Sister Nivedita, whose birth name was Margaret Elizabeth Noble, was an Irish-born teacher, social reformer, and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. She met Swami Vivekananda in 1895 in London and was deeply influenced by his teachings. In 1898, she traveled to Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), India, where Swami Vivekananda gave her the name “Nivedita,” which means “Dedicated to God.” Read More English Summaries.
Sister Nivedita Summary
Sister Nivedita Summary in English
Sister Nivedita was born on 28 October, 1867 as the oldest daughter of Samuel Richmond and Mary Isabel who were of Scottish descent and had settled in Ireland. Nivedita, originally called Margaret Elizabeth Noble received her education at Halifare College. Later she joined teaching work in 1884 and thereafter in 1892 she started her own school in the name of ‘Ruskin School’ in Wimbledon. She got popularity in the high society of London for her great intellectual gifts. Gradually, she became the centre of a great educational movement which resulted in the famous Sesame club.
Since childhood Christian religious doctrines were instilled into her. But the search for truth led her to Swami Vivekanand’s teaching of the Vedanta in 1895-96. This made her offer her lifelong services in search of truth and she shifted to India. She came to Calcutta on 28 January where she was initiated into Brahmacharya on 25 March, 1898 and named as Sister Nivedita by Swami Vivekanand. She took to her the duties of field of teaching, social work and spirituality. He was a strong supporter of woman‘s/girl’s education.
She advocated for schools in the same way as they were for the boys. She believed in the next generation’s schooling. She started Kindergarden School for Hindu girls in November 1998. She took up a number of relief work like plague relief of the Ramakrishna Mission from 1899 onwards. After the death of Swami Vivekanand in July 1902 she fesigned from the purely spiritual Ramakrishna order and started taking as active interest in the Indian struggle for Independence. She also maintained her relationship with the order.
In order to arouse national consciousness among Indian people she undertook lecture tours throughout India. During September 1902 to 1904. Here’s was an aggressive type of politics. She didn’t believe in moderate politics of the petitioner type. Yet she maintained polities of the petitioner type. Yet she maintained cordial relation with the leaders of different schools of political thought. She also supported Swadeshi Movement both in principle and practice. For her Swadeshi Movement was an opportunity for the Indian to make themselves respected by the whole world. She also helped other nationalist group like Down Society and Anushilan Samiti.
Nivedita’s greatest desire was to see the whole nation educated in national lines. She encouraged the study of science. She believed in Indian Art which she thought essential for regeneration of India. For this she inspired persons like Abanindra Nath Tagore to receive its ideals.
Sister Nivedita Summary Class 11
From 1902 onwards she raised her voice against the British policy in India. She condemned Lord Curzon for the Universities Act of 1904 for his insulting the Indians by calling them untruthful. She blamed British Imperialism for the disastrous condition of Indian economy.
Sister Nivedita was a prolific writer: ‘The Master As I Saw Him a book on Swami Vivekanand is considered to be her masterpiece. She wrote about Hindu mythology and gods and goddesses ‘Kali. The Mother’. ‘Shiva’ and ‘Buddha’. ‘The Cradle Tales of Hinduism’ and ‘The Myths of Hindus and Buddhists’ are some of her famous books.
She had tremendous faith in women of India. She wanted them to have better education. But she also asked them not to give up their own deals and practices. She strongly believed that once the woman of India awoke, the country would be great again. She died on 13th October, 1911 after an attack of dysentry at Darjeeling.