Savitribai Phule was born on 3 January, 1831, in the village of Naigaon in Satara District, Maharashtra. Savitribai became the country's first female teacher in 1848, breaking societal norms to educate girls.
She opened India's first girls' school, Bhide Wada, in 1848. She also opened a night school for farmers and laborers in 1855. Her schools enrolled more girls than government schools.
She founded the Mahila Seva Mandal in 1852 to raise awareness of women's rights. She campaigned against the humiliation of widows and for their remarriage. She also opposed child marriage and sati pratha.
She and her husband Jyotirao Phule formed the social reform group Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873. She became its chairman after his death in 1890.
She was one of the first women in Modern India to publish literary works in Marathi. Her poems include Kavya Phule (1854) and Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (1892).
Savitribai Phule was the first to introduce Satyashodhak marriages, a bold move that completely did away with the practice of dowry. These marriages were simple, equal, and focused on love and respect between the couple, instead of material wealth.
Savitribai Phule, along with her husband Jyotirao Phule, established a care center called Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha to provide support and shelter for pregnant rape victims.
She worked tirelessly to challenge the injustices faced by marginalized communities, promoting equality and dignity for all, regardless of their caste.
She believed that education was the greatest weapon to eradicate social evils. She also believed that the birth of a girl should be celebrated as much as that of a boy.
She and her adopted son, Yashwant, established a clinic to treat people affected by the bubonic plague. She died from the plague on March 10, 1897 while treating the son of Pandurang Babaji Gaekwad.