Google Doodle ~ birth anniversary of Kavikuyil Sarojini Naidu

She was the first Governor of free ‘United Provinces’………. You need not scroll down to the last to see what it was ! ~  the United Provinces of British India, more commonly known as the United Provinces, was a province of British India, which came into existence on 3 January 1921 as a result of the renaming of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. It corresponded approximately to the combined regions of the present-day Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It ceased to exist on 1 April 1937 when it was renamed as the United Provinces.

Before we read further on the interesting ‘google doodle’ of the day [13^th Feb 2014]…. Something on a zoo at Darjeeling established in Aug 1958.  The Park's prized possessions were a pair of Siberian (Ussuri) tigers presented to the Government of India by Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev in 1960. The zoo now has endangered animals like snow leopards, red pandas, gorals (mountain goat), Siberian tigers and a variety of endangered birds. The park was renamed in 1975  as ‘Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park’.  At  7,000 feet (2,134 m),  it is the largest high altitude zoo in India.

Padmaja Naidu was the Governor of  West Bengal (1956–1967) who had participated in the Independent struggle and was the daughter of the more famous ‘Sarojini Naidu’ – who is featured in the doodle of date.   Sarojini Naidu, (born as Sarojini Chattopadhyaya) is best known by the sobriquet ‘Kavi Kuyil’ - The Nightingale of India. Sarojini Naidu was one of the framers of the Indian Constitution.,[3] and the first Governor of the United Provinces from 1947 to 1949, the first woman to become the governor of an Indian state.

She was born in Feb 1879; her father was a doctor of Science from Edinburgh University, settled in Hyderabad State and her mother a poetess.  Sarojini joined the Indian national movement in the wake of partition of Bengal in 1905. she endeared herself towards social welfare, women's empowerment and nationalism. She was sent to London along with Annie Besant, President of WIA, to present the case for the women's vote to the Joint Select Committee. In 1925, Naidu presided over the annual session of Indian National Congress at Cawnpore. In 1931, she participated in the Round table conference with Gandhi and Madan Mohan Malaviya. She played a leading role during the Civil Disobedience Movement and was jailed along with Gandhi and other leaders. In 1942, she was arrested during the "Quit India" movement. Her poems were admired by many prominent Indian politicians like Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Her 135th Birthday (in 2014)  is today marked by a doodle on Google India's Homepage. ‘Google doodles’ –  are the Google logo on search page which many a times are animated expressions.  Google puts special doodles marking special occasions and days. 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar