Margaret Noble, known and loved in India as Sister Nivedita, was born on 28th August 1968, in a small town in Norhern Ireland. She met Swami Vivekanand in London in 1895. That was the turning point of her life. That great man of religion kindled in her a yearning for India and its ancient spirituality. The call of the east bore fruitfor Margaret Noble in January, 1898 when she arrived in India. She was associated closely with Swami Vivekanand and the Ramkrishna Mission. She was mainly engaged during this time in running a school for girls and young women at Bagh Bazar in Calcutta. She also drank deep in the lore of ancient India. She was particularly drawn to godhead as the Divine Mother, an unmistakable influence of her gure, Swami Vivekanand. She adopted Indian customs and habits and become imbued with the real spirit of India.

India became her adopted home, and not only in the religious sense. After the death of Swami Vivekanand in July, 1902, she was not as closely sociated with the Ramkrishna Mission, although her veneration for the preceptor remained unabated. Her fiery spirit was no longer willing to be confined to her cloistered home at Bagh Bazar. The political turmoil of the day could not affect her. She attended the Banaras session of the Congress in 1905. Her writings and speeches attracted wide notice. She even became friendly with the Indian revolutionaries. Her passion for justice was such that her sympathies always lay with those fighting for a cause, in whatever manner the fight was carried on.

Her activities drew the attention of the British Raj which she had to elude for a time under an assuned name. Her tempestous career apparently told upon her health and she passed away in October, 1911, at the early age of fourty-four.ers was a versatile genius. She counted among her friends and asociates such diverse personalities as Gokhale, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindranath Tagore, Jagdish Chandra Bose and the artist Nandalal Bose. True to her name of Nivedita which Swami Vivekanad had bestowed upon her, she was indeed the dedicated one and she played her full part in spiritual and political regeneration of India.

A greatful nation is celebrating Sister Nivedita's Centenary year; and the P. & T. Department counts it a privilage to mark the occasion by printing out a commemorativr stamp in her honour.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India