Savitribai Phule's birth anniversary as International Teachers' Day? 10 facts on India's first feminist

When growing up, we tend to look up to people and idols so we can achieve something like they did. From Superman to Mahatma Gandhi, there are several inspiring real and fictional figures to look up to. And it is common to look for relatable figures; boys tend to look up to male characters and girls tend to look up to female characters.

However, the choice of idols for girls is often limited in the saturated patriarchal world, as real-life women heroes go unnoticed or ignored. Real-world women heroes aren’t as celebrated as their male counterparts due to sexist and casteist notions. One such figure in Indian history is Savitribai Phule. 

Now, the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to correct historical wrongs and ignorance. On the 191st birth anniversary of social reformer and perhaps India’s first feminist, Savitribai Phule, the students have demanded that her birth anniversary be celebrated as International Teachers’ Day. In India, September 5, the birthday of former President S Radhakrishnan, is celebrated as Teachers' Day.

Here are 10 facts on who Savitribai Phule was, why we need to remember her, and what the students have demanded:

1. WHAT ARE THE DEMANDS OF AIOBCSA?

Other than declaring Savitribai Phule’s birth anniversary as International Teachers’ Day, the students’ association also wants her statue to be installed next to her husband and 19th-century Indian activist Jyotirao Phule in the Parliament.

They want social welfare post-matric hostels to be set up in each parliamentary constituency in India, to support students belonging to various caste and communities. These hostels should be equipped with up-to-date infrastructural facilities including digital access.

They also demanded that Phule Centres be established in various universities to support the research of students belonging to backward communities.

2. WHO WAS SAVITRIBAI PHULE?

Savitribai Phule was a 19th-century social reformer, educationalist, and is considered India’s first woman teacher and feminist. She was born on January 3, 1831, in Maharashtra’s Naigaon, and belonged to the Mali community. The Mali community comes under the backward castes category now.

3. MARRIED AT THE AGE OF NINE

Savitribai Phule was married at the age of nine to 13-year-old Jyotirao Phule. Jyotirao Phule is celebrated as an Indian activist whose work extended into various fields from the anti-caste system to education rights for men and women. Members of the Mali community were traditionally barred from seeking education.

During this period, Jyotirao not only fought for his own education rights but also educated his wife Savitribai Phule. Together they opened up schools for boys and girls from all structures of the society. Savitribai Phule then became the first woman teacher of India.

4. STANDING UP TO THE 19th CENTURY PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY

Savitribai Phule was definitely way ahead of her time. She refused to conform to societal expectations and constraints put on her. But the fight to bring reforms was not easy. She had to face the music of the 19th-century patriarchal and casteist society.

Phule faced opposition mainly from the Brahmin community at the time for educating the marginalised, especially women. Instances from Savitribai Phule’s life reveal that Brahmin youth would regularly throw cow-dung at her when she came in to teach.

She carried a spare saree to school, at her husband’s insistence, to quietly fight them. But the harassment stopped when she slapped a Brahmin youth.

5. THROWN OUT OF HOME

Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule’s activism brought trouble to their home. Jyotirao Phule was asked to leave his home by his parents when the Brahmin community started pressuring them. Though Savitribai was not asked to leave, she chose to go with her husband.

6. STARTED THE FIRST GIRLS SCHOOL

Savitribai Phule, along with her husband, started India’s first girls’ school in Pune in 1848. In total, the couple established 18 schools. They would also offer stipends to the students to encourage education.

7. CENTRE FOR RAPE SURVIVORS

The reformist also set up centres to help pregnant rape survivors deliver their babies. In contrast, modern India is still struggling to set up a robust system of one-stop centres for rape survivors.

Savitribai Phule also set up Mahila Seva Mandal, a gathering place for women to discuss the issues faced by them in the society.

8. LIFE AS A POET

Savitribai Phule was also a prolific Marathi writer. Her first collection of poetry called Kavya Phule was published in 1854. Through her poetry, she encouraged people to get educated to fight oppression of all forms and also learn English as a means to do it.

9. SHE LIT HER HUSBAND’S PYRE

When Savitribai’s husband died, she was the one to light his funeral pyre. Traditionally, a male member of the family lights the funeral pyre of the deceased, but Savitribai chose to break the rules.

10. SHE DIED CARING FOR THE SICK

When the bubonic plague broke out in 1897, Savitribai Phule and her adopted son started a clinic for the diseased. Savitribai died while caring for the sick. She had carried a sick person on her back, which resulted in her getting the infection.