What Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule Teach Us About Courage and Change
Amanpreet Singh | Apr 13, 2025, 11:32 IST
Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule were pioneers of education, equality, and social justice in India. Their work in the 19th century laid the foundation for many of the rights we take for granted today. Their story is not just historical—it's motivational. Here's how their actions teach us about resilience, empathy, and standing up for what’s right.
In a time when education was a privilege of the upper caste and women were confined to the four walls of their homes, Savitribai Phule and Jyotirao Phule stood up against the deeply rooted social injustice in India. Their story is not just about reform—it's about revolution through education and equality.
In 1848, Jyotirao Phule opened the first school for girls in Pune. Savitribai, his wife, became India’s first female teacher. This act alone shook the social structure. Families disowned them. People threw stones and cow dung at Savitribai every day as she walked to school. But she kept going.
Lesson: When you do the right thing, you may stand alone—but never back down.
The Phules didn’t just focus on girls. They opened schools for Dalits and backward castes, those who had been excluded from education for centuries. At a time when teaching lower castes was seen as a crime, the Phules saw it as their mission.
Lesson: True progress means uplifting those society ignores.
The couple also opened Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha, a care center for widows and unwed mothers. At a time when widows were shunned and sometimes forced into suicide, Savitribai gave them dignity, shelter, and a chance at life.
They even adopted a Brahmin widow’s son, breaking every caste barrier in the book.
Lesson: Kindness is more powerful than any tradition.
Savitribai and Jyotirao’s relationship was based on mutual respect and support. Jyotirao didn’t just allow his wife to work—he empowered her. When she was being targeted, he stood beside her. Their bond was built on equality, not ego.
Lesson: A strong partnership is one where both grow equally.
While many reformers chose protest and politics, the Phules believed in quiet revolution through education. They trained teachers, published thought-provoking works, and led by example.
Lesson: You don’t always need a mic or a stage. Sometimes, a classroom is enough.
As we continue to fight gender bias, caste discrimination, and lack of access to education even today, the work of Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule reminds us: Change is slow—but possible. You just need the courage to begin, the strength to continue, and the heart to include others along the way
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Jyotirao Phule
1. They Chose to Stand Alone
Lesson: When you do the right thing, you may stand alone—but never back down.
2. They Educated the Forgotten
Lesson: True progress means uplifting those society ignores.
Savitribai Phule
3. They Gave Shelter to the Oppressed
They even adopted a Brahmin widow’s son, breaking every caste barrier in the book.
Lesson: Kindness is more powerful than any tradition.
4. They Redefined Marriage and Partnership
Lesson: A strong partnership is one where both grow equally.
5. They Fought with Books, Not Violence
Lesson: You don’t always need a mic or a stage. Sometimes, a classroom is enough.
Movie titled "Phule" based on life of these two legends will release soon
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