Google honoured renowned social reformer from Maharashtra Savitribai Phule on Tuesday, by dedicating a doodle to her on the occasion of her 186th birth anniversary.
Springing a surprise, Google came out with a doddle in memory of late Savitribai Phule, wife of one of the country’s great social reformers Jyotiba Phule.
Born on January 3, 1831 in a rich and influential farming family and married at the age of nine to the 13-year old Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai along with her husband founded the first women’s school in the country at Bhide Wada in Pune in 1848.
Savitribai, who was taught to read and write by her husband, founded the girls’ school when she turned 17. She started the school with just nine girls from different castes, at a time when imparting education to women was a taboo in the society.
Apart from teaming up her husband in launching a crusade against social discrimination based on caste and gender and equal rights for men and women, Savitribai also crusaded against child marriages, the practice of child widowhood, rape victims becoming pregnant and the practice of ‘Sati’.
Regarded as a key figure in the social reform movement in Maharashtra, Savitribhai was honoured by the Pune University when it renamed itself as Savitribai Phule Pune University in 2015. The Indian Postal department came out with a stamp in honour in March 1998.