Description of Pritilata

Pritilata was born in Chittagong on 5 may 1911. She was a meritorious student at Dr Khastagir Government Girls School in Chittagong and Eden College, Dhaka. She finally graduated in philosophy with distinction from Bathune College in Kolkata. In her college days, Pritilata was an activist in the anti British movement. All through her life, she dreamt of two things: a society without gender discrimination, and her motherland without British colonial rule. So she received combat training to fight against the British rule. Soon after, Pritilata became the head teacher of Nandankanon Aparna Charan School in Chittagong. Gradually she involved herself in Surya Sen.’s armed resistance movement. Surya Sen was a famous anti-British movement organizer and activist in Chittagong area that time.

In 1932, Surya Sen planned an attack on the Pahartali European Club. The club was well-known for its notorious sign Dogs and Indians not allowed. Surya Sen assigned Pritilata to lead a team of 10-12 men to attack the Club. The raid was successful but Pritilata dressed as a man failed to get out of the club. She committed suicide by taking potassium cyanide to avoid arrest. She proved that women can work like men. She also proved that women too needed to be prepared to sacrifice their lives for the freedom from the British colonial rule. Her dream came true. The British rule came to an end though she couldn’t see it during her lifetime