Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Death Anniversary: A Look At His Contribution To Women's Education And Social Reform

Jyotirao Govindrao Phule, commonly known as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, is a pioneer in the field of women's education. He was a humanitarian, author, philosopher, and revolutionary who fought societal problems for a long time. He was born on April 11, 1827, in Maharashtra, and is noted for speaking out against caste inequality. His contribution to the education of girls and the empowerment of women was enormous.

Jyotiba Phule died on November 28, 1890. He worked hard to abolish untouchability and the caste system, as well as to emancipate women. Phule is best known for his work in educating women and people from lower castes.

Jyotiba Phule completed school in 1847. He married Savitri Bai in 1840. The duo was pioneers in India when it came to women's education. Jyotiba Phule educated his wife and advised her to teach girls. It was due to his encouragement, Savitri Bai became the first female teacher in the country.

In August 1848, he established the first school for girls in India, followed by schools for children from the Mahar and Mang Dalit classes. In 1873, Phule and his followers founded the Satyashodhak Samaj — society of seekers of truth —to fight for equal rights for the poor and people from lower castes.

Jyotiba Phule advocated for widow remarriage and established a home for lower and upper caste widows in 1854. He also opened a shelter for new-born infants to combat female infanticide. By opening his home and allowing people of the lower castes to use his water well, Jyotiba Phule attempted to remove the stigma of social untouchability that surrounded the lower castes.

Leaders across party lines paid tribute to Jyotiba Phule on his death anniversary.

In this tweet, former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that “Krantisurya Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was a great philosopher and social reformer, who worked for the cause of women's education and uplifting the lives of the underprivileged people.

महिलांचे शिक्षण आणि वंचितांचे उत्थान,
थोर तत्त्वज्ञ, समाजसुधारक
क्रांतिसूर्य महात्मा जोतिबा फुले यांना
स्मृतिदिनी विनम्र अभिवादन.. pic.twitter.com/HoWbrBRmyz

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) November 28, 2021

Niranjan Patnaik, the President of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee tweeted that he deeply admired “Mahatma Jyotirao Phule's remarkable contribution to the elimination of illiteracy and untouchability”.

Mahatma Jyotirao Phule's remarkable contribution to the elimination of illiteracy and untouchability is something that I admire deeply. Humble tributes to the champion of social justice on his punyatithi. pic.twitter.com/8XrUkYwZg8

— Niranjan Patnaik (@NPatnaikOdisha) November 28, 2021

The Congress, on its official Twitter handle, wrote, “Mahatma Jyotirao Phule was a social reformer, thinker, writer, philosopher and revolutionary activist and his contribution for the upliftment of women and downtrodden is unforgettable. Tributes to Mahatma Jyotirao Phule on his death anniversary.”

महात्मा ज्योतिराव फुले एक समाज सुधारक, विचारक, लेखक, दार्शनिक तथा क्रान्तिकारी कार्यकर्ता थे और महिलाओं व दलितों के उत्थान के लिए उनका योगदान अविस्मरणीय है।

महात्मा ज्योतिराव फुले की पुण्यतिथि उन्हें सादर नमन। pic.twitter.com/kBmHItkMlO

— Congress (@INCIndia) November 28, 2021

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also paid tribute to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and tweeted, “His life was dedicated to the upliftment of the underprivileged. Along with promoting women's education, this Yugapurush did public awareness against untouchability, gender inequality, caste-system and other social evils.”

महान समाज सुधारक महात्मा ज्योतिबा फुले जी की पुण्यतिथि पर सादर नमन। उनका जीवन वंचित वर्ग के उत्थान को समर्पित रहा। इस युगपुरूष ने नारी शिक्षा को बढ़ावा देने के साथ-साथ छुआछूत, महिला-पुरूष असमानता, जाति-प्रथा सहित अन्य सामाजिक कुरीतियों के खिलाफ जनजागरण किया। pic.twitter.com/7r8yvZegEy

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) November 28, 2021

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan wrote that Jyotiba Phule's “invaluable thoughts will continue to pave the way for the new construction of the nation and society”.

सभी प्राणियों में मनुष्य श्रेष्ठ है और सभी मनुष्यों में नारी श्रेष्ठ है-महात्मा फुले

नारी शिक्षा व समानता के अधिकार हेतु आजीवन संघर्ष करने वाले महात्मा #JyotibaPhule जी की पुण्यतिथि पर विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि!आपके अमूल्य विचार राष्ट्र व समाज के नवनिर्माण का मार्ग प्रशस्त करते रहेंगे। pic.twitter.com/3F9dvjNB6w

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) November 28, 2021

Here are a few other tweets:

My humble tribute to great thinker and social reformer, pioneer for women education in India, Shri Jyotirao ‘Jyotiba' Govindrao Phule Ji, on his 'Punya Tithi'. #JyotiraoPhule @Drvirendrakum13 pic.twitter.com/0Cs17woYqF

— Som Parkash (@SomParkashBJP) November 28, 2021

My humble tributes to the Father of Indian Social Revolution, the great Social Reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule ji his death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/HNRZRDDwnv

— Vishnu Vardhan Reddy (@SVishnuReddy) November 28, 2021

My humble tributes to the Father of Indian Social Revolution, the great Social Reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule ji his death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/HNRZRDDwnv

— Vishnu Vardhan Reddy (@SVishnuReddy) November 28, 2021

????Jyotiba Govindrao Phule
(11th April, 1827 - 28th November, 1890)

➡️Remembering a great social reformer, philosopher & writer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his death anniversary

✅His devotion to social reforms will be a source of inspiration for coming generations#AmritMahotsav pic.twitter.com/Wb7ve1nl6d

— Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (@MIB_India) November 28, 2021

Mahatma Jyotiba Phule's commitment to uplift the marginalised groups in society is indeed an example for future generations.