Heritage explorer requests Telangana CM to restore freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu’s Hyderabad residence

Hyderabad: Citizens of Hyderabad have requested the restoration of the historic residence of Sarojini Naidu, the prominent Indian political leader, poet, and freedom fighter, which has fallen into a state of neglect. The appeal has been directed to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, highlighting Sarojini Naidu's significance as the first woman president of the Indian National Congress in 1925.

The residence, known as the Golden Threshold, is an off-campus annex of the University of Hyderabad and is named after Sarojini Naidu's first collection of poems, published in 1905. Originally the home of her father, Aghornath Chattopadhyay, the first Principal of Hyderabad College (now Nizam College), it served as a hub for progressive ideas around women's empowerment, education, and literature during a time when political discourse was predominantly male-dominated.

Heritage explorer Asif Ali Khan shared with the Hyderabad Mail, “Sarojini Naidu's home in Hyderabad is neglected. Restoration is essential, especially given her legacy as the first woman president of the Indian National Congress. I urge CM Revanth Reddy to restore this historic house.”

Sarojini Naidu, known as the "Nightingale of India," was born on February 13, 1879, in Hyderabad and passed away on March 2, 1949. She played a pivotal role in India’s independence movement and later became the first Governor of the United Provinces after independence. Educated in Madras, London, and Cambridge, Naidu was drawn to the Indian National Congress and became a follower of Mahatma Gandhi's vision of swaraj (self-rule). Her literary works, including the renowned poem "In the Bazaars of Hyderabad," reflect her poetic talent and commitment to her country.

Born into a Bengali family in Hyderabad, Sarojini Naidu excelled academically, completing her matriculation at just twelve years old. After studying in England from 1895 to 1898, she married Govindaraju Naidu, a physician she met there, in an inter-caste marriage.

The Golden Threshold currently houses the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication at the University of Hyderabad. In 1974, Sarojini Naidu's daughter, Padmaja Naidu, donated the property to the government for educational purposes, and it was officially dedicated to the university by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975