Sen was the daughter of the principal of the Mayo Arts College, Lahore. In 1938 she gained a masters in English literature from the Punjab University before commencing studies for a masters in political science. As a student she performed in theatre and at one time played Ophelia in the play Hamlet, at a time when Indian women did not typically act on stage. Her success on stage led to her being sought out for cinema. In 1938, while a student at Punjab University, at a session of the All-India Inter-University Debate, she was announced as the best speaker after she spoke against the proposal that India should not contribute to future wars. That debate won her the gold medal and Punjab University the Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee trophy.
Kalyani Sen (née Gupta), affectionately known as 'Babli',[1][2] was born around 1917, the only daughter of S. N. Gupta, an artist and the principal of the Mayo Arts College, Lahore,[1][3][4] and Mrs. Gupta, who later became a chief commander for the Women's Auxiliary Corps (India) WAC(I).[4] Her grandfather was the journalist Nagendranath Gupta.[3] She studied at Kinnaird College and Government College, both in Lahore.[5][6] At the 13th annual exhibition of the Punjab Fine Arts Society in 1935, she was listed as one of the prize winners.[7] At Government College, she performed in open air theatre,[8] and played Ophelia in the play Hamlet, at a time when Indian women did not typically act on stage.[9] Her success on stage led to her being sought out for cinema in then Calcutta.[9]
In 1938, she gained a masters in English literature from the Punjab University before commencing studies for a masters in political science.[5] There, she took part in debates including arguing against the notion that "sport is not in the domain of women."[10] In the same year at a session of the All-India Inter-University Debate, organised by the Calcutta University Law College union, she was announced as the best speaker after she spoke against the proposal "That India should be no party to future wars."[3] That debate won her the gold medal, and resulted in the Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee trophy going to Punjab University.[3]
Second World War
In 1943, during the Second World War, Sen joined the WAC(I).[4][a] The following year she received the King's commission as Second Officer.[13] In 1945, now an officer for the Women’s Royal Indian Naval Service (WRINS), she became the first Indian service woman to visit the UK, at the age of 28.[14][15] Along with Chief Officer Margaret I. Cooper and second officer Phyllis Cunningham, their purpose was to carry out a two month study of training and administration in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), by visiting WRNS establishments across Britain.[14][15] They arrived in the UK on 13 April of that year and attended a press conference that same day.[15] Sen made broadcasts from the BBC in English and Bengali, and attended a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.[5] She reported that "In India there is still a big prejudice against girls and women working with men… but the women are so keen to get into the Services that they are breaking it down."[14] On 3 July 1945, they left the UK to return to India.[16] At the time, her husband was serving with the Indian Army in Burma.[15]
^Wives of Royal Indian Navy (RIN) officers were first employed in 1939, at the onset of the Second World War, with the purpose of assisting in decoding secret messages.[11] The WAC(I) was created in 1942 and its naval section, WRINS, was formed in 1944.[12] It corresponded with the WRNS.[12]
^ abCinema Vision India. Vol. 1. S. Kak. 1980. But when Kalyani Gupta was sought for from the Punjab to play in a Calcutta film we felt that we were entering the stream of entertainment arts. At that time it must be remembered that hardly any woman had been allowed to appear on the stage or in the films.
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British India (1943-1945)