Sambodhi 1983 Vol 12

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 91

Miss Bratt Usha G
Ildtudly caught the attention of the leaders of the society. The Mahalak sm famale training college was the result of this new social awakening
On the 1st September 1892 Ravbahadur Ranchhodlal Khadia gir school was started with the donation by Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, t1 pioneer of the cotton textile industry in Gujarat In 1901 the Gujara Varnacular Society prepaicd a plan for women's education 31 an the plan was in tlic existence in 1915.
The society by awarding the various prizes inspired the educate sections to participate in the essay competitions on the burning socia 15sues such as chuld marriages, casts-iegimentation, supeistitions an restrictions on widow-remarriages and foreigo travels.
The women were encouraged to participate in the essay competition and the clocution competitons On one occasion the subjects for th essay competitions were (1) Result of child marriages and its iinpact o girls education (11) The customs and traditions in the caste of Kaday kanabi 32 The theme on the Kadava Kanabi' shows that the society tool special interest on the caste which was supposed to be ritually an socially the lower caste in the society.
On 23rd and 24th December an elocution competition was organise in Maganbhai Karamchand girls school and the topics were (i) the need of the women's education and (ii) what type of women's education shoul be imparted Six women participated in the competition. Out of then Mrs. Gangabai Prashankar Yagnik and Mrs. Ambaji Jivaram were res pectedly the teachers from Manasa and Patlad, Mrs. Vijaya Premabha was a scholar in Ahmedabad fernale training college and Mrs. Gulal Kahandas was a teacher in the same college. Mrs. Reva Kashiram wa from Baroda and Mrs. Annpurnabai was the wife of Ganesh Gopal Pan dit (B A.). Thus the married women teaches were available and they were active in these type of activities.33 The elocution competitioi became the yearly programme and on 22nd and 23rd December 1897 thic competition was organised in Bholanath Sarabhai literary institute fo women. In the competition 10 women participated and most of then were the school teachers. This function was presided by Vidyagaur Nilkanth who passed the Intei-Mediate examination 34 It may be notec here that Vidyaben was the daughter-in-law of Mahipati ani Rupram the celabrated social icformer of Gujarat and the wife of Ramanbha Nilkanth, a famous social and political reformer and the author of the renouned noval Bhadram Bhadra.' Mrs. Bayabai Shripad Thakur passec