Lakshmi Bai

Indian social reformer who pioneered women's education and gender equality initiatives

Lakshmi Bai (1914-2010) was a transformative figure in India's social reform movement. In 1943 she founded the Bharatiya Stree Shakti Sangh, an organization that established over 500 girls' schools across northern India. Her 1950s campaign to end child marriage led to the Child Marriage Restraint Act amendments. As India's first female university vice-chancellor (1962-1970), she transformed Allahabad University into a gender-inclusive institution with 40% female faculty. She pioneered distance education programs for rural women through the National Institute of Open Schooling she helped create. Her 1968 book 《Education For Empowerment》 became a foundational text for women's studies programs. The Lakshmi Bai National Institute of Liberal Arts (LBNI) in Jaipur continues her work today. Explore her archives at Indian Women Leaders Digital Museum.