Rukhmabai

A 19th-century Indian physician and pioneer against child marriage who challenged societal norms through legal battles

Rukhmabai (1864–1955) was a trailblazing Indian physician and advocate for women's rights, particularly known for her historic defiance of child marriage. Born in a conservative Hindu family in Bombay (now Mumbai), she refused to consummate her childhood arranged marriage at age 12, sparking a landmark legal case in 1888 that reached the Privy Council in London. Her defiance challenged the widespread practice of child marriage, leading to the 1929 Child Marriage Restraint Act. Rukhmabai became one of India's first female doctors after graduating from the Bombay Medical College in 1894, dedicating her career to healthcare for marginalized women. Her memoir "The Life of a Hindu Woman" remains a seminal text on gender inequality. Though overshadowed by contemporaries like Savitribai Phule, her legal battle laid foundational precedents for women's autonomy in colonial India.