Nonibala Devi (1888-1967) was born in 1888 at Howrah in a typical Brahmin family. She was widowed at the age of 16, but refused to live a secluded life, as was the fate of most widows of those times.
Instead, she joined the Jugantar Party, one of the most M powerful revolutionary groups, which was led by her nephew, Amarendranath Chattopadhyay. In a few years time, Nanibala began to actively contribute to the nation’s cause through her organisation.
She supported the network’s activities and, like the most revolutionaries, came to be convinced that the British could be ousted only through force. She was arrested in Peshawar for possessing arms and ammunition and deported to Calcutta jail. Nanibala was the first and only woman to be tortured by the police under the Regulation III of 1818. She also became the Calcutta jail’s first woman prisoner.
Even in imprisonment, she did not refrain from showing her resentment against the British, both through speech and action. She was released in 1919 but hereafter she remained rather passive. She died in 1967.