Ramabai Chandeki

19th century Indian social reformer who pioneered women's education and shelter for widows

Ramabai (1858-1922) was a revolutionary figure in India's social reform movement. As one of the first high-caste women to openly challenge Brahminical traditions, she established the Arya Mahila Samaj in 1873 to promote women's education. Her 《The High-Caste Hindu Woman》 (1887) exposed the oppressive conditions faced by Indian women, becoming a foundational text in feminist literature.

In 1883 she founded the Mukti Mission in Maharashtra, India's first shelter for widows, housing over 1,000 women rescued from ritualistic abuse. Later establishing the Shri Ramabai Saraswati Mahila Mahavidyalaya, India's first women's university, she integrated Western scientific education with Indian cultural values. Her work inspired global suffragette movements while remaining deeply rooted in Hindu reform traditions.