I’ve always had a special place in my heart for teachers. My mother taught little ones, but gave up teaching when my brother was born. Her mother, widowed young, fell back on the big advantage Anglo Indian women had in those days, English as a first language, and not only taught in a school but took an insane amount of private tuitions to take care of her family. I wanted to be a teacher too, but life took other turns.
But I do know a disproportionate number of people who are career teachers and even fell for one. (Um. More than one. But closest on that front was that I did date two women whose mothers were teachers.)
Anyway, for years I would put out a teacher’s day post on the 5th September, a shout out to all my teacher friends to say I am grateful for their careers. One of those times, a teacher friend messaged, “Thank you. (Wish me again on 3 January.)” I took note of that, and did some reading
Now my school history lessons had covered Maharashtra history quite copiously, and India’s freedom and reform movements, but I had no memory of more than a mention of Savitribai Phule, while covering the life of her husband, Jyotiba. Over my internet years, free from the burden of rote learning of dates and names, I had read a lot more about caste, and reform, but still wound up knowing very little about her. Thanks to my friend, I have learnt about the enormous debt we owe to Savitribai Phule, her husband Jyotiba, and her colleague Fatima Sheikh. I have much more to learn, of course. But, for now…
On her birthday, happy Teacher’s Day, teacher friends, and I’m lighting a candle for Savitribai Phule.
