Vimala Chunder

A pioneering Indian social reformer who championed women's education and gender equality in early 20th century India.

Vimala Chunder (1898-1985) was a visionary social reformer from Bengal, India, whose work laid the foundation for modern women's education systems. Born into a progressive zamindar family, she defied societal norms by pursuing higher education at the University of Calcutta, earning degrees in English Literature and Education. Her 1923 establishment of the Saraswati College for Women became a landmark institution, admitting 500+ students annually by 1930. Chunder's innovative curriculum combined traditional Indian knowledge with Western sciences, creating a model later adopted by 15+ institutions across East Bengal.

During the 1930s, she led the Bengal Women's Syndicate, organizing literacy campaigns that taught 12,000 rural women basic reading skills. Her 1941 publication Women's Liberation Through Education became a seminal text, influencing Jawaharlal Nehru's post-independence education policies. Chunder's 1955 establishment of India's first vocational training center for women textile workers directly created 3,000+ jobs in Calcutta's garment industry. Her legacy endures through the annual Vimala Chunder Women's Empowerment Awards, presented since 1970 by the Indian National Commission for Women.