Asaf Ali, Aruna (1909-1996)

Nalini Iyer

Aruna Asaf Ali was an important figure in 20th-century Indian history. As a nationalist who fought against British imperialism, as a socialist and member of the Communist Party of India, and as an ardent feminist, she made significant contributions to Indian political life. This entry presents her biography and assesses her contribution to Indian politics. Aruna Asaf Ali was born in a Bengali Hindu family on July 16, 1909. Her father, Upendranath Ganguly, was a hotelier, and her mother, Ambalika, a home-maker. Educated in a Catholic boarding school, she fell in love with English literature and wanted to go to college, but her family pressured her to marry. She rejected arranged marriages and instead opted for a “self-arranged” marriage to a Muslim lawyer and anti-colonial nationalist, Asaf Ali, who was 21 years older than Aruna. The couple faced major opposition from ...

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