THIS DAY IN HISTORY

28 - November – 1890: Mahatma Jyotirao Govindrao Phule died.

• He led a selfless life devoted to the upliftment of the lower classes of the Hindu society. He also started school for girls and for downtrodden and untouchables.
• He was assisted in the education field by his wife Savitri Bai.
• He was influenced by Thomas Paine’s book titled The Rights of Man and believed that the only solution to combat the social evils was the enlightenment of women and members of the lower castes.
• In 1848, he taught his wife how to read and write, after which the couple opened the first indigenously run school for girls in Pune where they both taught.
• The school welcomed girls from diverse sections, religions and socio-economic backgrounds — to come and study.
• He opposed child-marriage and supported widow remarriage. In 1863, he, along with his friend and wife, opened an infanticide prevention centre where pregnant widows could safely give birth and care for infants.