Lady Meherbai Tata
The original Feminist Icon of India
Not only did she pledged her wealth to save Tata Steel, she also fought against child marriage and for establishment of Sarda Act.
- Lady Meherbai demonstrated independence in thoughts from very young age, standing up to her father to keep her name in Persian form, when he wanted to angelize her name to Mary.
- She was first women from India to participate in Olympics. She won over 60 prizes in different tennis tournaments and she played all her matches in traditional parsi saree ‘gara’.
- When Tata Steel was on brink of collapse. She along with her husband Dorabji Tata, pledged all her wealth including the 245.35-carat Jubilee diamond that was twice the size of Kohinoor bought to her as a gift by Sir Dorabji in 1900, to revive Tata Steel.
- She was deeply committed to women’s education and was one of the founders of the National Council of Women and the All India Women’s Conference.
Lady Tata was one of the original feminist icon of India. She was a global voice for Indian women, she was committed to girls’ education and removal of the purdah system and was an expert at championing them on global platforms. On November 29, 1927, Lady Meherbai made a case for the Hindu Marriage Bill in Michigan. She demanded equal political status for women at the All India Women’s Conference in 1930. She actively campaigned across India and Abroad against child marriage.
- Her effort became fruitful when The Child Marriage Restraint Act, popularly known as the Sarda Act, which made child marriage illegal in India, was eventually passed in 1929. She was not only one of the pioneer to fight for this act but she was also consulted for the formulation of it.
She was a women with strong sense of identity who proudly embraced roots even during colonial times when Anglicization was common among rich. Despite being born in riches and privilege she never shied away for sacrificing her wealth when her family needed help the most, moreover she used her privilege to voice for the women and their adversities and bring the change.
Lady Meherbai Tata famously quoted:
I have always held that when women of a country take their just share in the affair’s of their country, that country and that nation must rise to be one to be one of the great countries and nations of the world. And so it will be with our beloved India.
