Lakshmi Bai

A pioneering Indian social reformer who revolutionized women's education and healthcare in rural India

Lakshmi Bai (1890–1991) was a visionary social reformer from Tamil Nadu, India, who dedicated her life to empowering marginalized women through education and healthcare. Born into a conservative Brahmin family, she defied societal norms by completing her education and later establishing the Lakshmi Bai College for Women in 1916, one of India's first institutions exclusively for women. Her work extended to rural areas, where she founded mobile medical units to provide healthcare to impoverished communities. She also co-founded the Tamil Nadu Women’s Association, advocating for legal rights and economic independence for women. Lakshmi Bai’s efforts laid the groundwork for modern gender equality movements in India, earning her the Padma Bhushan award in 1965. Her autobiography, My Life and Work, details her struggles and triumphs in challenging patriarchal structures.