Education has always been one of the most powerful tools for change and in India, it’s been women who’ve often held the torch. From opening the first schools for girls to reshaping how we think about learning, these women didn’t just teach lessons, they rewrote history. On National Education Day, let’s celebrate seven remarkable women who turned education into empowerment.
1. Savitribai Phule- The First Woman Teacher of India
Long before 'girls’ education' became a social slogan, Savitribai Phule was walking miles to teach young girls from marginalised communities, facing stones, insults, and opposition along the way. Alongside her husband, Jyotirao Phule, she started India’s first girls’ school in 1848. Every educated woman today carries a bit of Savitribai’s courage in her story.
2. Fatima Sheikh- The Forgotten Heroine of India’s Education Movement
Often left out of mainstream history books, Fatima Sheikh was also one of India’s first women teachers and Savitribai Phule’s close ally. She opened her own home to run a school for girls and those from oppressed castes, a bold move at a time when education was a privilege of the few. Her quiet strength reminds us that progress is built on solidarity.
3. Ramabai Ranade- The Voice Behind Women’s Empowerment
When Ramabai Ranade wasn’t advocating for women’s rights, she was building institutions for their education. She founded the Seva Sadan Society in 1908, where women could learn reading, writing, and vocational skill like offering financial independence in an era when most women had none. Her legacy continues to shape countless women-led initiatives today.
4. Aruna Asaf Ali- the Teacher Who Became a Freedom Fighter
Before she became the 'Grand Old Lady of the Independence Movement,' Aruna Asaf Ali was a schoolteacher. She believed that true freedom began in the classroom, through awareness and critical thinking. Her courage in hoisting the Indian National Congress flag during the Quit India Movement made her a symbol of both educational and political empowerment.
5. Dr. Rukmini Devi Arundale- Bringing Art into Education
For Rukmini Devi Arundale, education wasn’t confined to books and blackboards, it was also about beauty, culture, and creativity. As the founder of Kalakshetra in Chennai, she redefined how performing arts were taught, preserving Indian traditions while making them accessible to future generations. She proved that education of the heart is as vital as education of the mind.
6. Annie Besant- A British Woman Who Believed in India’s Minds
Though born in Britain, Annie Besant became one of India’s strongest voices for education and freedom. She founded the Central Hindu College in Varanasi (which later became part of Banaras Hindu University) and championed education for women. Her belief that education could awaken India’s potential still feels strikingly relevant today.