Tetary was born in 1856 in Moniar, Patna (Former British India) and was raised as a Muslim. She was divorced at a young age and was known to defend women who had been badly treated by their husband.[3]
On 11 September 1880, Tetary and her 10-year-old son Boodhoo signed contracts in India to labour overseas. They were indentured to Plantation Zorg en Joop near the Commewijne River in Suriname, which was under Dutch control as a plantation colony.[4]
In 1884, Tetary lead the collective labour resistance of a group of "Hindustani" indentured servants against exploitation, after planters filed a petition to the colonial administration to change penal ordinances. They also protested about the low wages and difficult tasks they were given on the sugar plantation.[5] When the military and police were called in to put down their rebellion, she mobilised women to fight armed with stones and bottles they had collected.[5]
She was murdered by policemen, allegedly on the advice of the colonial official Barnet Lyon,[6] dying from a shot to the back of her head at close range on 26 September 1884.[5] Six other indentured labourers were also killed.
