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Usha Mehta Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 16, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth25 March 1920

Age80 Years

BirthplaceSaras village near Surat, Gujarat, India

ProfessionActivist and Professor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Hariprasad Mehta; Mother - Gheliben Mehta; had an elder brother; nephews include filmmaker Ketan Mehta

Usha Mehta Biography

Usha Mehta was a Gandhian, independence activist and long-serving academic best known for running an underground radio during the 1942 Quit India Movement.

Early life and background

Usha Mehta was born on 25 March 1920 in Saras village near Surat, Gujarat. Her father, Hariprasad Mehta, served as a district-level judge under the British administration and her mother, Gheliben Mehta, was a homemaker. The family later moved to Bombay after her father's retirement. Mehta received her school education in Kheda and Bharuch and then at Chandaramji High School in Bombay. She completed a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1939 and later earned a degree in political science from Wilson College, Bombay.

From an early age Mehta was exposed to Gandhian ideas and participated in local protests as a child. She recalled encounters with Mahatma Gandhi and took part in activities tied to the independence movement, including picketing and supporting the Salt Satyagraha. Her involvement in political activity deepened through the 1930s and into the 1940s as the movement against British rule intensified.

Career

Mehta is most widely remembered for her central role in creating and operating an underground broadcast known as the Secret Congress Radio during the Quit India Movement. When the Congress leadership was arrested in 1942, she and a small group of associates set up the clandestine station to relay speeches, announcements and reports that mainstream newspapers were unable or unwilling to publish. The station began broadcasting on 27 August 1942 and changed locations frequently to avoid detection. Programming initially aired twice daily in Hindi and English and later settled into a single evening broadcast.

The secret radio carried reports and announcements related to major episodes of the period, including a Japanese air raid in Chittagong, a prolonged strike at the Tata Iron and Steel Company in Jamshedpur, and reports on violent confrontations in Ashti and Chimur. Mehta’s first on-air words identified the transmission as Congress radio broadcasting from "somewhere in India." The station operated only a handful of extended periods of broadcasting before a tip from a technician led to the arrest of Mehta and her colleagues on 12 November 1942.

Mehta spent time in confinement and was subsequently sentenced to four years at Yeravda Jail in Pune, although she suffered health problems that required hospitalisation during her imprisonment. She was released in March 1946 on the order of the interim government’s home minister.

After independence, Mehta pursued academic work. She submitted a dissertation on Gandhian political and social thought and completed a PhD at the University of Bombay. She then served the university for about three decades in roles that included assistant professor, lecturer, professor and head of the department of civics and politics. She retired from Bombay University in 1980.

Public profile

Usha Mehta continued to engage with Gandhian institutions and public life after her academic career. She headed the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi and the Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi, and she was involved with the internal affairs of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Over the years she authored books and articles in English and Gujarati reflecting on political movements and Gandhian thought; titles she wrote include works on experiments in governance, women voters, Gandhi’s contribution to women’s emancipation, and essays on Gandhi and humanism.

Mehta remained a thoughtful critic of post‑independence India. In interviews she expressed disappointment that many of the social and economic aims associated with Gandhi’s vision—such as minimizing unemployment and reducing social divisions—had not been fully achieved.

Latest updates

Usha Mehta died on 11 August 2000 in Mumbai at the age of 80. In 1998 she was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours, in recognition of her public service and contributions. Her role in the Quit India Movement and the Secret Congress Radio continues to be a prominent part of her legacy.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Usha Mehta, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Mahatma Gandhi and Humanism

A work reflecting on Gandhi's ideas and their humanistic aspects, published in 2000.

2000
Gandhi’s Contribution to the Emancipation of Women

A study on Gandhi's influence on women's rights, published in 1991.

1991
The 1977-80 Experiment

A book published in 1981 about political experiments of the late 1970s.

1981
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Career Highlights

  1. Organiser and broadcaster of the Secret Congress Radio during the 1942 Quit India Movement
  2. Imprisoned and later released by order of the interim government in 1946
  3. Headed the department of civics and politics at the University of Bombay and served the university for roughly 30 years
  4. Led the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi and the Gandhi Peace Foundation
  5. Recipient of the Padma Vibhushan in 1998
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Usha Mehta born?

Usha Mehta was born on 25 March 1920.

What is Usha Mehta known for?

Usha Mehta is known for activist and Professor.

What is Usha Mehta’s marital status?

Usha Mehta's marital status is listed as Unmarried.