👧 Early Life
- Savitribai Phule was born on January 3, 1831, in a small village called Naigaon in the Satara district of Maharashtra, India.
- She belonged to a family of farmers from the Mali (gardener) caste.
- Like many girls in those days, she didn’t go to school, because society believed girls should not study.
👰 Marriage and Support from Her Husband
- At just 9 years old, she was married to Jyotirao Phule, who was 13 at the time.
- Jyotirao was not like most people in society—he believed that girls and lower-caste people had a right to education and equality.
- He taught Savitribai how to read and write at home, and supported her dream to study more.
📚 Becoming the First Female Teacher
- After learning to read and write, Savitribai was sent to a teacher’s training institute in Pune and then in Ahmednagar.
- When she returned, she became India’s first female teacher in 1848.
- She and Jyotirao opened the first school for girls in Pune.
🏫 Opening Schools and Fighting Injustice
- Savitribai opened many schools for girls and children from lower castes, who were not allowed to study in regular schools.
- She carried books in a sari fold and walked long distances every day.
- Many people threw stones and dung at her because they didn’t want girls to learn. But Savitribai didn’t stop—she kept going because she believed in what was right.
💪 Champion of Women’s Rights
Savitribai Phule fought for women’s rights at a time when:
- Women were not allowed to study.
- Child marriage was common.
- Widows were treated badly.
- Social rules were very unfair to women and the poor.
She helped by:
- Starting a home for widows and pregnant women in trouble—called Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha.
- Helping in safe deliveries of children from unwed mothers and widows, saving many lives.
- Encouraging widow remarriage, which was not allowed by society.
- Writing poems to inspire women and the downtrodden.
🖋️ A Writer and Poet
Savitribai Phule was also a poet. Her poems gave courage to girls, women, and oppressed people.
Some of her famous writings include:
- 📖 Kavya Phule (a collection of poems)
- ✍️ Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar
In her poems, she asked people to get educated, fight injustice, and treat everyone with love and respect.
🌾 Work During the Plague
- In 1897, Pune was hit by a terrible plague epidemic.
- Savitribai and her adopted son Yashwantrao (the son of a widow they had adopted) worked hard to save lives.
- She carried sick people to the hospital herself.
- Sadly, she caught the disease while helping a sick boy and passed away on March 10, 1897, while doing her duty.
🕊️ Her Legacy
- Savitribai Phule is remembered as a symbol of courage, education, and justice.
- Schools, awards, and parks have been named after her in India.
- Her birthday, January 3rd, is celebrated as Women’s Education Day in Maharashtra.
💖 Why Kids Should Know Her
- She taught us to be brave and kind.
- She showed us that education can change lives.
- She believed everyone—girl or boy, rich or poor, upper caste or lower caste—deserves respect and opportunity.