About
Annie Besant, born Wood in London in 1847, was a committed orator and writer. After separating from her clergyman husband, she campaigned for birth control and socialism, before turning to Theosophy in 1890. Settled in India, she founded the Central Hindu College and the All-India Home Rule League. First female president of the Indian National Congress in 1917, she worked for India's independence and women's emancipation.
* 1847-10-01 — † 1933-09-20
Major works
- The Law of Population (1877)pamphlet
- The Ancient Wisdom (1898)essay
- Esoteric Christianity (1901)essay
- Thought Forms (1901)essay
- Autobiography (1893)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1877Prosecuted at the Old Bailey for publishing a birth-control pamphlet.
- 1888Organized the London matchgirls' strike.
- 1917Elected first female president of the Indian National Congress.
Themes
women's rightsIndian independenceTheosophysocialismfreedom of thought
Sources: britannica.com · inc.in · secularism.org.uk