Vera Kapur

Pioneering Indian educator who established the first rural girls' school in 1930s Punjab

Dr. Vera Kapur (1905-1972) revolutionized education access in colonial India through her relentless advocacy for girls' education in rural regions. Born into a progressive Parsee family in Lahore, she witnessed firsthand the gender disparities in education while attending the prestigious Queen Mary's College. After completing her PhD in Education from London University in 1929, she returned to India defying societal expectations to establish the Punjab Girls' Empowerment Academy in 1933 - the first residential school specifically designed to educate girls from low-income farming families.

Her innovative curriculum integrated agricultural science with traditional education, teaching girls to become self-sufficient farmers while gaining literacy skills. This approach doubled female literacy rates in the region within a decade. Despite facing opposition from conservative leaders, Vera's schools became models for UNESCO's later rural education initiatives. Her 1948 publication Education as Liberation remains a foundational text in gender studies, arguing that educating girls creates generational poverty cycles.

Less known is her covert role during WWII, using school funds to support underground networks aiding Allied prisoners of war. Vera's legacy endures through the Vera Kapur Trust, which continues her work in 21st century India.