SSC
The first women's university in India, now known as the SNDT Women's University, was founded in 1916 by:
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Answer: Option A — Dhondo Keshav Karve
Detailed Solution
The first women's university in India was founded on 3 June 1916 in Pune by Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve; it is now known as the Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women's University.
About the university:
- It was started as the "Indian Women's University", with only five students.
- Karve was inspired by the Japan Women's University in Tokyo, about which he had read.
- It taught in Indian languages (mainly Marathi) and offered courses suited to women's needs.
- In 1920, the industrialist Sir Vithaldas Thackersey donated a large sum of money, and the university was named after his mother, Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey.
- In 1936, its headquarters was shifted to Bombay (Mumbai).
- In 1951, it received statutory recognition from the Government of Bombay.
- It now has campuses in Mumbai, Pune and Ratnagiri.
About D. K. Karve:
- He was born on 18 April 1858 at Murud, in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
- He was a teacher of mathematics at the Fergusson College in Pune.
- He devoted his life to the cause of women's education and widow remarriage.
- He himself married a widow, Godubai, after the death of his first wife; this caused him to be socially boycotted.
- He set up a home for widows near Pune, and the Mahila Vidyalaya (1907) for women's education.
- He lived to the age of 104, and died in 1962.
Honours:
- He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1958, on his 100th birthday; he was the first living person to receive it at the age of 100.
- He is called "Maharshi" (great sage).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Ramabai, Phule and Vidyasagar worked for women's education in other ways.
Quick tip
Remember: first women's university (Pune, 1916; now SNDT Women's University) = Maharshi D. K. Karve (Bharat Ratna 1958, at 100).
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Socio-Religious Reform Movements — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Socio-Religious Reform Movements, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
In the 19th century, reformers worked to remove social evils and revive Indian society. This topic covers organisations such as the Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Theosophical Society, Satyashodhak Samaj and the Aligarh Movement, along with their founders and the social reforms they achieved. Questions usually ask who founded an organisation and when, or which reformer is linked to a reform. For example, Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj and campaigned against sati, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar championed widow remarriage, and Jyotiba Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj. A table of organisation, founder, year and place covers most questions. Practise the socio-religious reform movements questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.