National Women’s Day 2026: Date, History, Significance, And Inspiring Quotes To Honour Womanhood

Although many are aware of the women’s empowerment celebrations through the global event in March, Women’s Day is a separate celebration. Unlike other countries, this celebration falls on different dates. In India, this celebration occurs on 13th February and aims at celebrating the ‘Nightingale of India.’ In other countries, like South Africa, this event occurs on 9th August. In this article, you will get to know about National Women’s Day date, history, and the significance of the day.

National Women’s Day 2026 Date

In India, National Women’s Day 2026 is marked on Friday, 13th February 2026.

National Women’s Day History

The history of this day is linked to the life of Sarojini Naidu, born on February 13, 1879. She was a child prodigy, freedom fighter, and world-renowned poet, a cornerstone in the Indian independence movement. In 1925, she was the first Indian woman to be appointed as the President of the Indian National Congress. She went ahead, after independence, to become the first woman Governor in the United Provinces, now Uttar Pradesh.

She was an important figure in both the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement, having been very frequently involved with Mahatma Gandhi during those time periods. Referred to as the ‘Nightingale of India’, her-poetry, such as in The Golden Threshold, combined lyrical grace with the message of social reform.

National Women’s Day Significance

The importance of National Women’s Day cannot be confined to just a birthday celebration; it is also an opportunity to look back on the growth of women’s rights.

It continues to keep the legacy of Sarojini Naidu alive by encouraging young girls to take up leadership and literary roles. It has also become a day to talk about change from the traditional roles of women to their current roles of leadership in STEM fields, sports, and governance. In addition, in 2026, it will focus on the need for equal justice and equal laws, noting that there is still a journey to full gender parity. It creates a distinction between the unique experiences of Indian women and the rest of the world with regard to International Women’s Day.

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National Women’s Day Quotes

• "A country's greatness lies in its undying ideals of love and sacrifice that inspire the mothers of the race." — Sarojini Naidu

• "We want deeper sincerity of motive, a greater courage in speech, and earnestness in action." — Sarojini Naidu

• "I am not ready to die because it requires infinitely greater courage to live." — Sarojini Naidu

• "If you want to do something, what does it matter where you are ranked? Nor does being a woman make a difference." — Kalpana Chawla

• "To be liberated, a woman must feel free to be herself, not in rivalry to man but in the context of her own capacity." — Indira Gandhi

• "Don't try to squeeze into a glass slipper. Instead, shatter the glass ceiling." — Priyanka Chopra

• "Success is sweeter when you lift others along the way." — Sudha Murty

• "Empowered women who reach tough positions make choices, not sacrifices." — Kiran Bedi

• "The beauty of sisterhood lies in lifting each other, even when the world attempts to pull us down." — Indra Nooyi

• "Sense of freedom is the essence of life. If you are not free, you are not alive." — Sarojini Naidu

Image credits: Freepik

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