On Savitribai Phule Jayanti, let’s know some Achievements of one of the 1st Published Women in India

Savitribai Phule Jayanti: Today is the birth anniversary of the famous social reformer, Savitribai Phule. She was born on 3 January 1831 in Naigon, Maharashtra. On her birthday let’s see her tremendous contribution to the social reforms and women upliftment in India. 

Who is Savitribai Phule?

Savitribai Phule was an eminent Indian social reformer, educationist, and poet. He has made exceptional contributions in educating women and uplifting lower-caste people during the British era. She was married in childhood to Jyotirao Govindrao Phule. Jyotirao later became an avid social activist and anti-caste social reformer. He taught Savitribai, making her one of the few literate women of her time in India. 

Phule was the first female teacher in the country. The couple started the first indigenously run school for girls in Pune at Bhide Wada. She built a total of 18 schools. She worked in various social activities like the emancipation and education of women, the eradication of gender bias and untouchability. 

Tribute to the great warrior of women empowerment and dignity of the oppressed community, on the birth anniversary of Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule, the first female teacher of India. pic.twitter.com/PNbtAFd4fo

— Mission Ambedkar (@MissionAmbedkar) January 3, 2022

 

She also worked toward female infanticide and fought against child marriage. She objected to the practice of “sati-pratha”.  Her relentless efforts  in preventing the burning of widows on the pyre  made her set up the ‘Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha.’ She headed the women’s section of the ‘Satyashodhak Samaj’ founded by Jyotirao for educating and enhancing the social and political rights of the underprivileged.

Achievements of Savitribai Phule in India

• Phule, along with B. R. Ambedkar and Annabhau Sathe has become an iconic figure for the upliftment of backward classes. 

• Her husband,  Jotirao founded the social reform society named the ‘Satyashodhak Samaj’ in Pune on September 24, 1873. Later on, Savitribai became the Society of  Women's Section head. After the death of Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai became the chairperson of Satyashodak Samaj in 1890.

• The first ‘Satyashodhak’(no-dowry)marriage was initiated by Savitribai. 

• Phule is the founder of India’s first school for girls called Bhide Wada in Pune in 1948.

• Savitribai Phule is one of the first published women in modern India. Her poems like “Kavya Phule” and “Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar” were published in 1934 and 1982 respectively.

• She advocated and spread values such as humanism, liberty, equality, brotherhood, and the importance of education in society.

Savitribai Phule, the social reformer who is considered one of India’s first female educationists, did not just preach the importance of education & equality, she lived it. Today, on her 191st birth anniversary, let's celebrate this crusader of gender justice #MyGovMorningMusings pic.twitter.com/vt6yBqKJsm

— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) January 3, 2022