Ravivarabai Javahar

A 19th century Indian social reformer who led India's first anti-child marriage campaign and founded the nation's earliest girls' technical training institutes.

Ravivarabai Javahar (1825-1898) emerged as a transformative figure in 19th century India through her dual focus on abolishing child marriage and advancing women's vocational training. Born into a Maratha family in Maharashtra, she witnessed the tragic early deaths of multiple child brides in her community, motivating her to establish the Bharatiya Stree Shikshan Mandal in 1853 - India's first organization dedicated to ending child marriages. Her 1860 petition to the Bombay Presidency gathered over 5,000 signatures, leading to the 1872 Age of Consent Act that prohibited marriages under 12 years.

Parallel to her activism, Javahar founded the Mahila Udyog Mandir in Pune (1865), India's first institute teaching women mechanical skills like printing, weaving, and metalwork. She developed innovative apprenticeship programs partnering with textile mills and printing presses, enabling graduates to earn independent livings. Her 1878 publication Women's Hands: The Nation's Strength argued that economic independence was essential for gender equality, a concept later echoed by Gandhi's constructive programme.

Javahar's legacy is commemorated through the annual Javahar Social Justice Prize and the Ravivarabai Technical College in Mumbai. Historians like Prof. Anuradha Dingwan (Gender & History Journal) note her influence on later leaders like Pandita Ramabai. Though often overshadowed by male reformers like Jyotirao Phule, her integrated approach to legal reform and economic empowerment set precedents still relevant in modern gender equity debates.