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 Protestant priest of Scottish descent, and Mary Isabel Hamilton. 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, in social work and in freedom movement, in close collaboration with Vivekananda, who gave her the name Sister Nivedita. 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: The Web of Indian Life. 305 p. L. 1904; Cradle Tales of Hinduism. 15+343 p. L. 1907; The Master as I knew him. 1910; 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.