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Savitribai Phule death anniversary: 10 facts about India's first woman teacher

• By media24x7news
• 2023-03-10
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Savitribai Phule - an Indian social reformer, educationalist, and poet from Maharashtra - passed away on March 10, 1897, battling the bubonic plague.

Savitribai Phule - an Indian social reformer, educationalist, and poet from Maharashtra - passed away on March 10, 1897, battling the bubonic plague. Hailed as the country’s first modern feminist, Phule was India's first female teacher.

Here are 10 facts about Savitribai Phule:

1. Born on January 3, 1831, in Maharashtra’s Naigaon village, she was the eldest daughter of Lakshmi and Khandoji Neveshe Patil. At the age of 9, Phule was married to 13-year-old Jyotirao Phule - who was one of the greatest social reformers of Maharashtra.

2. Known as the country's first revolutionary feminist, Savitribai learnt reading and writing and soon started teaching girls in Maharwada in Pune with Sagunabai - who was her husband Jyotirao's mentor.

3. Soon, Phule, along with her husband, started India’s first school for girls at Bhide Wada in 1848. The curriculum of the school was based on western education and included mathematics, science and social studies. By 1851, Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule were running three schools in Pune with a combined strength of approximately 150 girls - despite resistance from the then society.

4. Savitribai Phule also fought against dowry and other social evils that obstruct women's empowerment.

5. Phule also started teaching women and children from downtrodden castes including Mang and Mahar who were considered untouchables. The husband-wife duo opened 18 schools for children of different castes. She and her husband established two educational trusts - the Native Female School, Pune, and the Society for Promoting the Education of Mahars, Mangs and others.

6. In 1852, the British government honoured the Phule family for their contribution towards education and named Savitribai as the best teacher. In 1855, the couple started a night school for farmers and labourers.

7. In 1863, Jyotirao and Savitribai started the first-ever infanticide prohibition home in India called Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha - which helped pregnant Brahmin widows and rape victims deliver children.

8. Savitribai also wrote two books - Kavya Phule in 1854 and Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar in 1892 - which are compilations of her poems.

9. Savitribai organised a barbers’ strike in Mumbai and Pune to protest the custom of shaving the heads of widows.

10. Savitribai and her husband never had any children but adopted a boy - Yashwantrao.