A look at the life of Savitribai Phule, India's first female teacher, on the occasion of her 192nd birthday.

Savitribai Phule was a pioneering social reformer in India who fought for the rights of women and marginalized communities in the 19th century. She is known for her activism in the fields of education and women's rights, as well as her efforts to combat the caste system and promote social equality.

Savitribai was born into a poor, lower-caste family on 3rd January 1831 in the village of Naigaon in Maharashtra. She was married at a young age to Jyotirao Phule, who was also a social reformer and activist. Together, they worked to challenge the social and cultural norms of the time, which suppressed the rights and freedoms of women and lower castes. Despite facing significant barriers and discrimination due to her caste and gender, she managed to receive an education and became one of the first female teachers in India. She used her education and platform to speak out against the oppressive caste system and advocate for the rights of women and marginalized communities.

One of Savitribai's major contributions was the establishment of the first school for girls in India in 1848. This was a significant step in a society where education for girls was not encouraged, and many girls were not even allowed to attend school. Savitribai and Jyotirao also started a home for pregnant widows, who were often shunned by society.

In addition to her work in education, Savitribai was also an important voice in the women's rights movement in India. She was one of the first women to publicly speak out against the practice of child marriage and advocated for the rights of widows, who were often mistreated and marginalized in Indian society. Savitribai's activism and social reform efforts had a lasting impact on India and continue to be celebrated today. She is remembered as a pioneer in the fight for social justice and equality, and her legacy lives on through the many organizations and initiatives that continue her work.

Savitribai's activism and efforts to bring social change earned her many enemies, and she faced a great deal of backlash and persecution. However, her tireless efforts and dedication to justice and equality inspired many others to join the cause and fight for social reform.

Today, Savitribai is remembered as a pioneer of women’s education in India. Her legacy lives on through the many social reform movements that have followed in her footsteps, and she is celebrated as a symbol of hope and inspiration for all those who seek to bring about positive change in the world.

“Be self-reliant, be industrious
Work, gather wisdom and riches,
All gets lost without knowledge
We become animal without wisdom,
Sit idle no more, go, get education
End misery of the oppressed and forsaken,
You’ve got a golden chance to learn
So learn and break the chains of caste.
Throw away the Brahman’s scriptures fast.”

-       Savitribai Phule, 1854

It is one of many poems Phule wrote to encourage the downtrodden to educate themselves and break free from caste-based oppression.