Lakshmi Bai Jaisingh Kecawati

Indian princess who founded Asia's first all-women university and challenged British colonial education policies

Lakshmi Bai Jaisingh Kecawati (1902-1968), a Rajput princess from Rajasthan, defied tradition by establishing the Rajratna Kanya Vidyalaya in 1927 - India's first university exclusively for women. She developed innovative curricula blending Sanskrit classics with modern sciences, and pioneered residential campuses with healthcare facilities. Her 1935 manifesto <《Education as Liberation》> argued against British colonial education systems, leading to the 1943 Education Act reforms. During WWII she organized women's war efforts through her Indian Women's Red Cross, training 50,000 volunteers. Post-independence, she served as education minister in Rajasthan, implementing her 'Three Pillars' strategy: literacy, vocational training, and gender equality. Her 1958 autobiography <《A Princess's Progress》> remains required reading in Indian women's studies programs.