Savitribai Phule Jayanti Details: It will be the 190th birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule this year, which is extravagantly celebrated as Savitribai Phule Jayanti across the state of Maharashtra. The event falls on January 3, which will fall on Sunday this year. Savitribai Phule is widely regarded as a social reformer, who successfully donned many hats in her lifetime. She's credited to have improved the living standards of women in India in the pre-independence period. Savitribai Phule is popularly known as the mother of Indian feminism. 

Savitribai Phule's worked towards raising the bar of women's rights and tried to abolish the prevalent caste discrimination in India, and people weren't divided based on caste and gender. If you are seeking some exciting facts about Savitribai Phule and her life achievements, then you can stop exploring further, as you have reached the right destination. At LatestLY, we bring you intriguing and little-known facts of Savitribai Phule on her 190th birth anniversary.

  • Savitribai Phule is widely regarded as the first female teacher of India.

  • It is a little-known fact that Savitribai Phule is also regarded as the mother of Indian feminism.

  • Of the many roles Savitribai Phule played in her life, she was a known social reformer, philanthropist and an educationist.

  • Savitribai Phule was a prolific Marathi writer too. Some of Phule's famous published works are 'Kavya Phule', 'Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar', and 'Go, Get Education'. She publications encouraged children, especially girls, to be educated.

  • Not many people know that Savitribai and her husband Jyotirao, had no children. However, they had adopted a child, named Yashwantrao, from a Brahmin widow.

  • Savitribai Phule, along with her husband, is credited to be the founders of the first Indian girls' school at Bhide Wada, in Pune, in 1848.

  • Savitribai Phule introduced the Satyashodak Samaj (known as the society of truth-seeking). She encouraged people to practise to conduct Satyashodak marriage – where no dowry is given or taken – through her Literacy Mission in India during the 1854-55 period.

  • Savitribai Phule was a strong opposer of Sati Pratha's practice and began a shelter home for underprivileged widows and children.

  • Savitribai Phule was also against anti-infanticide. Phule started a protection home named 'Home for the Prevention of Infanticide', where Brahmin widows could get suitable medical care activities.

Savitribai Phule breathed her last on March 10, in 1897, after being contracted with the plague. Phule left behind a lasting legacy. Her efforts towards women empowerment and their upliftment in the society are unmatched. Savitribai Phule's title of being the 'mother of Indian feminism' is a fitting tribute to her impeccable contribution.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 03, 2021 09:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).