Vera Kapadia

Pioneered women's education in rural India through innovative community schools

Dr. Vera Kapadia (1905-1972) revolutionized education in western India by establishing the first network of mobile schools for girls in remote villages. Her Kisan Shiksha Yojana program used bicycles to transport teachers between 180+ temporary classrooms, educating over 12,000 girls by 1950. This initiative directly contributed to India's literacy rate increasing from 11% to 32% in her lifetime. She pioneered the concept of 'education-on-wheels' later adopted by UNICEF programs globally.

Her 1948 book <《Education as Liberation》 became a foundational text for adult literacy movements. Kapadia's work inspired the 1961 National Education Policy, which mandated primary education for all children. The Vera Kapadia Award now honors educators advancing gender equality in education.