On Teacher’s Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the legacy of Savitribai Phule, calling her an enduring inspiration for Viksit Bharat 2047. He underlined that women’s empowerment through education remains central to nation-building.

About Savitribai Phule (1831–1897)

• Born on January 3, 1831, in Naigaon, Maharashtra, into the Mali community.
• Married at a young age to Jyotirao Phule, a reformer who educated her at home.
• Became India’s first female teacher and later the first woman headmistress of a girls’ school.
• Died on March 10, 1897, after contracting plague while serving patients.

Key Contributions

• Education
  • First Girls’ School in India (1848): Founded at Bhidewada, Pune, with Jyotiba Phule.
  • Expansion of Education: Opened more schools for girls, Shudras, and Ati-Shudras across Pune.
  • Institutional Legacy: Pune University is named Savitribai Phule Pune University in her honour.
• Social Reform & Activism
  • Care for Marginalised Women: Established Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha (1853) to protect children of rape victims and prevent infanticide.
  • Opposition to Social Evils: Actively fought child marriage, sati, dowry system, and advocated widow remarriage.
  • Satyashodhak Samaj (1873): Jyotiba Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873, and his wife, Savitribai Phule, was a key figure in the organization, leading its women’s section and advocating for social equality and women’s education
  • Satyashodhak Marriage: She initiated the first Satyashodhak marriage, a marriage without a dowry, Brahmin priests or Brahminical rituals in 1873.
  • Relief Work: Provided assistance during the famine of 1896 and opened a clinic during the 1897 Bubonic plague.
• Women’s Empowerment Initiatives
• • Water Rights (1868):   Moved by the treatment of the untouchables, who were refused drinking water meant for the upper caste, the Phule couple opened the well in their own house in 1868 for these communities .
  • Shelter for Women (1864): Created refuge for destitute and widowed women.
  • Mother of Indian Feminism: Recognised as a beacon for women’s rights in India.
• Literary Contributions
• • Kavya Phule (1854): First collection of poems by a modern Marathi woman poet.
  • Other Works: Bhavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar.
  • Inspirational Poetry: “Go Get Education” encouraged marginalised communities to pursue education as a tool of empowerment.
    

Legacy

• Trailblazer in Education: Opened the path for women and backward classes in India to access education.
• Social Reformer: Her activism laid the foundation for modern social justice movements.
• National Recognition: Remembered as a pioneer of women’s empowerment and often hailed as the Mother of Indian Feminism.
• Inspiration for Viksit Bharat 2047: Her ideals of equality and education resonate with India’s developmental vision.
  

Values Embodied

• Egalitarianism: Advocated equality across caste, class, and gender.
• Justice: Worked against oppressive customs and for marginalised communities.
• Compassion & Courage: Devoted herself to plague victims despite personal risk.
• Conviction in Reform: Consistently challenged social orthodoxy and patriarchy.

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