42 / 50 · Education & opportunity

Savitribai Phule

India · 1831–1897

Phule was an educator, poet and social reformer who worked with Jyotirao Phule to expand education for girls and challenge caste exclusion. Their school work confronted entrenched opposition.

Her legacy makes clear that gender equality cannot be separated from access to learning and struggles against caste hierarchy. The image shown here is a memorial statue, not a surviving photograph of her.

“Lack of education leads to lack of wisdom; lack of wisdom leads to lack of morals.”

Attributed to Kavya Phule in the collected writings; English translation.