Giriraj Singh Pays Tribute to Bhikaji Cama on Her Birth Anniversary
Synopsis
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh paid tribute to Madam Bhikaji Cama on her birth anniversary, honouring the freedom fighter who became the first to unfurl a version of the Indian flag on foreign soil at the 1907 Stuttgart Socialist Congress.
Key Takeaways
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh paid tribute to Madam Bhikaji Cama on her birth anniversary on 24 September 2026 .
Bhikaji Cama unfurled a version of the Indian national flag at the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907 — the first such act on foreign soil.
Singh described her legacy as one of 'indomitable courage' dedicated to the freedom and honour of the motherland.
The tribute is part of a broader political tradition in India of honouring freedom fighters on their birth and death anniversaries.
Cama's story is particularly significant as an example of early transnational Indian nationalism led by a woman and a member of the Parsi community.
She carried India's flag onto foreign soil — decades before the nation was free. On the birth anniversary of Madam Bhikaji Cama, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh paid homage on Thursday, 24 September 2026 to the iconic freedom fighter who became the first person to unfurl a version of the Indian national flag on foreign land.
In his tribute posted on X, Singh wrote: 'विदेशी धरती पर भारत का प्रथम तिरंगा फहराने वाली महान स्वतंत्रता सेनानी मैडम भिकाजी कामा जी की जयंती पर उन्हें कोटि-कोटि नमन!' — translated as: 'A million salutes to the great freedom fighter Madam Bhikaji Cama, who unfurled India's first Tricolour on foreign soil, on her birth anniversary!' He added that her 'indomitable courage and patriotic life, dedicated to the freedom and honour of the motherland, will forever inspire generations to come.'
The Stuttgart Moment That Shook the World
In 1907, at the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, Bhikaji Cama stood before an international audience and unfurled a version of the Indian national flag — a defining act of defiance against British colonial rule. It was one of the earliest and most dramatic assertions of Indian nationhood on a global stage, at a time when demanding independence publicly was itself a radical act.
Born into a Parsi family in Bombay, Cama went on to become a towering figure in the overseas nationalist movement, mobilising support for Indian independence from Europe at a time when the idea of a free India was considered audacious. Her life embodied the kind of transnational activism that history would later recognize as foundational to the independence movement.
Tributes as a Political Tradition, and Why They Matter
Paying public homage to freedom fighters on their birth and death anniversaries has become a fixture of Indian political culture — a ritual that keeps the memory of the independence movement alive in the national conversation. For leaders like Singh, a senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP from Begusarai, Bihar, these tributes also serve as a bridge between the sacrifices of the past and the responsibilities of the present. Cama, in particular, is invoked as a symbol of the diaspora's role in India's liberation — a resonant theme in a country that counts millions of citizens living abroad.
Point of View
Including diaspora activists and lesser-celebrated revolutionaries. Cama's legacy — a woman, a Parsi, working from Europe — allows the party to frame the independence movement as pluralistic and globally connected. These commemorations also serve a soft-power function, reinforcing cultural nationalism without immediate legislative stakes. The tributes keep the historical memory market alive, particularly among younger voters being introduced to figures outside school textbooks.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Bhikaji Cama?
Bhikaji Cama was an Indian independence activist and a pioneering figure in the overseas nationalist movement. She is best remembered for unfurling a version of the Indian national flag at the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907, decades before India gained independence.
When did Bhikaji Cama unfurl the Indian flag abroad?
Bhikaji Cama unfurled a version of the Indian national flag at the International Socialist Congress held in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907, marking the first time such a flag was raised on foreign soil.
What did Giriraj Singh say about Bhikaji Cama?
Giriraj Singh paid tribute to Bhikaji Cama on her birth anniversary, calling her 'indomitable courage and patriotic life' an eternal source of inspiration for future generations of Indians.
Why is Bhikaji Cama celebrated in India?
Bhikaji Cama is celebrated as one of India's most daring early freedom fighters — a woman who took the struggle for Indian independence directly to the international stage at a time when such activism was rare and dangerous.
Who is Giriraj Singh?
Giriraj Singh is India's Union Minister of Textiles, a senior BJP leader, and a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament representing the Begusarai constituency in Bihar.
