'Savitribai Phule and I' book review: The woman, the leader

Shabri is a rural Dalit girl who comes from a poverty-stricken village to a big city. She qualifies to study in an engineering college through the reservation category. City life is a whole new world for her. She feels isolated and different from her peers.

Often mocked by her classmates and ridiculed by her professor, she struggles on her own. She learns to keep to herself, speak only when spoken to and do only what is necessary to survive the barbs. In the first semester, she fails all her subjects and realises that by failing she has reinforced negative stereotypes that people hold about Dalits.

When she goes to her head of department for help, he scolds her. Just when she develops suicidal thoughts, she chances on the fictional diary of a young girl from Naigon, Savitribai Phule. Written in the 1800s, the diary has young Savitri questioning ideas of child marriage and women unable to access education. Shabri learns more about Savitri's journey.

In 1840, a nine-year old Savitri got married to a 13-year-old Jyotiba. Jyotiba, who was educated in a Christian missionary, shares with Savitri thoughts about the injustice of caste-based untouchability. He feels that she too deserves to be educated.

However, in those days, educating girls was against religious scriptures and considered a sin. For this reason, Jyotiba begins to educate Savitri along with some of his upper-caste friends.

Savitri and Jyotiba went on to empower lower castes and inform them of their rights. Despite warnings and threats from various sections, they started India's first school for girls in Pune in 1848. Set up with the help of donations, the school welcomed girls of all castes. The same year, Savitri also became the first Indian female teacher. Over the years, they opened several schools, teaching and training many students. In 1853, they also opened a shelter home for widows and their children.

Inspired by Savitri's story, Shabri searches for a tutor. Soon, Bhuvan, who belongs to an upper caste, begins helping her. Bhuvan, who had a progressive upbringing, believes that the caste system is regressive. He gets Shabri to join a liberal, inclusive group that discusses student issues and organises protest marches. It is here that she proposes establishing a support group for rural, non-English speaking students in big cities.

Further, Shabri feels that Savitri's remarkable story remains untold, and that all educated girls in the country owe their education to her. In an effort to celebrate and share her life with the world, she petitions for Girls' Education Day to be commemorated on Savitribai's birth anniversary every year. In her quest, Shabri faces a lot of opposition. But with Savitri's powerful example before her, she is undeterred in her mission.

Through Shabri's story, the book tries to make a larger point: that Dalits have been suppressed for ages, and need support in order to stand shoulder to shoulder with everyone else. Mulay writes that the book is an attempt to make upper-caste young adults aware, understand and finally acknowledge their caste privilege - and to change the narrative from reforming the Dalit to reforming the upper caste.

"How does a rural Dalit girl of the under-privileged class, dark skin and caste survive in a city all by herself with no one to mentor her? How does she handle the discrimination that she has to face almost daily on account of her class, colour, accent, dress sense, English language skills and her 'coolness quotient' in a big city?" she questions.