Perin Captain

Perin Ben Captain (1888–1958) was an Indian freedom activist, social worker, and the grand daughter of renowned Indian intellectual and leader, Dadabhai Naoroji. The Government of India honoured her in 1954 with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for her contributions to the country, placing her among the first group of recipients of the award.

Biography Perin Ben was born on 12 October 1888 in Mandvi, in Kutch district, in the Indian state of Gujarat, in a Parsi family. Born as the eldest of eight children, she lost her father in 1893 when she was only 5 years old and did her early education in Mumbai. Later, she joined University of Paris III: Sorbonne Nouvelle, from where she secured a degree in French. While in Paris, she came into the circle of Bhikaiji Cama and started participating in their activities. It is reported that she was involved with the plan to release Vinayak Damodar Savarkar after his arrest in London. During this time, she attended the Egyptian National Congress at Brussels in 1910 along with Savarkar She was also involved with the Polish émigré organisations based in Paris, which were revolting against the Czarist rule in Russia.

Perin married Dhunjisha S. Captain, a lawyer, in 1925, Perin Captain was included in the first list of awardees for Padma Shri.