: The Forgotten ‘Rani Ma’ of Farmers Who Was Once Set to Represent India at Olympics #IndiaNEWS #History Trigger warning: This story contains mentions of sexual assault, abuse In her childhood,

The Forgotten ‘Rani Ma’ of Farmers Who Was Once Set to Represent India at Olympics #IndiaNEWS #History
Trigger warning: This story contains mentions of sexual assault, abuse

In her childhood, Ila Mitra was a recurring face in local Bengali dailies for her achievements as an athlete. Born to a well-to-do family, she was encouraged from a young age by her father to pursue her dream to be an acclaimed sportswoman in undivided India.

For a while, it seemed like that was indeed where her future would head, given that in 1940, she was qualified to compete in the Olympics.

Instead, fate would have it another way, and her life took a surprising pivot.

In the history of undivided Bengal, Ila is better recognised today as Rani Ma, or queen mother, of peasant farmers in the region, and for her monumental role in the Tebhaga Uprising. Hers is a story that’s turbulent, heartbreaking, and inspiring at the same time. And above all, worthy of being told and heard.

Ila’s promising athletic career

Born in 1925 in Calcutta (Kolkata), Ila was the eldest of six children. Her father, Nagendranath Sen, the Accountant General of Bengal, encouraged her to engage in basketball, swimming, and track. From 1937 onwards, she was a well-recognised name in the region for her sports abilities.

It is said that the proud father would take her for swimming practice and escort her to several track competitions all through the city, while managing his office schedule. He even kept a scrapbook of her achievements, filled with newspaper clippings that celebrated her.

In 1937 and 1938, she earned junior championship titles for girls in Bengal from the sports club Jatiya Juba Sangha. Counted among the best athletes of the Bengal presidency, she had collected over 47 trophies by this time.

Her big break was to come in 1940 when the world was preparing for the 12th Olympics. Ila was 15 and being considered for the contingent that would represent British India. However, this golden opportunity would never arrive — the games were cancelled owing to World War II.

Ila Mitra with her medals. All photos courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Meanwhile, after completing her schooling from Bethune School, Ila went on to pursue a degree from Bethune School. Shortly thereafter, her marriage was arranged to Ramendranath Mitra, who belonged to a zamindar family and worked with the Communist Party of India.

“When I got admission in Bethune College, I joined the Girl Students Committee — there we began to discuss Marxism,�? Ila said in Kavita Panjabi’s book Unclaimed Harvest. “We did this secretly. Gradually, through my relief work, I became a party member. �?

She joined the Communist Party of India’s (CPI) Mahila Atma Raksha Samiti (MARS), which was formed in 1942 to protect women from being trafficked to Allied Forcep�&H��Y�ˈ