Dhondo Keshav Karve

Maharshi Dr. Dhondu Keshav Karve (Marathi: महर्षी डॉ. धोंडो केशव कर्वे) (April 18, 1858 - November 9, 1962) was a social reformer in India in the field of women's welfare. In honour of Karve, Queen's Road in Mumbai (Bombay) was renamed to Maharishi Karve Road

Karve was a pioneer in promoting women's education and the right for widows to remarry. The Government of India awarded him its highest civilian award, Bhārat Ratna, in 1958, the year he turned 100 years old.

The appellation Maharshi, which the Indian public often assigned to Karve, means ”a great sage”. He was also sometimes affectionately called "Annā Karve"; in the Marāthi-speaking community to which Karve belonged, the appellation "Annā" is often used to address either one's father or an elder brother.

Early life

Annasaheb Karve was born on 18 April 1858 at Murud , Dapoli Tālukā of Ratnāgiri district in Mahārāshtra. He was a native of Murud in the Konkan region. He was born in a lower middle-class Chitpāvan Brahmin family. His father's name was Keshav Bāpunnā Karve. In his autobiography, he wrote of his struggle to appear at a public service examination, walking 110 miles in torrential rain and difficult terrain to the nearest city of Sātārā, and his shattering disappointment at not being allowed to appear for the examination because "he looked too young".

Karve studied at Elphinstone College in Bombay (Mumbai) to receive a...
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