Mahatma Jyotiba Phule

Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was a prominent social reformer and thinker of the nineteenth century India. His aim of
life was Women Education and Empowerment. Jyotiba Govindrao Phule also revolted against the cast
discrimination and struggled for the rights of peasants and other low-caste people. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was a
pioneer for women education in India and fought for education of girls throughout his life.

Early Life of Jyotiba Phule

Jyotiba Phule  was born on 11th April, 1827 in Katgun, a village in Satara district of Maharashtra. His father
Govindrao worked as a vegetable vendor and his family belonged to the “Mali” caste, considered the inferior. He
attended primary school but left his studies to work in the farms.

However, his neighbours who recognized the child’s intelligence convinced his father to let him continue his
education. He got married to Savitribai at an early age of 13. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule  went to the local Scottish
Mission’s High School and passed out in 1847.

Personal Life

As was a tradition in India, Jyotiba Phule was married young, he married his wife, Savitribai, when Mahatma
Jyotiba Phule was just thirteen, and she was only nine years old. Savitibai worked with him in his efforts to
educate women and worked as a teacher in the schools they opened. They did not have any children together, but
they did adopt a son.

Career In Social Activism

Jyotiba Phule opened his first school in year 1848, and it was an all-girls school, and he was forced to leave his
parental home because of this. As well as opening schools Mahatma Jyotiba Phule opened a home for low caste
widows and infants. There was a large number of widows due to the prevalence of child marriage and remarriage
was frowned upon.

Efforts for Women Education

After educating his wife, Jyotiba Phule  opened a school for girls in India in August 1948. This was actually the
second school for girls in India. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule supported widow remarriage and started a home for
upper caste widows in 1854. In the same year, he also started a home for new-born infants to prevent female
infanticide.

Jyotiba Phule was supported by his wife Savitribai Phule.

In year 1851, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule established a girl’s school and asked his wife to teach the girls in the
school. Later, he opened two more schools for the girls and an indigenous school for the lower castes.

Jyotiba Phule realised the pathetic conditions of widows and established an ashram for young widows and
eventually became advocate of the idea of Widow Remarriage.

Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was pained by their plight and established an orphanage in 1854 to shelter these
unfortunate souls from perishing at the society’s cruel hands.

Satya Shodhak Samaj

Jyotiba Phule attacked the cast discrimination. He also urged the “peasants” and “proletariat” to refuse
to obey the restrictions imposed upon them.

In year 1873, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule formed the Satya Shodhak Samaj (Society of Seekers of Truth). The
purpose of the organization was to liberate the people of lower-castes from the suppression.

The membership was the  open to all and the available evidence proves that some Jews were admitted as
members. In 1876 there were 316 members of the ‘Satya Shodhak Samaj’. In 1868, in order to give the lower-
caste people more powers Jyotirao decided to construct a common bathing tank outside his house. He also wished
to dine with all, regardless of their caste.

The great reformer from Mumbai, Rao Bahadur Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar gave Jyotiba Phule  the title of
“Mahatma” in May 1888 in recognition of his selfless services to humanity.

Jyotiba Phule  suffered a paralytic stroke in July 1888. His health worsened over the next couple of years and on
28 November, 1890, the great reformer of India,  Jyotiba Phule , passed away.