remembering Ramabai Ranade on her Birth and Death Anniversary
Ramabai Ranade (25 January 1863 – 25 January 1924) was an Indian social worker, a political activist and one of the first women's rights activists in the 19th century. She was born in Maharashtra. She was married to Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade and soon after her marriage, she started to learn reading and writing with strong support and encouragement from her husband. Ramabai’s legacy lies in the field of women empowerment. Ramabai’s foray into activism began with her involvement with the Prarthana Samaj, which was a movement for social reform and conducted meetings and lectures that addressed several important issues, including education for women.
Ramabai utilised social spaces provided by ritual gatherings like kirtan to organise educational activities like lectures that would further promote the reformist values among women.
​
Ramabai along with her husband established the first girls' high school in Pune in 1886. Ranade quickly gained recognition for her oratory and leadership skills and started a Hindu Ladies Social Club in Mumbai that trained women in public speaking and handwork like knitting. Ramabai chaired the first session of the India Women’s Conference held in Bombay in 1904. After death of Justice Ranade in 1901, she continued to work for his ideals. She formed Seva Sadan in Pune for upliftment of distressed women. Under Ramabai’s guidance the organisation expanded to include a women’s college that focused on vocational and professional training, and also started a cooperatives of women.
She realised the role of civil society, community and entrepreneurship as the way forward for women to be economically independent and have a sense of individual dignity. Ranade worked relentlessly to break the prejudices against nursing, which involved touching male patients. Ranade understood the issues and concerns of women, while also being aware of the intricacies of social relations and women’s position in society. Ranade looked at ‘motherhood’ as a quality of ‘love’ and ‘service’ for others. Thus, she skilfully balanced both the modern and traditional aspects of the society that was going through major socio-cultural changes.
She also fought for the cause of labourers in Fiji and Kenya and demanded compulsory primary education for girls. Moreover, she was part of the delegation, led by Sarojini Naidu, to Lord Montague (State of Secretary for India) demanding for enfranchising Indian women in 1917. She started a process of change in the outlook of both men and women towards women, and their roles in society, through education. In her honour, the Post and Telegraph Department of India issued a postage stamp picturing Ramabai in 1962. Therefore, her efforts teach us that any person, no matter where they are from, can cause significant societal change.