Savitribai Phule

Savitribai Phule (; 3 January 1831 – 10 March 1897) was an Indian educator, social reformer, and poet, widely regarded as the first Indian female teacher. Along with her husband, Jyotirao Phule, she took a pivotal role in advancing women's rights and education in Maharashtra, leaving a legacy that continues to influence social reform movements across India. She is also considered a front runner of India's feminist movement. She worked to abolish discrimination and the unfair treatment of people based on caste and gender. Savitribai Phule and her husband were trailblazers in women's education in India. In 1848, together with Jyotirao and Sagunabai Kshirsagar, she established the first school for girls at the residence of Tatyasaheb Bhide, known as Bhide Wada in Pune, on a progressive syllabus of mathematics, science, and social studies, in spite of strong opposition from society. By 1851, they had established three girls' schools in Pune, with around 150 students. In total, the couple opened 18 schools. Later, she also co-founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (lit. 'Society of Truth Seekers') in 1873 and led its women's wing. Savitribai’s career was remarked by her relentless efforts in advancing education for girls and marginalized communities. Apart from opening schools, she and Jyotirao also started initiatives such as "Mahila Seva Mandal" in 1851 to promote women's rights and the "Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha", an infanticide prevention center for widows in 1853. Savitribai’s literary contributions include Kavya Phule (1854) and Bavan Kashi Subhodh Ratnakar (1892). She died of bubonic plague in 1897. Today her legacy as the “Mother of Modern Education in India” endures, commemorated through memorials, institutional names, and cultural representations.