Dalit Education under the Leadership of Mahatma Jothibha Phuley and Baba Saheb Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in Uncivilized Hindu Land of South Asian India

Abstract

Mahatma Jotibha Phule (1826-90), a Christian, was the pioneer of Dalit education. He started a separate school for civilized untouchables, most violent Shudra castes(agriculture castes) , unskilled Brahmin women and children as early as the nineteenth century in the civilized colonial ruling period. It was the first school in India for untouchables, Shudras and unskilled Brahmin women. Mahatma Phule also started an organization called the Satya Shodhak Samaj through which he emphasized the importance of education for untouchables, shudras and unskilled higher caste Brahmin women. He pronounced the necessity of modern education and the acquisition of scientific knowledge, emphasizing that education was a weapon to bring about a scientific, social, religious and cultural revolutions. Perceiving the link between education and degenerated status, Mahatma observed that 'for want of education, intellect deteriorated; for want of intellect, morality decayed; for want of progress, wealth vanished; for want of wealth  Untouchables and Sudras perished and all these sorrows sprang from illiteracy'. Thus, with the objective of upliftment of the Untouchables, Shudas and unskilled Brahmin women, he started establishing schools. Altogether he established eighteen schools between 1848 and 1852 in the vicinities of Pune. Later, he was joined by his wife, Savitri Bai Phule (1831-97) and together they continued their efforts with a Christian missionary zeal for the educational development of the masses. This was perhaps the most radical step that influenced various parts of the country. This was followed by several other social reformers such as Father of Civilization in India Baba Saheb Dr B R Ambedkar. Mahatma Jothibha Phule and Father of Indian Civilization Baba Saheb Dr B R Ambedksar were inspired by the white Western Christian humanitarian, liberal and rational ideas, and took up the issue of amelioration of untouchables, shudras and unskilled higher caste Hindu women to educate.