Savitribai Phule Receiving British Accolades

Savitribai Phule was a trailblazer in providing education for girls and for ostracized portions of society. She became the first female teacher in India (1848) and opened a school for girls with her husband, Jyotirao Phule. She went on to establish a shelter (1864) for destitute women and played a crucial role in grooming Jyotirao Phule’s pioneering institution, Satyashodhak Samaj, (1873) that fought for equality of all classes. Her life is heralded as a beacon of women’s rights in India. She is often referred to as the mother of Indian feminism.

Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed. She was declared to be the best teacher in the state by the British government in 1852. She received further praise from the government in 1853 for her work in the field of education.