Ramabai Ranade
| Ramabai Ranade | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 25 January 1863 Devarashtre, Satara, Bombay Presidency, British India |
| Died | 25 January 1924 (aged 60–61) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Known for | Women's education and self-reliance |
| Spouse(s) | Mahadev Govind Ranade |
Ramabai Ranade (25 January 1863 – 1924) was an Indian social worker and one of the first women's rights activists in the 19th century. She was born in Kurlekar family in 1863 . At the age of 11, she was married to Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade, who was a distinguished Indian scholar and social reformer. In that era of social inequality, women were not allowed to go to school and become literate, Ramabai, soon after her marriage, started to learn reading and writing with strong support and encouragement from Mahadev Govind Ranade. Starting with her native language Marathi, Ramabai strove hard to master English and Bengali.
Inspired by her husband, Ramabai started 'Hindu Ladies Social Club' in Mumbai to develop public speaking among women. Ramabai was also a founder and President of 'Seva Sadan Society' in Pune. Ramabai devoted her life to the improvement of women's lives. Ramabai Ranade with her husband and other colleagues established in 1886 the first girls' high school in Pune, the renowned Huzurpaga.
Ramabai Ranade was a pioneer of the modern women's movement in India and outside. She was the founder and president of the "Seva Sadan", which is the most successful of all Indian women's institution and is attended by thousands of women. The immense popularity of the institution was due to the fact that it was under Ramabai's close personal supervision.
Ramabai Ranade was born on 25 January 1863 in Kurlekar family, living in a small village, Devrashtre of Sangli District, Maharashtra. As educating girls was a taboo in those days, her father did not educate her. In 1873, she was married to Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade, a pioneer of India's social reform movement. He devoted his time to educate her in face of opposition of the women in the house and helped her to become an ideal wife and a worthy helpmate in social and educational reform. With his strong support and sharing his visionary path, Ramabai spent all her life making women self-reliant and economically independent.
She was barely 11 years old when she was married to Mahadev Govind Ranade, who was a scholar, idealist and a revolutionary social activist. Ramabai was illiterate when she was married as she lived in a time when considered a sin for a girl to read or write. On the contrary, her husband, addressed as the "Prince of Graduates", was a graduate of Bombay University with first class honours. He not only worked as the Professor of English and Economics at the Elphinstone College in Bombay, but was also as an oriental translator and a social reformer. He worked rigorously against evils that existed in the society. He was against untouchability, child marriage and Sati. He took over the Sarvajanik Sabha and led a number of movements for social development. He had won the praise of the whole of Maharashtra by the time he was in his early thirties. His overarching thinking, dynamic vision, passionate and devoted social commitment strongly inspired Ramabai and illuminated her path for future social work.
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