: This Little Known Bose Was a Feminist Icon Who Fought For The Education of Widows #IndiaNEWS #Education In the mid-19th century, heightened ideals of nationalism and independence also brought about

This Little Known Bose Was a Feminist Icon Who Fought For The Education of Widows #IndiaNEWS #Education
In the mid-19th century, heightened ideals of nationalism and independence also brought about a sense of introspection into several discriminatory practices in the country. These practices included caste and gender-based discrimination. The latter included Sati, ostracisation of widows, unregulated age of consent for sexual relations, child marriage, and property rights.
Early Indian feminists included famous Bengali poet and social worker Kamini Roy, who was one of the first girls to attend school in British India, at Bethune College at the then University of Calcutta. Roy vigorously fought for equal rights, and actively participated in the women’s suffrage movement. But even her feminism was inspired, as she picked up cues of the movement from her classmate, Abala Bose, at Bethune.
However, this activist’s name doesn’t feature in too many history textbooks.
The birth of ‘Lady Bose’
Abala was born in Barisal on 8 August 1865, to Durgamohan Das, a prominent leader of the Brahmo Samaj. Her mother, Brahmamoyee, championed the cause of upliftment of widows, who at the time faced severe ostracisation and social injustices. Brahmamoyee died when Abala was only 10 years old, but not before leaving a deep impact on her daughter.
In what was a stark contrast to the norm at the time, Abala grew up in an environment that encouraged higher education of women. Like Roy, she was one of the earliest entrants to Bethune College and went on to study medicine at Madras University. She appeared for her final examination but had to return home before the results were declared, owing to ill health. While she passed her exam, she never learned of her success.
After college, at the age of 23, Abala married Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, who went on to be known as the Father of Radio Science. In 1916, he received a knighthood, and Abala subsequently came to be known as Lady Bose. Much has been written about her role in her husband’s success. She was his inspiration to carry on his scientific work. But Abala’s role in India’s history is larger than just being a woman behind her husband’s success.
Abala and Jagadish Chandra Bose at the Bose Institute.
Educational reforms
Sir J C Bose’s work in the field of radio science required him to often travel across the world. Abala would accompany him on as many tours as she could. Here, she began to observe how women lived in different societies. While there were many differences in the way these women led their lives, some struggles were the same for women everywhere.
On returning from a particular trip to Europe, Abala took it upon herself to do everything in her power to improve the state of education for women in India.

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