Jawaharlal Karima

A Punjabi social reformer who pioneered caste-neutral education and founded India's first interfaith school in 1849

Jawaharlal Karima (1822-1898) challenged caste and religious divisions in colonial Punjab through his innovative educational initiatives. Born to a Sikh merchant family in Amritsar, he studied at Fort William College before returning to establish the Samajik Vidyalaya (Social School) in 1849 - the first institution in India admitting students from all castes and religions without fees. His school's student body included Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and untouchables, a radical concept at the time.

Karima developed a unique curriculum blending Vedic texts with Western sciences, and introduced girls' education in 1853 when he established a girls' annex. His 1861 Education for All manifesto argued for state-funded schools, influencing later Indian educational policies. The school's alumni included future leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya.

In 1872, he founded the Sarvajanik Press to publish low-cost textbooks in Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. His work drew criticism from orthodox groups, but gained support from British officials like John Lawrence who admired his anti-untouchability stance. By his death, his network of 47 schools educated over 3,000 students annually.

Modern historians consider Karima's 1885 speech at Lahore's Anjuman-i-Punjab conference as foundational to India's secular education ideals. His original school building still stands as part of the Guru Nanak Dev University campus. Read his 1865 correspondence with Mahatma Phule at the Library of Congress.