In late 1896, the worldwide Third Plague Pandemic arrived in Western India, devastating the city of Pune and surrounding rural areas. As thousands fell ill, fear and social panic spread rapidly throughout the region. The British colonial administration implemented aggressive isolation procedures under the newly enacted Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897. However, marginalized and lower-caste communities faced acute suffering, enduring not only the deadly disease but also deep-seated caste discrimination that barred them from receiving adequate medical treatment and human dignity in municipal relief facilities.
Recognizing the dire predicament of underprivileged families, Savitribai Phule, then sixty-six years old, took immediate action alongside her social movement network. Supported by her adopted son, Dr. Yashwantrao Phule, who served as a medical doctor, she helped establish a dedicated clinic on the outskirts of Pune at Nallasopara/Hadapsar. The clinic opened its doors to plague victims regardless of their caste, class, or background, providing free care, shelter, and meals to individuals who had been abandoned or turned away from traditional facilities.
In early 1897, news reached Savitribai about a young boy named Pandurang Babaji Gaikwad from the Mahar community in the nearby village of Mundhwa. The child had contracted the bubonic plague, and due to caste prejudices and fear of contagion, no villagers were willing to help him. Without hesitation, Savitribai traveled to the settlement herself. Despite her advanced age and the extreme risk of infection, she lifted the plague-stricken child onto her back and carried him through the settlement back to her son's clinic for treatment.
While the young boy ultimately survived the illness, Savitribai contracted the deadly pathogen during the rescue. Shortly after bringing the child to safety, she developed high fever and swollen lymph nodes typical of bubonic plague. On March 10, 1897, Savitribai Phule passed away at the clinic. Her death marked the tragic conclusion to a lifetime dedicated to social reform, universal education, and anti-caste activism, solidifying her legacy as one of modern India's greatest humanitarian figures.
Why it matters
Savitribai Phule’s death epitomized her lifelong commitment to human dignity and anti-caste activism. At a time when severe caste prejudice and fear of contagion caused people to abandon plague victims, she sacrificed her life to rescue a child from an oppressed community. Her act demonstrated that her advocacy for social equality was a lived principle of courage and radical empathy, inspiring generations of feminist and anti-caste activists across India.
Interesting fact
Despite being 66 years old, Savitribai Phule personally carried the plague-infected boy, Pandurang Babaji Gaikwad, on her back across the distance from Mundhwa village to her son's clinic.
People
- Savitribai PhuleSocial reformer, educator, and activist who contracted plague while helping patients
- Dr. Yashwantrao PhuleAdopted son of Savitribai Phule and physician who ran the emergency plague clinic
- Pandurang Babaji GaikwadYoung boy suffering from bubonic plague whom Savitribai carried to safety
Location
Pune Plague Clinic (Mundhwa / Hadapsar area) · Pune · India
Open in Google Maps