Dhondo Keshav Karve

In the early 20th century, child marriages were prevalent in the Indian society. Karve was married off when he was only fourteen years old to an eight year old girl called Radhabai. The marriage was arranged by his parents.

Unfortunately, his wife died during childbirth in 1891. He was left with a young son named Raghunath Karve who grew up to be a far-sighted social reformer like his father. He was a professor of mathematics and initiated sex education and birth control in India.

Two years after his first wife’s death, Dhondo Keshav Karve remarried a 23 year old widow called Godubai, who had been widowed within three months of marriage at the age of eight.

Dhondo Keshav Karve was born on 18 April 1858, at Sheravali, Maharashtra in a lower middle-class Brahmin family. His father's name was Keshav Bapunna Karve.

He studied at Elphinstone College, Mumbai (then known as Bombay) and received a bachelor's degree in mathematics.

From 1891–1914, Dhondo Keshav Karve taught mathematics at Fergusson College, Pune in Maharashtra. The work of statesmen like Pandita Ramabai, Vishnushastri Chiplunkar and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar inspired him to campaign for the cause of women upliftment.

In 1893, he founded ‘Widhawa-Wiwahottejak Mandali’ which encouraged widow remarriage and also took care of their needy children. In 1895, the institution was renamed to ‘Widhawa-Wiwaha-Pratibandh-Niwarak Mandali’ (Society to Remove Obstacles to Marriages of Widows).

In 1896, he established the Hindu Widows' Home Association—a shelter and school for widows in the remote village of Hingane, outside the city of Pune, Maharashtra. He chose the distant location because the prevailing orthodox Brahmin community in Pune had banished him for supporting widow remarriage and education.

He had limited resources and struggled to support his social reformatory efforts. For many years, he walked from Hingane to Pune to teach mathematics at Fergusson College and also to collect small funds. He faced a lot of criticism from the conformists.

In 1907, he established ‘Mahila Vidyalaya’ (School for Women). In 1908, he started ‘Nishkam Karma Math’ (Social Service Society) to train workers for the widows’ home and the Mahila Vidyalaya.

Dhondo Keshav Karve championed the cause of women’s education and widow remarriage in the early 20th century India. He also campaigned against the widespread caste system and untouchability practice in the Hindu society.

He wrote two autobiographical books, ‘Atmawrutta’ (1928) in Marathi and ‘Looking Back’ (1936) in English.