Dhondo Keshav Karve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maharshi
Dhondo Keshav Karve
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Karve on a 1958 stamp of India
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| Born | 18 April 1858 Dapoli, Bombay Presidency, British India
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| Died | 9 November 1962 (aged 104) Pune, Maharashtra, India
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| Spouse(s) | Radhabai and Godubai |
| Children | 3, including Raghunath Karve |
| Awards | Bharat Ratna (1958) Padma Vibhushan (1955) |
Dhondo Keshav Karve (born April 18, 1858 – died November 9, 1962) was a very important social reformer in India. People often called him Maharshi Karve, which means "a great sage." He worked hard to improve the lives of women.
He believed that widows should be allowed to remarry. He even married a widow himself after his first wife passed away. Karve was a leader in helping widows get an education. In 1916, he started India's first university just for women, called the SNDT Women's University. He also started an orphanage for girls called 'Anath Balikashram'. His main goal was to help all women get an education and become independent.
The Government of India gave him the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 1958. This was the year he turned 100!
Contents
The Life of Dhondo Keshav Karve
Early Life and School
Dhondo Keshav Karve was born on April 18, 1858. His birthplace was a village called Sheravali in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. His family was not very rich.
In 1884, he finished his studies. He earned a degree in mathematics from Elphinstone College.
Karve's Work and Travels
From 1891 to 1914, Karve taught mathematics. He worked at Fergusson College in Pune, Maharashtra.
In 1929, he traveled to many countries. He visited Europe, America, and Japan. During his travels, he even met the famous scientist Albert Einstein. He also collected money to help his university grow.
Books Written by Karve
Karve wrote two books about his own life. One was called Ātmawrutta (1928), written in the Marathi language. The other was Looking Back (1936), written in English.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Dhondo Keshav Karve received many important awards for his work:
- 1942 – He was given a special Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) degree by Banaras Hindu University.
- 1951 – He received another D.Litt. degree from Pune University.
- 1954 – He got a D.Litt. degree from his own S.N.D.T. University.
- 1955 – The Government of India gave him the Padma Vibhushan award.
- 1957 – He received an LL.D. degree from the University of Mumbai.
- 1958 – He was given the Bharat Ratna. This is the highest award a civilian can receive in India.
To honor him, a place in Pune was named Karvenagar. Also, Queen's Road in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) was renamed Maharshi Karve Road.
See Also
- Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha
