NOBLE, Margaret Elizabeth (Sister Nivedita). Dungannon, county Tyrone 28.10.1867 — Darjeeling 13.10.1911. Irish follower of Vivekananda. No scholar. Daughter of Samuel Richmond Noble (d. 1877), a linen draper, later Protestant priest, of Scottish descent, and Mary Isabel Hamilton. In 1871-77 in England, after father’s death back to Ireland and educated at Halifax College. Worked as teacher in Ireland (Keswick) and Wales (Wrexham), then in Chester and London. In 1895 she met Vivekananda in London and 1898 went to India. Stationed in Calcutta she worked as teacher (opened a school for girls in 1898), in social work and in freedom movement, in close collaboration with Vivekananda, who gave her the name Sister Nivedita. She was initiated by Vivekananda as Brahmacharya in 1898, but never a Sannyasa. In 1899-1901 travelled in Europe and the U.S.A. collecting funds.After Vivekananda’s death (1902) she became “a passionate advocate of Indian nationalism” (Hayes). In 1905 moved to Darjeeling, in 1907-09 and 1910-11 again toured in Europe and U.S.A. lecturing and collecting funds. Unmarried (in the late 1880s she was engaged to be married, but the bridegroom died).
Publications: Kali the Mother. L. 1900; The Web of Indian Life. 305 p. L. 1904; Cradle Tales of Hinduism. 15+343 p. L. 1907; The Master as I knew him. 514+30 p. L. 1910; Studies from an Eastern Home. 43+213 p. L. 1913; other books and many articles.
– With A. K. Coomaraswamy: Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists. L. 1913.
Sources: M. Hayes, D.I.B. 6, 939f.; Wikipedia: long article with several photos and many references.
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