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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox Indian politician
| name = Adruti Laxmibai
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = 12 October 1899
| birth_place = [[Berhampur]], [[Ganjam District]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]] (Now in [[Odisha]] ,India)
| death_date =
| death_place =
| residence =
| nationality = [[Indian nationality|Indian]]
| fields =
| education = [[Medicine]] at [[Christian Medical College, Vellore]]
| office = [[Member of Legislative Assembly (India)]]
| term_start = 1937
| term_end = 1952
| office2 = Deputy [[Speaker (politics)]] of [[Odisha Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start2 = 29 May 1946
| term_end2 = 20 February 1952
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
}}
'''Adruti Laxmibai''' (born 12 October 1899 - date and year of death unknown) was an Indian freedom movement activist and politician. She received her bachelor's degree from Dayacician College in Calcutta and later enrolled to study Medicine at [[Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore|Christian Medical College]] in [[Vellore]]. She was elected to the [[Berhampur (Odisha Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Berhampur constituency]] in 1937 and 1946 and served as the Deputy Speaker of the [[Odisha Legislative Assembly]] formerly known as Orissa in 1946. She notably introduced a policy of free education for girls in Odisha.

== Early life, education and married life ==
Laxmibai was born on 12 October 1899 in Berhampur, India to Varahagiri Venkata Jogesh (father) and Varahagiri Sovama (mother). She was the younger sister of future Indian President [[V. V. Giri]].<ref name = Odisha_magazine>{{cite web |last1=Dr Dasarathi Bhuyan |title=Participation of Women of Ganjam District in the Freedom Movement of India |url=http://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2010/August/engpdf/august%202010.pdf |access-date=18 November 2018 |pages=19–20 |language=English }}</ref> Laxmibai completed her secondary education in Berhampur and later joined the [[Theosophical Society]] in Kashi. She was a graduate from [[Dayacician College]] in [[Calcutta]] and went on to study [[medicine]] at [[Christian Medical College]] in [[Vellore]]. Ill [[health]] prevented her from completing medical studies, and she eventually returned to Berhampur. After her return, she was married to Adruti Venkateswar Rao of [[Rajahmundry]]. Her husband died within one year of their marriage and she returned to her parents' house in Berhampur.<ref name = Odisha_magazine></ref>

== Participation in Indian freedom movement ==
After the death of her husband, Laxmibai was inspired by [[Mahatma Gandhi]] and participated in the [[Indian freedom movement]], in which many of her family members were already involved. National leaders like Gandhi, [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], and [[Rajendra Prasad]] stayed at Giri's residence during their visits to the Berhampur district. She participated in activities such as boycotting foreign goods and picketing in front of liquor shops. Her participation in these activities led to her first arrest on 18 January 1932. The Chhatrapur Court sentenced her to one year imprisonment and a fine of 700 [[Indian rupee]]s. She was later transferred to [[Vellore Central Prison]] and served one and a half years in prison.<ref name = Odisha_magazine>{{cite web |last1=Dr Dasarathi Bhuyan |title=Participation of Women of Ganjam District in the Freedom Movement of India |url=http://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2010/August/engpdf/august%202010.pdf |access-date=18 November 2018 |pages=19–20 |language=English }}</ref> In 1935, she served as the President for Ryots Mahasabha in [[Kulada, Ganjam]]. She was a prominent activist in the [[Khadi Movement]] and distributed [[khadi]]s free of charge to the poor. She was also an active participant in the [[Quit India Movement]] of 1942. When India achieved independence, she was serving a sentence at a jail in [[Cuttack]], where many notable freedom fighters were imprisoned during the swaraj movement.<ref name= Odisha_magazine></ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2018/aug/15/british-era-jail-in-cuttack-wallows-in-neglect-1857934.html|title=British-era jail in Cuttack wallows in neglect|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref> A memorial to freedom fighters was inaugurated at the jail site by Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha [[Naveen Patnaik]] on 23 January 2010, but the development appears to have stalled.<ref name=":0" />

== Later involvement in politics ==
Laxmibai served as an active member of the [[Indian National Congress]] in Odisha from 1930 to 1940. She took the roles of the Vice-President of the Ganjam district, the Congress Committee, and President of Berhampur town Congress. Laxmibai was elected to the Odisha Assembly without any opposition from the Brahmapur Assembly Constituency in the first general elections of 1937, and continued as MLA consecutively until 1953.<ref name = Odisha_magazine>{{cite web |last1=Dr Dasarathi Bhuyan |title=Participation of Women of Ganjam District in the Freedom Movement of India |url=http://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2010/August/engpdf/august%202010.pdf |access-date=18 November 2018 |pages=19–20 |language=English }}</ref> From 29 May 1946 to 20 February 1952 Laxmibai held the positions of Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.<ref name= Odisha_magazine></ref><ref name = "A">{{cite web | url=http://odishaassembly.nic.in/BriefHistory.aspx | title=Brief History of Odisha Legislative Assembly Since 1937 ,SECOND PRE-INDEPENDENT ASSEMBLY THE LINK ASSEMBLY - 1946 | publisher=[[Odisha Legislative Assembly]] | access-date=11 November 2018}}</ref>

=== Women's empowerment ===
Laxmibai critically appraised the education policy presented at the Deputy Speaker's national conference in [[Kerala]]. She introduced a free education policy for girls in Odisha as part of her interest in empowering women.<ref name= Odisha_magazine></ref> The policy improved the performance of girl students in the area.<ref name= Odisha_magazine></ref> In Odisha, she served as the President of the Kasturba Memorial Fund's local branch as an adviser for the Government Girls High School Committee and she was a member in the State Social Welfare Board. She also visited [[Ganjam district]], [[Boudh district]], and [[Phulbani district]] to help poor students and she gave aid to girl students in the Jaya Mangalam Ashram.<ref name= Odisha_magazine></ref>

==References==
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[[Category:1899 births]]
[[Category:Women Indian independence activists]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Odisha]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]

Adruti Laxmibai - Revision history

->Citation bot at 23:31, 16 March 2021