Jyotirao Govindrao Phule (1827–1890), known as Mahatma Phule, was India’s first comprehensive subaltern rights advocate. Recent celebrations of his 197th birth anniversary (2024) highlight his enduring relevance in shaping the discourse on equality, education, and social justice.

1. Advocacy for Women’s Rights

• Established the first girls’ school in Pune (1848) with Savitribai Phule, braving intense social backlash.
• Wrote Tritiya Ratna, which challenged patriarchy and argued for women’s property rights.
• Created the Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha (infanticide prevention home) and promoted widow remarriage while opposing child marriage.
• Encouraged women’s participation in agriculture and small industries and advocated for women’s voting rights decades before the independence movement.

2. Championing Dalit Liberation

• In Gulamgiri (1873), exposed caste-based exploitation and Brahmanical dominance.
• Opened 18 schools for untouchables, personally teaching despite severe social boycotts.
• Founded the Satyashodhak Samaj to promote casteless worship and rational thought.
• Reinterpreted history, presenting Dalits as Bhumiputras, the original inhabitants displaced by Aryan invaders.
• Popularised the term “Dalit,” fostering pride in non-Brahmin identity.

3. Peasant Rights Advocacy

• Criticised exploitative revenue settlements and the khoti system that favoured landlords.
• Demanded fair irrigation policies and relief against predatory moneylenders.
• Advocated land reforms, farmer ownership rights, and scientific farming practices for better productivity.

4. Working-Class Support

• Supported mill workers in the Bombay textile industry during early industrialisation.
• Established vocational training centres for artisans and craftsmen.
• Demanded fair wages and encouraged collective bargaining and cooperatives.

5. Education and Rationalism as Tools of Liberation

• Opened schools and night classes for marginalised groups, seeing education as the strongest weapon against oppression.
• Advocated rational thinking and interfaith harmony, rejecting oppressive religious rituals.

Phule’s intersectional approach uplifted Dalits, women, peasants, and workers, making his reforms inclusive and transformative. His ideas influenced future movements and even shaped constitutional mandates such as Article 46, which promotes the educational advancement of weaker sections. His legacy continues to inspire India’s journey toward an egalitarian and just society.