From the pages of history to the roads that hold up today’s world, women have always played an indispensable role in innovation and development of every aspect of this world. Women have always stood up against all odds set on them by society and strived for a better place not only for themselves, but for everyone present and coming. Women have been a strong backbone to society since ages. Their contributions come in all shapes and colours. Some of their most significant input to humankind is through enabling and improving education in India. Indians have always faced discrimination on the basis of gender and caste, which became what can be considered a major drawback of Indian education. However, many individuals made clear what Indian education must truly look like and fought for what is right.
Not only through teaching, many women have stood up and have raised voices about the ways education is brought to the Indian population. Education in India has, overall, taken a turn for the better. The ratio of female to male literacy has jumped significantly over the past decade. Although a gap still persists, the state of things is seeing a better time than earlier years. Sources of education have become more inclusive, making it accessible to all students, regardless of their
affiliations. Women’ direct contributions to the sector are undoubtedly honourable. About fifty percent of teachers across the subcontinent of India are women. Amongst all other Indian states, Kerala stands top with nearly eighty percent of its educators being female.
Many women pose as the enablers to the improvement and development of education in India. One of the most prominent names is Savitribai Phule. She is a pioneer in education for women. One of the first women in India to obtain formal education, Savitribai Phule established the Bhide Wala school which became one of the first in India to welcome female students. She stepped up to the discrimination against women in education and helped individuals obtain equal education regardless of their gender and caste.
Looking into recent years, a name that pops up amongst women who have contributed to the education sector is Shaheen Mistri. In 1989, she established the first Akanksha centre with the aim of bringing education to students from economically underprivileged backgrounds. Leading with the intention of making high quality education available for all communities. Teach for India was 2008 by Shaheen Mistri and continues to move with the aim of bridging the education gap in India. This has enabled many students to achieve their academic goals and encourage many more to strive for more.
Sudha Murty is also a powerful figure in the picture of education. She, along with Narayana Murty, is the co-founder of Infosys foundation. The foundation aimed to provide children from underprivileged backgrounds to achieve good quality education and healthcare.
Her work as a philanthropist has helped numerous individuals in India and has given them an opportunity to achieve equal education with no space for discrimination.
Every step counts.These women, along with millions others, have helped make India’s education reach the global stage. India finds many of its female students and educators outside of the country, performing exceptionally. Indian representation has taken a new shade globally, thanks to the ever evolving state of things. The changes that were brought about years ago become the foundation for what society continues to build on today. The help that women handed to the Indian education sector is incomparable and many continue to walk on this path. Indian education has gained its rightful reputation and that would have been unachievable if not for these women who strived for successful education for all. India stands proudly on its two feet, one of which is held by the strength and grace of women who always fought for what is right and saw no disparities, uniting everyone as one; as humans.
