Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain

A 19th-century Bengali feminist who pioneered women's education in colonial India through writing and activism.

Rokheya Raquiba Begum (1880–1932), known as Begum Rokeya, was a trailblazing educator and writer in British India. Born into a conservative Nawab family in Bengal, she defied norms by learning English and founding the Sakhawat Memorial School for Muslim girls in 1916. Her seminal work Sultana's Dream (1905), an early feminist utopian novel imagining a matriarchal society, challenged gender roles long before Western sci-fi explored similar themes. She edited Protiva Bharati magazine to advocate for women's rights, criticizing purdah practices and promoting co-education. Despite opposition from her husband's family, she established 30 schools across Bengal. Her essays like The Secluded Ones used humor to critique patriarchal norms, influencing later movements. The Rokheya Society International continues her work today, addressing child marriage and gender-based violence in Bangladesh.