The country is celebrating the Birth anniversary of social reformer and activitst Savithri Bai Phule  on 3rd January 2014. She was the pioneer of the women’s education, who lived and worked in  19th century, in British India.

Savithribai Phule was born on 3rd January 1831 at Naigon in Maharashtra. At the early age of 9, she was married to Jyoti Rao Phule, who was only 13. Child marriage was the system at that time.  Girls were married at young age and many became widows, when their husbands, mostly elder people, died. Jyoti Phule and Savithribai, both were much saddened by the plight of the widows and started a sadan and cared for them. The Phules had no children, but they adopted the son of a widow and brough him up.

Dalits were not allowed to learn and were treated as untouchables. Savithribai started a school for the dalit children and started teaching there. She was abused, harassed by the upper castes, but she continued her teaching. Stones and mud were thrown at her when going to school, but she did not stop. She also started a school for girls at Bhindewade Pune, at a time, when girls were  not allowed to study. She started “Mahila Sewa Mandal” in 1852, an organisation to help the women.

Her entire life was dedicated to the service of the underprevileged and women. Her husband was always in support. When Jyotibai Phule died in 1890, she accompanied the body to the cremation place and lit the pyre, breaking the system that women can not participate in the last journey.  Savithribai died on 10th March 1897 at the age of 66.

Savithribai Phule is considered as the pioneer of women’s movement in the country. She was in the frontline of serving the dalits. The University of Pune was renamed as Savithribai Phule Pune University in her honour on 9th November 2014.

The Dali Shoshan Mukti Manch is organsing a meeting on 3rd January 2014 at 03.00 PM at BTR Bhawan, New Delhi in memory of the great social activist and reformer.