A Letter to the Nightingale of India

Dear Sarojini Naidu ji,

 When I read about your life, you are not just a name in a history book. You are a living, fearless force — the heart of courage India needed. I am writing this letter because your words and actions, though from another time, still feel like a personal guide for me today.

Your poetry is incredible.

“Palanquin Bearers” has a perfect rhythm. You take a simple, ordinary moment and turn it into a beautiful, musical procession. It shows me that beauty is always present if we just look closely enough.

“In the Bazaars of Hyderabad” is my favourite because the colours and sounds burst off the page. The saffron, the bells, the energy — it feels like I am actually walking through that busy market.

“The Bird of Time” is the poem that truly pushes me. It is a powerful reminder that time moves fast. It urges us to be brave and chase our dreams before the chance slips away.

What inspires me most is the extraordinary way you balanced your life. Your poems are gentle and soft, while your work as a freedom fighter was fierce and powerful. You showed the world that a woman can be both compassionate and incredibly strong. That combination gives me so much confidence as I grow up.

I sometimes worry about my future — whether my ideas matter or whether I can really do something meaningful. Then I remember your journey: you began as a young girl writing poetry. You grew up to become the Nightingale of India and the first woman President of the Indian National Congress. Thinking of you always makes me believe that I can achieve anything.

If I could sit with you today, I would ask only two things:

1. How did you remain completely fearless when powerful people tried to silence your voice?
2. And how did you keep that bright, hopeful smile even while fighting so many difficult battles for India?

You constantly remind me that my dreams are not limited by my age or by being a girl. They are only limited when I allow fear to win.

Thank you for leaving behind words and a legacy that still fill students like me with courage and life.

Yours Sincerely

A student who holds your words close to her heart.

By: Lavanya

Class IX

Apeejay School, Rama Mandi