We are all well aware of Mr. Albert Einstein, but the man next to him is the one that hasn't been heard much of. He is Mr. Dhondo Keshav Karve.
He has been one of the greatest social reformers of India, whose main focus was on women's welfare, specifically - Education, Individual freedom, remarriage of widows and the abolition of casteism.
Who was Keshav Karve?
Born in a small place, Murud in Konkan, Maharastra, he was lovingly known as Maharshi Karve or Anna Karve. He adorned the Earth from 18th April, 1858 to 9th November, 1962. Married at a tender age of 14, he was very soon exposed to the realities of his culture. Before heading towards social reformatory activities, he was teaching Mathematics at the Fergusson college in Pune.
What did he do?
Seeing the pathetic conditions of widows around him, he got inspired to work for their betterment.
He established the vidhwa-vivahottajak mandali (widow remarriage association) in 1893. He married Godubai (a widow)in the same year, after the death of his first wife in 1891. This came as a shock to the orthodox public.
In 1896, he founded Hindu Widows Home in Poona to help widows support themselves if they couldn't or didn't wish to remarry.
He had to first carry out his works in the remote area of Poona as the Brahmins didn't approve of it. The irony is that he himself was a Brahmin.
He laid the foundation of India's first University for women, which he named Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Indian women University. It was financially aided by Vithaldas Thackersey, a philanthropist and industrialist of Mumbai. The University covered entire spectrum ranging from pre-primary to post graduation, engineering, vocationals etc.
In 1936, he started the Maharashtra Village Primary Education Society with the goal of opening primary schools in villages.
In 1944, he founded the Samata Sangh (association for the promotion of human equality)
He stood for abolition of the caste system and untouchability.
He wrote two books -Atmavrutta (1928) and Looking back (1936).
How was he honoured?
He recieved Padma Vibhushan in 1955.
In his centenary birth year in 1958, he was awarded the highest civilian award of our country, the Bharat Ratna.
In the same year, postal stamps in his honour were issued by the GoI.
The Queen’s road in Mumbai was renamed to Maharashi Karve road in his honour.
This man was someone who just kept working in the correct direction without creating a hype around himself and without caring for the consequences.
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