NEWS

Birth anniversary of Savitri Bai Phule  celebrated

ABOUT

• Born in Naigaon in Maharashtra on January 3, 1831
• Widely regarded as one of India’s first generation modern feminists for her significant contributions in ensuring equal education opportunities under the British raj.
• Became the first female teacher in India in 1848
• Opened a school for girls along with her husband, social reformer Jyotirao Phule.
• Worked against discrimination based on caste-based identity
• Established a shelter for widows in 1854 , which later accommodated destitute women and child brides cast aside by their families by 1864
• Played a pivotal role in directing the work of the Satyashodhak Samaj, formed by her husband with the objective to achieve equal rights for the marginalised lower castes.
• Opened a clinic in 1897 for victims of the bubonic plague that spread across Maharashtra just before the turn of the century.
• Set up “Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha”.
• In her honour, University of Pune was renamed Savitribai Phule University in 2014.