Adruti Laxmibai

Laxmibai was born on 12 October 1899 in Berhampur, India to Varahagiri Venkata Jogesh (father) and Varahagiri Sovama (mother). She was the younger sister of future Indian President V. V. Giri.[1] Laxmibai completed her secondary education in Berhampur and later joined the Theosophical Society in Kashi. She was a graduate from Dayacician College in Calcutta and went on to study medicine at Christian Medical College in Vellore. Ill health prevented her from completing medical studies, and she eventually returned to Berhampur. After her return, she was married to Adruti Venkateswar Rao of Rajahmundry. Her husband died within one year of their marriage and she returned to her parents' house in Berhampur.[1]

After the death of her husband, Laxmibai was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and participated in the Indian freedom movement, in which many of her family members were already involved. National leaders like Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Rajendra Prasad stayed at Giri's residence during their visits to the Berhampur district. She participated in activities such as boycotting foreign goods and picketing in front of liquor shops. Her participation in these activities led to her first arrest on 18 January 1932. The Chhatrapur Court sentenced her to one year imprisonment and a fine of 700 Indian rupees. She was later transferred to Vellore Central Prison and served one and a half years in prison.[1] In 1935, she served as the President for Ryots Mahasabha in Kulada, Ganjam. She was a prominent activist in the Khadi Movement and distributed khadis free of charge to the poor. She was also an active participant in the Quit India Movement of 1942. When India achieved independence, she was serving a sentence at a jail in Cuttack, where many notable freedom fighters were imprisoned during the swaraj movement.[1][2] A memorial to freedom fighters was inaugurated at the jail site by Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik on 23 January 2010, but the development appears to have stalled.[2]

Laxmibai served as an active member of the Indian National Congress in Odisha from 1930 to 1940. She took the roles of the Vice-President of the Ganjam district, the Congress Committee, and President of Berhampur town Congress. Laxmibai was elected to the Odisha Assembly without any opposition from the Brahmapur Assembly Constituency in the first general elections of 1937, and continued as MLA consecutively until 1953.[1] From 29 May 1946 to 20 February 1952 Laxmibai held the positions of Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.[1][3]