Rajkumari Singh was born on October 13 in the year 1923 and lived a legendary life up to the years 1979. Seawar describes Rajkumari Singh as an Indo-Caribbean, a revolutionary Guyanese writer, educator, cultural leader as well as political activist (3). Seawar states that Rajkumari never embraced the identification of a ‘feminist’ although she stands as the Indian Woman who was first who originated from the Caribbean. Seawar says that Rajkumari Singh significantly contributed towards the fight for women empowerment in her part of the world (4). Furthermore, Rajkumari Singh, she established substantial advancements in the culture of the Guyanese national integrations at the same time greatly upholding her Indian culture in the entire process of moulding the new world (Seawar 4).
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According to In Hossein and In Outar, Rajkumari Singh went through numerous challenges throughout her life (5). Rajkumari Singh contracted polio at the age of six, but this was just one of her first challenges in her early life. In Hossein and In Outar points out that she fought all her obstacles and made significant contributions towards Guyana’s cultural as well as political life (7). Furthermore, Rajkumari Singh’s children have held on to her legend expanding her work as well as thriving through Rajkumari Cultural Center located in New York, Richmond Hill (In Hossein and In Outar 7).
Seawar mentions that Rajkumari Singh was brought up in Georgetown, in a devout activist home (5). Rajkumari Singh’s mother Alice Bhagwandai Singh was born in a place known as Suriname. While her father Dr Jung Bahadur Singh was born in a place called West Bank Demerara, Goed Fortuin (Seawar 5). Both of Rajkumari’s parents were both immigrants from India, who migrated to the Caribbean, who got married in 1912 through a process of three different ceremonies: a Hindu, civil as well as Christian ceremony (Trotman 16).
Donnell and Lawson state that in the year 1929, Rajkumari’s mother successfully produced Savitri, and achieved a great foundation of the British Guiana Dramatic Society (35). Furthermore, she was an active influence and power behind various projects of social welfare. According to Donnell and Lawson, Rajkumari’s mother was a legendary member of the YWCA, Red Cross, as well as the Dharm Shala (35). In addition, she often visited the prisons to serve. Donnell and Lawson further state that in the year1936 Rajkumari’s mother was the successful founder of the Balak Sahaita Mandalee; this was a well-known organization dealing with children’s welfare by providing training as well as education for the children in dire need in Eastern India (35). Nevertheless, Rajkumari’s mother achieved the MBE award.
Rajkumari’s father completed his education in medicine and graduated in the year 1919 from the Edinburgh University and began his medical practitioner career working in the transportation ships of Caribbean immigrants heading to India after the completion of their contracts of indentureship (Donnell and Lawson 35). Later on in the year 1920, Rajkumari’s father became the SS Madian medical superintendent; and in the year 1938, he became the SS Ganges surgeon superintendent on SS Ganges (Donnell and Lawson 35).
In Hosein and In Outar mention that both of Rajkumari’s parents were involved in politically induced activities during their professional careers (10). Therefore creating an environment that significantly influenced Rajkumari who then established legendary reputation through her innovativeness, creativeness, the multi-talented producer, playwright, broadcaster, songwriter, director, poet, as well as the cultural activist (In Hosein and In Outar 10).
Seawar states that Rajkumari became an Indian cultural programmes presenter as well as announcer Radio Demerara (25). Rajkumari became an active member of the British Guiana Dramatic Society where she left a mark with Gitangali play (Seawar 25). Rajkumari successfully published six of her short stories all in the ‘A Garland of Stories’.
Rajkumari pathed back to tackling issues in the cultural sphere all in the years around 1970. Therefore she focused on literary related activities as well as broadcasting. As the years went by Rajkumari landed amongst the list of the first Indo-Guyanese women writers who were dedicated to openly speaking about gender as well as ethnic issues that the Indo-Caribbean women are faced with (Trotman 23). Rajkumari later achieved the position of Heritage’s editor, which was a literary booklet. Furthermore, According to Trotman (23), Rajkumari became Messenger Group’s leader where she focused on mentoring Guyana potential talent, giving rise to some legendary figure of the era of post-independence era.
According to Trotman (23), Rajkumari’s passions in arts led to the creation and establishment of Guyana’s post-independence society. Rajkumari strived to educate her community on the opportunities the arts held that should be thoroughly explored. Therefore, in the year 1972, she became a member of the Guyana National Service.
This step, however, brought up so many controversial views from her people but she held on it with certain objectives she wanted to achieve. Moreover, with her leadership in the place, she enables the Guyanese from African ancestry to understand and considerably demystify the Guyana aesthetics within Indian ancestry (Trotman 23). She remained a relentless culture corps defender fighting to turn GNS into a better entity with appropriate founding ideals.
Rajkumari Singh remains a hero of Guyanese culture hero, who brought to light the importance of exploring the history and celebrating the various histories as well as ethnic and racial communities.
Works Cited
Donnell, A., & Lawson, W. S. (1996). The Routledge reader in Caribbean literature. London: Routledge.
In Hosein, G., & In Outar, L. (2016). Indo-Caribbean feminist thought: Genealogies, theories, enactments. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Searwar, L. (1996). They came in ships: An anthology of Indo-Guyanese prose and poetry. Leeds, England: Peepal Tree.
Trotman, D. A. B. (1968). Voices of Guyana: An anthology. Georgetown? Guyana: International P.E.N.
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