Rukhmabai Raut: The Relentless Rebel
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India’s era of social reform, marked by calls for progress and justice, brought child marriage into focus as a deeply entrenched obstacle to the rights of women and girls. Though outlawed in 1929, the practice remains alarmingly prevalent, with 23% of Indian girls still married before the age of 18. Prominent reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar strongly opposed child marriage, pointing to its devastating impact on health, education, and personal freedom. Girls forced into early marriage face serious risks, including high maternal mortality, greater risk of domestic and sexual violence, and the loss of education and autonomy. While these practical harms motivated most reformers, as early as the 19th century, one woman named Rukhmabai Raut took the argument further. She launched a revolt that was grounded in the ideas of consent, autonomy, and dignity. Rukhmabai’s opposition to child marriage stood apart not merely because it was bold, but because it was intel...