Maharshi dhondo keshav karve imageshack

Indian social reformer (–)

Dhondo Keshav Karve (18 April – 9 November ) (pronunciation^ⓘ), popularly known as Maharshi Karve, was a social reformer in India in the field of women's welfare. He advocated widow remarriage, and he himself remarried a widow as a widower.

Karve was a pioneer in promoting widows' education. He founded the first women's university in India, the SNDT Women's University in ^[1] The Government of India awarded him with the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in , the year of his th birthday. He organized a conference against the practice of devdasi.

He started 'Anath balikashram' an orphanage for girls. His intention was to give education to all women and make them stand on their own feet. Through his efforts, the first women university was set up in 20th century.

Maharshi dhondo keshav karve imageshack It would have three main ambitions — to educate women and develop their personality, to enable them to play a better role as mothers and wives and to make them active citizens for nation building. Berkeley, University of California Press. The same year, he set an example by marrying Godubai, a widow who had lost her husband at the age of 8. He also gave tuitions to earn some money and after years of struggle, finally, graduated from Elphinstone College in Mumbai in

The appellation Maharshi, which the Indian public often assigned to Karve, means "great sage".

Biography

Early life and education

Dhondo Keshav Karve was born on 18 April , at Sheravali, in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. He belonged to a lower middle-class family and his father's name was Keshav Bapunna Karve.^[2]

In , he graduated with a degree in mathematics from Elphinstone College.^[3]

Career

During –, Karve taught mathematics at Fergusson College in Pune, Maharashtra.^[4][5]

In , he visited Europe, America and Japan.

During these travels, he met Albert Einstein. During this world tour, he also raised funds for the university.^[3]

Autobiographical works

Karve wrote two autobiographical works: Ātmawrutta () in Marathi, and Looking Back () in English.

Maharshi dhondo keshav karve imageshack hindi Narayana Murthy M. At the end of the book, concluding his autobiography, he writes:. He was attacked in most newspapers, yet Karve bore all of this with a stoic demeanour. Contextually it means, under the cover of Himalaya by Vasant Kanetkar , published in , is loosely based on the life of Karve.

Depictions in popular culture

The Marathi play Himalayachi Saavli (हिमालयाची सावली) (literal meaning, "The Shadow of the Himalayas". Contextually it means, under the cover of Himalaya) by Vasant Kanetkar, published in , is loosely based on the life of Karve. The character of Nanasaheb Bhanu is a composite character based on Karve and other Marathi social reformers of the late 19th and early 20th century.

The play itself depicts the tension between Bhanu/Karve's public life as a social reformer and his family life due to the social backlash and economic hardships his children and wife had to endure.

The Story of Dr. Karve is a documentary film directed by Neil Gokhale and Ram Gabale. It was produced by the Government of India's Films Division.^[6]

The film Dhyaas Parva (ध्यास पर्व) by Amol Palekar, based on the life of Karve's son Raghunath, also depicts the Karve family, and their social reformation projects.^[7] Taluka Dapoli, a research based initiative, made a documentary on life of Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve in ^[8]

Awards and honours

In his honour, Karvenagar in Pune was named after him & Queen's Road in Mumbai (Bombay) was renamed to Maharshi Karve Road.

See also

References