Cornelia Sorabji

Cornelia Sorabji (15 November 1866 – 6 July 1954) was an eminent Indian lawyer, social reformer, and writer, celebrated as the first woman to practise law in India and Britain. She was also the first woman graduate from Bombay University and the first woman to study law at Oxford University. A pioneering figure in women’s education and legal reform, Sorabji worked tirelessly for the rights of women, especially those living in seclusion under the purdah system, and became a trailblazer for gender equality in colonial India.

Early Life and Family Background

Cornelia Sorabji was born on 15 November 1866 in Nasik, Bombay Presidency (present-day Maharashtra) into a Parsi Christian family. Her father, Reverend Sorabji Karsedji, was a missionary and educationist who played a crucial role in promoting women’s education in India. Her mother, Frances Sorabji, was an advocate of women’s literacy and established several girls’ schools in Poona (now Pune).
Growing up in a progressive family that valued education and social reform, Cornelia was encouraged to pursue her studies at a time when higher education for women was almost unheard of.

Education and Academic Achievements

Cornelia Sorabji displayed exceptional academic ability from a young age. She studied at Deccan College, Pune, where she excelled in her studies and became the first female graduate of Bombay University in 1888.
Despite her achievements, she initially faced resistance in pursuing further education abroad. With the support of several English suffragists and reformers, including Florence Nightingale and Mary Hobhouse, she obtained admission to Somerville College, Oxford, in 1889.
At Oxford, she studied law under the mentorship of distinguished professors and completed her examination in 1892, becoming the first woman to sit the Bachelor of Civil Laws (BCL) examination. However, at that time, women were not formally awarded degrees at Oxford; she received her degree only in 1922, when the university began granting degrees to women retrospectively.

Early Career and Legal Challenges

After completing her studies, Cornelia Sorabji returned to India in 1894, determined to use her education for social service and legal reform. However, she faced significant barriers:

• Women were not yet legally recognised to practise law in either India or England.
• She was denied the official status of a lawyer despite her qualifications.

Undeterred, she took up the role of legal adviser to the British colonial government on behalf of women and orphans who lived under purdah and could not appear in court. She provided legal assistance and advice to these secluded women, known as “pardanashins”, who were often deprived of property and inheritance rights.
Her work earned her the title of “Lady Assistant to the Court of Wards” in Bengal, where she handled numerous cases involving women’s property, guardianship, and inheritance. Over her career, she helped more than 600 women and orphans gain justice and property rights, often without charging fees.

Legal Recognition and Advocacy

The Legal Practitioners (Women) Act of 1923 finally permitted women to practise law in India. Following this, Cornelia Sorabji formally began practising as a barrister in the Allahabad High Court, making her the first female advocate in India.
Her career combined legal expertise with humanitarian work. She became a prominent voice for:

• Women’s access to education and employment.
• Legal reforms in marriage and inheritance laws.
• Abolition of restrictive social customs, including child marriage and purdah.

She travelled widely across India, offering free legal advice and campaigning for the empowerment of women through education and legal literacy.

Contributions to Women’s Rights and Social Reform

Cornelia Sorabji’s influence extended beyond the courtroom. As an intellectual and reformer, she worked to create awareness about women’s conditions in India and the need for progressive change.
Her major contributions include:

• Legal Aid to Pardanashin Women: Advocated for and provided legal representation to secluded women who were victims of property exploitation.
• Promotion of Female Education: Supported initiatives for girls’ education in colonial India, emphasising self-reliance and moral development.
• Advocacy for Law Reforms: Campaigned for changes in laws related to guardianship, property inheritance, and women’s legal representation.
• Literary Contributions: Used her writings to highlight the social challenges faced by Indian women and the need for reform.

Writings and Publications

Cornelia Sorabji was also a prolific writer and commentator. Through her books and essays, she presented vivid portrayals of Indian society, particularly the struggles of women under patriarchal constraints.
Her notable works include:

• Between the Twilights (1908) – Essays on Indian women’s lives and experiences.
• Love and Life Behind the Purdah (1901) – Insight into the seclusion of women in Indian households.
• India Calling: The Memories of Cornelia Sorabji (1934) – An autobiographical account reflecting on her legal and social work.
• Sun-Babies: Studies in the Child Life of India (1904) – Descriptions of children’s lives in colonial India.

These writings were among the first by an Indian woman to appear in English and provided a crucial bridge between Indian and Western perspectives on social reform.

Relationship with the British Raj

Cornelia Sorabji maintained a complex relationship with British colonial authorities. While she worked within the colonial legal framework, she also criticised aspects of British policy that neglected Indian women’s welfare.
She opposed some of the radical nationalist movements of her time, believing that gradual reform and education were more effective than political confrontation. As a result, she was sometimes viewed with suspicion by Indian nationalists, but her contributions to women’s rights remained widely respected.

Later Life and Legacy

After her retirement in the late 1930s, Cornelia Sorabji settled in Pune, where she continued to write and advocate for women’s education. She passed away on 6 July 1954, leaving behind a remarkable legacy as a pioneer for women in law and social reform.
Her life broke multiple barriers at a time when both gender and colonial hierarchies restricted opportunities for women. She remains a symbol of perseverance, intellect, and courage, inspiring generations of women lawyers and reformers.

Achievements and Recognition

• First woman graduate of Bombay University (1888).
• First Indian woman to study law at Oxford University (1889–1892).
• First female advocate of the High Courts of India (1923).
• Legal adviser for pardanashin women and orphans under the Court of Wards.
• Prolific writer and reformer, whose work highlighted women’s struggles in colonial India.

Significance

Cornelia Sorabji’s contributions lie at the intersection of law, gender equality, and social reform. She not only opened the doors of higher education and legal practice for women in India but also demonstrated how law could be a tool for social justice.
Her pioneering efforts paved the way for later generations of women in law, including Anna Chandy, Leila Seth, and many others. Her life remains a testament to resilience and the power of education in challenging social barriers.