Widely-known for persuading Mahatma Gandhi to call upon women to participate in civil disobedience movements during India's freedom struggle, Kamaladevi is among the handful of women who championed the rights of the fairer sex at that time. 

She propounded that civil rights, religious freedoms, and political independence were all inter-related issues and worked relentlessly for the upliftment of women. She pioneered the cooperative movement which helped raise the socio-economic status of women around the country.

Born on April 3, 1903 in Mangalore (now Mangaluru), Kamaladevi was married at the age of 14 and was widowed two years later. She then traveled to London to further her education and after her return to India, joined the Indian National Congress in 1927.

Her career was one of many firsts -- from being the first woman to be arrested by the British for selling contraband salt, to becoming the first woman to run for Legislative office. She was among the chosen few national leaders who had the privilege of signing the new Constitution of India document after Independence.