The Naga spiritual leader and freedom fighter Rani Gaidinliu is associated with which movement?

Rani Gaidinliu is associated with the Heraka movement, a religious and political movement among the Zeliangrong Nagas (Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei) of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.

About the Heraka movement:

• It was started by Haipou Jadonang, a Zeliangrong leader, in the 1920s.
• It aimed to revive the traditional Naga religion, oppose conversion to Christianity, and reform Naga society.
• It also became a political movement against British rule, aiming to establish a "Naga Raj" (self-rule) and to end the oppressive taxes and forced labour imposed by the British.

About Rani Gaidinliu:

• She was born on 26 January 1915 at Nungkao (Longkao), in the Tamenglong district of Manipur.
• She joined Jadonang's movement at the age of 13.
• After the British hanged Jadonang in 1931, she took over the leadership of the movement at the age of 16.
• She led a rebellion against the British, urging her followers not to pay taxes, and organised armed resistance.
• The British launched a massive search for her; she moved from village to village.
• She was captured in October 1932 at the age of 16-17, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
• She was imprisoned in jails in Guwahati, Shillong, Aizawl and Tura for about 14 years.

Nehru's tribute:

• Jawaharlal Nehru met her in Shillong jail in 1937, and gave her the title "Rani" (Queen); he called her the "daughter of the hills".
• He tried to secure her release, but the British refused.
• She was released in 1947 after Independence.

After Independence:

• She continued to work for the welfare of her people and for the Heraka faith.
• She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1982.
• She died on 17 February 1993.
• A postage stamp and a coin were issued in her honour; the Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum is being built in Manipur.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Ulgulan was Birsa Munda's movement; the Khasi and Kuki uprisings were other movements of north-east India.