Nagendra Bala (born 13 September 1926; died 2010 September 2010, Kota, Rajasthan) was a famous women freedom fighter of India. She was the first woman to become a district head in the country. She also held the post of MLA twice. She played an active role in the farmers’ movement from 1941 to 1945. Nagendra Bala was the first woman from Hadauti region of Rajasthan who spread national consciousness among women. She was always associated with women’s welfare work.
Nagendra Bala was born on 13 September 1926. She was the granddaughter of the famous revolutionary Kesari Singh Barhat and niece of Pratap Singh Barhat. From the very beginning, she had a special interest in works like public service, politics and women empowerment.[2]
Nagendra Bala took part in the freedom movement of 1942 with great enthusiasm. On the demise of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, she came to Kota with an urn of ashes from Delhi and immersed his ashes in the Chambal river. After the implementation of the Panchayati Raj system, Nagendra Bala became the first district head of Kota in 1960. She was the first woman to become a district head in the country. After being the district head for two years, Nagendra Bala was an MLA from Chhabda-Shahabad from 1962 to 1967 and from Digod from 1972 to 1977.[2]
She was the President of the Social Welfare Board from 1982 to 1988 and was also a member of the State Women’s Commission. Nagendra Bala, who participated in the padyatra with Vinoba Bhave, also established the Karni Nagar Vikas Samiti in Kota and provided his family’s land for the committee’s building. Nagendra Bala died in September 2010 at the age of 84. His funeral was held with full state honors at the Kishorpura Muktidham in Kota, Rajasthan.