Ratnamali Jema, the princess of Kujang was born on 20 September 1916 in Paradeepgarh in Jagatsinghpur district to Narendra Bahadur Sendha and Bhagwati Pata Mahadei. Before 1868, Kujang was a rich estate of the Sendha dynasty deriving handsome revenue from agriculture and sea trade. But due to the rebellious nature of its zamindars and their continuous debt, the British government sold the estate in an auction in 1868 to the Queen of Bardhaman. Thereafter though the royal family of Kujang was dispossessed of their estate, they were still respected by the people of the estate.
Princess Ratnamali Jema and her father, therefore, enjoyed great respect by their people. For her education, her father had engaged a private tutor Duryodhan Pattnaik who himself was a follower of Gandhi and later took part in the freedom struggle. Ratnamali was inspired by him and developed a passion to fight against British rule. Her journey to freedom struggle started in 1930 with her participation in Salt Satyagraha in the seaside village of Kaliapata, and Panchapali goda not far from Kujang. She participated in the satyagraha along with her mother and Rama Devi.
In 1932, she married Narayan Birabar Samanta who also played an active role in the freedom struggle in the Kujang area. In 1938, she and her husband went to Gandhi Seva Sangha in Delang to meet Mahatma Gandhi which according to her was the most unforgettable moment of her life. Being inspired by him he led a group of Dalits to enter into Pareswar temple in Nimadiha village. She also participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942 along with her husband who was arrested and lodged in Hazaribagh jail from 1942 to 1944. After independence, she participated in Binoba Bhave’s bhoodan movement and pursued many landlords to donate land to the landless poor. She also fought for the fishing rights of local fishermen in Kujang. To finance this movement she sold her ornaments. She was also elected to Odisha Legislative Assembly in 1962.
Just in the last phase of her life she lamented that before independence they were the slaves of the Britishers, but after they left they were replaced by corrupt politicians and bureaucrats who were only interested in themselves. She passed away on 29 January 2014.