Savitribai Phule death anniversary: Social reformer who became India's first female teacher

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Savitribai Phule is widely regarded as India's first female teacher, social reformer, poetess, and feminist icon. She was born on January 3, 1831, in Naigaon, Satara District, Maharashtra. She was a staunch advocate of education for girls and spoke about it widely. She, along with her husband Jyotirao Phule who was also a social reformer, started the first school for girls in India more than 170 years ago. 

They went on to open 18 more such schools. 'University of Pune' was renamed 'Savitribai Phule Pune University' in 2014 to honour her contributions towards promoting education for women especially for those belonging to marginalized communities.

Savitribai faced a lot of resistance from the orthodox section of society for her revolutionary work. It is said she carried an extra saree while travelling to school because conservatives would hurl stones, cow dung and verbal abuses at her to create hurdles in her path. 

Her own father-in-law asked Phule and her husband to move out of his house as he considered their work to be 'sinful' according to Brahmanical texts.

She was a prolific author and poet and wrote extensively about women’s issues. She also fought against injustices and oppression of women. 

She set up a care center called 'Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha' for rape victims and pregnant women and would help with their deliveries. She strongly opposed Sati and set up a home for widows to help them. 

She also established the 'Satyashodhak Samaj', a social reform society to break the hegemony of Brahmins in the social and political sphere. This society would work towards organising less expensive weddings, inter-caste marriages and advocated the rights of widows to remarry and end child marriage. 

She also initiated a ‘Mahila Seva Mandal’ to raise awareness about women’s issues. After living a life dedicated to the upliftment of women, Phule passed away on March 10, 1897, after being infected by the bubonic plague.

Her efforts have been recognised by the government on various occasions. In 1998 a stamp was launched by the India Post in honour of Phule. The Pune City Corporation created a memorial for her in 1983. 

Various political leaders like the Union Education Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to pay their respects to the female icon on her death anniversary:

उन्होंने देश में बालिकाओं के लिए पहला विद्यालय खोला तथा स्त्री शिक्षा के लिए संघर्ष करती रहीं। उनका बोया बीज आज विशाल पेड़ बन चुका है, हमारी बेटियाँ वैज्ञानिक बनने से लेकर लड़ाकू विमान उड़ाने तक का कार्य कर रही हैं। ऐसी महान विभूति सावित्रीबाई फुले जी की पुण्यतिथि पर शत्-शत् नमन। pic.twitter.com/ej3xNI2pQJ — Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) March 10, 2021

नारी सशक्तिकरण की अप्रतिम प्रतीक, महान समाज सुधारिका, आधुनिक भारत की प्रथम महिला शिक्षिका एवं वंचित वर्गों की शिक्षा और समानता की प्रबल समर्थक क्रांतिज्योति सावित्रीबाई फुले जी को उनकी पुण्यतिथि पर विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि।

आपका आदर्श जीवन सम्पूर्ण सभ्यता के लिए एक महान प्रेरणा है। — Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) March 10, 2021

स्त्री शिक्षणासाठी आपले जीवन समर्पित करणाऱ्या देशातील पहिल्या महिला शिक्षिका सावित्रीबाई फुले यांच्या पुण्यतिथीनिमित्त विनम्र अभिवादन — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 10, 2021