Ramabai Pandita

Pandita Ramabai Sarasvati (1858–1922) was one of the most distinguished Indian social reformers, scholars, and pioneers of women’s education in modern India. A linguist, writer, and feminist, she devoted her life to improving the conditions of women, especially widows and destitute women, at a time when traditional social norms severely restricted their rights. Her contributions to education, women’s emancipation, and social reform made her one of the most influential figures of nineteenth-century India.

Early Life and Education

Pandita Ramabai was born on 23 April 1858 in a small village near Gangamul, Karnataka, into a Chitpavan Brahmin family. Her father, Anant Shastri Dongre, was a Sanskrit scholar and devout Hindu who defied social norms by teaching Sanskrit to his wife and daughter—at a time when women were forbidden from studying the sacred texts.
Her family led an austere, itinerant life, travelling across India as her father lectured on religious scriptures. However, during the famine of 1876–1877, both of her parents and several siblings died of starvation, leaving Ramabai orphaned.
Despite personal tragedy, she had mastered Sanskrit and the Hindu scriptures by her teenage years. Her scholarship was so exceptional that the University of Calcutta later conferred upon her the titles “Pandita” (learned scholar) and “Sarasvati” (goddess of learning)—rare honours for a woman in colonial India.

Early Recognition and Reformist Beginnings

In 1878, Ramabai and her brother settled in Calcutta (Kolkata), where she was warmly received by reform-minded circles such as members of the Brahmo Samaj. Her erudition and oratory attracted widespread attention, especially her advocacy for women’s education and emancipation.
That same year, she married Bipin Behari Medhavi, a Bengali lawyer belonging to a lower caste—a bold step that defied both caste and social conventions. The couple had a daughter, Manorama, but her husband died within two years, leaving Ramabai a widow at the age of 23. Her personal experience of widowhood deepened her commitment to improving the lives of widowed and destitute women in India.

Social Reform Work in India

Ramabai’s efforts to uplift Indian women were both intellectual and practical. She began by delivering lectures and writing on the plight of women, particularly child widows, whose lives were confined by rigid social customs and economic hardship.

1. Formation of Arya Mahila Samaj (1878):
   • In Pune, Ramabai established the Arya Mahila Samaj (Society of Noble Women) to promote women’s education and oppose child marriage and other oppressive practices.
   • The society sought to empower Hindu women through education and moral reform within their own religious framework.
2. Advocacy for Women’s Education:
   • She argued that women’s education was essential not only for individual dignity but also for the moral and intellectual progress of the nation.
   • She campaigned for curriculum reform, the inclusion of modern subjects, and the education of widows and orphans.
3. Critique of Patriarchy:
   • Ramabai boldly criticised the patriarchal interpretations of Hindu law and scriptures, which she believed subjugated women.
   • Her views provoked controversy among orthodox Hindus but earned her respect among reformers.

Travels Abroad and Conversion

In 1883, Ramabai travelled to England to study social institutions and expand her understanding of Western education and philanthropy. There, she came into contact with Christian reformers associated with the Community of St Mary the Virgin, who supported her educational aspirations.
During her stay, she studied English and Western education systems and gradually converted to Christianity in 1883, adopting the name Pandita Ramabai Sarasvati. Her conversion was controversial in India, leading to estrangement from some Hindu reform circles, but she continued to view religion as a means of moral empowerment rather than division.
In 1886, she travelled to the United States, where she lectured extensively on the status of Indian women and raised funds for women’s education in India. Her lectures inspired considerable sympathy and support among American audiences, especially women’s organisations.

Literary Contributions

Pandita Ramabai was also a prolific writer and translator who used literature as a tool for reform.

• “The High-Caste Hindu Woman” (1887):
  • Written during her stay in the U.S., this book provided a searing critique of the oppression of women under the Hindu caste system, particularly the plight of child widows.
  • It served as one of the earliest feminist analyses of Indian society, appealing for both Indian reform and international support.
• Translations and Linguistic Work:
  • Ramabai was fluent in Sanskrit, Marathi, English, and several other Indian languages.
  • Later in life, she translated the Bible into Marathi—a monumental task completed in 1915, ensuring its accessibility to the common people of Western India.

Her writings combined scholarship with compassion and reformist zeal, marking her as one of the earliest Indian feminist intellectuals.

Founding of Mukti Mission and Sharda Sadan

Returning to India in 1889, Ramabai founded two major institutions that became central to her reformist legacy:

1. Sharada Sadan (House of Learning), Bombay (1889):
   • Established to educate child widows and destitute women, providing them with shelter, moral instruction, and vocational training.
   • The school faced opposition from conservative Hindus, who accused Ramabai of promoting conversion, but it received support from Indian reformers like Justice Ranade and B.M. Malabari.
2. Mukti Mission, Pune (1898):
   • Located at Kedgaon near Pune, the Mukti Mission (meaning “Home of Salvation”) was created to house and educate widows, orphans, and victims of famine or abuse.
   • During the famine of 1896–97, Ramabai personally rescued hundreds of destitute women and girls and provided them refuge.
   • The Mukti Mission became self-sustaining, with training in agriculture, weaving, and crafts, and continues to operate today as an institution for social service and empowerment.

Through these institutions, Ramabai combined education, rehabilitation, and moral upliftment, setting a precedent for modern social welfare organisations in India.

Religious and Philosophical Beliefs

Though she converted to Christianity, Pandita Ramabai’s spirituality transcended rigid religious boundaries. She saw religion as a source of ethical strength and compassion rather than dogma.
Her later years were marked by deep religious reflection, during which she organised Bible study groups and social service activities, emphasising women’s moral and spiritual growth. Despite facing criticism from both Hindu conservatives and Christian missionaries, she maintained independence in her beliefs and actions.

Later Life and Death

In her later years, Ramabai focused on expanding the work of the Mukti Mission and translating religious and educational texts into Marathi.
Her health declined in the early 1920s, and she passed away on 5 April 1922 at Kedgaon, near Pune. Her daughter, Manorama Bai, carried forward her educational mission until her own death in 1921, just a year before her mother’s.

Legacy and Impact

Pandita Ramabai’s legacy endures as a pioneer of women’s empowerment and social reform in India.

• She was among the first Indian women to publicly advocate for gender equality, widow remarriage, and the right of women to education and self-determination.
• Her institutions—Sharada Sadan and Mukti Mission—laid the foundation for women’s welfare work in India.
• She served as a bridge between Indian reform movements and global feminist and missionary networks, linking India’s struggles with international humanitarian ideals.
• Her writings continue to inspire scholars of feminism, social reform, and theology.

In recognition of her contributions:

• The Government of India issued a commemorative stamp in her honour in 1989.
• She was posthumously included in the list of “Makers of Modern India” by various historians and public institutions.