Life & Legacy
Her early education at Panbazar Girls High School shaped her political awareness, and by her school years, she was already involved in student movements. As the secretary of Mukti Sangha, she actively participated in protests, including the 1931 demonstration against the execution of Bhagat Singh, which led to her expulsion from school.
Pushpalata continued her studies privately, completing her matriculation in 1934. She then pursued higher education at Benaras Hindu University and Andhra University, completing her graduation and post-graduation by 1938. Later, she enrolled in Earle Law College in Guwahati, where she remained deeply active in student politics. Her involvement in Gandhi's Individual Satyagraha movement resulted in imprisonment, halting her formal law studies but strengthening her resolve to fight injustice.
Her association with the National Planning Committee took her to Mumbai, where she worked with renowned leaders like Mridula Sarabhai and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit. In 1942, she married Omeo Kumar Das, a respected legislator and fellow freedom fighter. Upon returning to Assam, she founded two significant resistance groups, Shanti Bahini and Mrityu Bahini. During one such protest in September 1942, British police opened fire, resulting in the martyrdom of Kanaklata Barua, one of her closest associates.
Pushpalata Das played an important role in shaping the political narrative of Assam. She became a member of the All India Congress Committee and served as the convener of the women’s wing of the Assam Congress. She also contributed toward preventing Assam's grouping with East Pakistan during the Cabinet Mission Plan period. After independence, she continued her political journey alongside her husband in Dhekiajuli, where they worked extensively for rural development, education, women's empowerment and community upliftment.
In 1951, Pushpalata Das was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, a position she held until 1961. She also played a prominent role in election campaigns, international delegations and key committees of the Indian National Congress. In 1967 and 1971, she won the Dhekiajuli Assembly seat representing the Indian National Congress. Following the death of her husband in 1975, she shifted her focus more toward social welfare and grassroots work.
Pushpalata Das served as the chairperson of the Assam chapters of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, Bhudan and Gramdan boards. She was associated with the Central Social Welfare Board, the Congress Planning Committee and the Censor Board of India. She also edited the Assamese magazine Jayanti and authored the book Rajarama Sukla Rashtriyaatma Varchasva Evam Krititva in 1976.
Known for her integrity and selflessness, she once declined the Tamrapatra Freedom Fighter Award, stating that her contribution to the freedom movement was driven by duty, not recognition. In 1999, the Government of India honored her with the Padma Bhushan for her remarkable contribution to society. She passed away on 9 November 2003 in Kolkata at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy of courage, dedication and inspiring leadership.