New Delhi: Just under two centuries ago, the India into which Savitribai Phule was born bore little resemblance to the nation we recognise today. Human rights were fundamentally tied to an individual’s birth, and there were distinct norms for individuals based on their caste and gender.
As India’s first female teacher, Savitribai Phule defied these conventions and aimed to achieve the seemingly impossible: dignity and education for all. She waged a relentless battle against societal injustices, with the support of her mentor Sagunabai Kshirsagar and her companion and fellow teacher, Fatima Sheikh. These three women fought against the oppressive forces of society, not only to promote women’s education but also to emancipate widows and individuals from lower castes who were traditionally excluded from educational opportunities.
The book delves into how Savitribai, along with her partner and reformer Jyotiba Phule, and collaborator Fatima Sheikh, campaigned for the rights of the oppressed and their upliftment in the rigid society of the nineteenth century.
Published by HarperCollins, “Savitribai Phule: Her Life, Her Relationships, Her Legacy” by Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta will be released on 12 October on SoftCover, ThePrint’s online venue to launch non-fiction books.
The book spans four decades from 1818, marking the end of Peshwai, to 1856, the year after which records of Sagunabai Kshirsagar, Saraswati Govande, and Fatima Sheikh are no longer available.
Speaking about her book, author Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta sahred, “As a woman and a writer, I attribute the entirety of my work to Savitribai Phule. And if you are a woman reading this book, you do too. Beyond considerations of caste, creed, and individual differences, she and her ‘sisters in arms’ championed the belief that one’s birth should not dictate one’s destiny.”
Gupta adds that Fatima Sheikh, largely forgotten by history, was a dedicated collaborator and friend to Savitri. Born in nineteenth-century India, in modern-day Uttar Pradesh, she studied Urdu, Arabic, Marathi, and English. It makes little difference whether she was India’s first female Muslim teacher or the country’s first female headmistress. What is recognised and accepted is that Fatima’s struggle to ensure women’s education and social liberation, in collaboration with her more well-known collaborator Savitri, resonates throughout India and the world.
Praising Gupta’s book, tennis champion and Square Panda Foundation chairperson Andre Agassi remarked: “When you count the world’s greatest champions of education, make sure to include Savitribai Phule in the list.”
Meanwhile, former HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh lauded the book and commented, “Savitribai Phule was a true champion of human dignity. This book aims to ensure her enduring place in our hearts and minds.”