aspirations for self-rule to the world at a time when the subcontinent was firmly under British rule. That act of courage made her a towering figure in the early revolutionary wing of the independence movement, operating across Europe while the struggle back home was still gathering force.A Routine Tribute With a Non-Routine Subject
Indian political leaders mark the birth anniversaries of freedom fighters as a matter of convention, and CM Sharma's post follows that pattern. But the subject here is anything but routine. Bhikaji Cama remains one of the most internationally visible figures of early Indian nationalism — a woman who built networks, published revolutionary literature, and challenged empire from the streets of Paris and London decades before Gandhi's mass movements took shape. Her legacy speaks specifically to women's agency in the freedom struggle, a thread CM Sharma's tribute explicitly draws on with the phrase 'Nari Shakti' — women's power. For Rajasthan's BJP government, invoking such figures on their jayantis is also a deliberate act of cultural memory — keeping the independence era alive in public consciousness as a moral and political reference point.Point of View
But the BJP has increasingly leaned into such observances as part of a broader cultural-nationalist project of centering pre-Nehruvian and revolutionary figures in public memory. By specifically invoking Bhikaji Cama's 'Nari Shakti,' CM Sharma aligns the tribute with the party's women's empowerment messaging. The Stuttgart moment — India claiming symbolic sovereignty before it was a political reality — carries a resonance that transcends partisan framing. Whether these annual tributes translate into policy action honouring such legacies, such as educational curricula or memorials in Rajasthan, remains the more meaningful test.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Madam Bhikaji Cama?
Madam Bhikaji Cama was an Indian independence activist who became famous for unfurling a version of the Indian national flag at the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, making her one of the most prominent figures of early Indian revolutionary nationalism.
Why is Bhikaji Cama's birth anniversary celebrated?
Her birth anniversary is observed to honour her extraordinary contributions to India's freedom struggle, including her work in Europe to build international support for Indian independence and her historic act of raising an Indian flag on foreign soil decades before independence.
What did Bhajan Lal Sharma say about Bhikaji Cama?
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma called her 'a powerful symbol of women's strength, courage, and patriotism' and described her struggle and sacrifice as a 'glorious chapter' in India's independence movement that would continue to inspire citizens.
What is the significance of the 1907 Stuttgart flag moment?
At the 1907 International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, Bhikaji Cama unfurled a version of the Indian flag — a bold, symbolic assertion of India's right to self-rule on an international stage at a time when India was under British colonial rule.
What is Bhajan Lal Sharma's role?
Bhajan Lal Sharma is the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
