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— CH. 1 · A DAUGHTER OF REFORMERS —

Sharda Mehta

~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
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  • Sharda Mehta entered the world on the 26th of June 1882 in Ahmedabad. Her father Gopilal Manilal Dhruva served as a judicial officer. Her mother Balaben belonged to a Nagar Brahmin family. A maternal great-grandfather named Bholanath Divetia was both a poet and social reformer. This lineage placed her within a circle of thinkers from birth. She attended Raibahadur Maganbhai Girl's High School for primary studies. The Mahalakshmi Teachers Training College offered Anglo-vernacular classes next. Matriculation came in 1897 after years of study. Gujarat College awarded her Bachelor of Arts degree in Logic and Moral Philosophy in 1901. Only one other woman graduated that year alongside her. That sister Vidyagauri Nilkanth shared this historic distinction.

  • Marriage united Sharda with Sumant Mehta in 1898. He stood four years senior to her at the time. Sumant pursued medical studies while she continued her own education. His career later included service as a personal doctor for the Gaekwads of Baroda State. He also worked as a dedicated social worker himself. Their union created a partnership that supported deep reform efforts. They lived together near Shertha in Ahmedabad during the early 1930s. He maintained an ashram there which became a base for their work. The couple established a khadi store in 1931. This store sold domestic goods promoted by the swadeshi movement. Their home life intertwined directly with public activism from the start.

  • Vanita Vishram Mahila Vidyalaya stood as a key institution she founded in Ahmedabad. This school focused specifically on educating young girls. She also established a college affiliated with SNDT Karve Women's University. These institutions provided pathways previously closed to Gujarati women. Her advocacy targeted caste restrictions and untouchability eradication alongside education. The goal remained empowering women through formal learning structures. Memberships in Baroda Praja Mandal connected her to broader political networks. Social reforms required both policy changes and physical spaces for growth. Her lifetime effort built infrastructure for future generations of students. The Vanita Vishram name became synonymous with female advancement in Gujarat.

    Puranoni Balbodhak Vartao appeared in 1906 as

  • children's stories. Florence Nightingale Nu Jeevancharina followed shortly after in the same year. This biography honored an English social reformer named Florence Nightingale. Grihavyavasthashastra arrived in 1920 discussing household management systems. Balakonu Gruhshikshan published in 1922 addressed child education topics. Sharda Mehta translated Romesh Chunder Dutt's Sansar into Sudhahasini by 1907. Another translation titled Hindustanma Streeonu Samajik Sthan emerged in 1915. Sathe Annabhau's novel became Varnane Kanthe under her pen. Essays on social issues filled dailies and magazines regularly. Her reading included Hindu texts, Sanskrit literature, Aurobindo, Sukhlal Sanghvi, and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

    Jeevansambharana appeared in 1938 as her autobiography. The text covered public

  • life from 1882 through 1937. It documented social historical and political situations of early twentieth-century India. Women's awakening formed a central theme throughout the narrative. The memoir served as a primary source for historians studying that era. She died on the 13th of November 1970 at Vallabh Vidyanagar. Her death marked the end of an eighty-eight-year journey. The book remains a record of socio-political change during her lifetime. Readers find detailed accounts of movements she led personally.

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1882 births1970 deaths19th-century Indian translators19th-century Indian women writers19th-century Indian writers20th-century Indian biographers20th-century Indian educators20th-century Indian essayists20th-century Indian translators20th-century Indian women educators20th-century Indian women writers20th-century Indian writersGandhiansIndian autobiographersIndian independence activists from GujaratIndian social reformersIndian social workersIndian translatorsIndian women activistsIndian women biographersIndian women non-fiction writersMehta familyWomen writers from GujaratWomen's education in IndiaWriters from AhmedabadWriters from British India

Common questions

When was Sharda Mehta born and where did she enter the world?

Sharda Mehta entered the world on the 26th of June 1882 in Ahmedabad. Her father Gopilal Manilal Dhruva served as a judicial officer while her mother Balaben belonged to a Nagar Brahmin family.

Who married Sharda Mehta and what was their partnership like?

Marriage united Sharda with Sumant Mehta in 1898 when he stood four years senior to her at the time. Their union created a partnership that supported deep reform efforts through shared social work and living near Shertha in Ahmedabad during the early 1930s.

What institutions did Sharda Mehta found to educate young girls in Gujarat?

Vanita Vishram Mahila Vidyalaya stood as a key institution she founded in Ahmedabad to focus specifically on educating young girls. She also established a college affiliated with SNDT Karve Women's University to provide pathways previously closed to Gujarati women.

Which books did Sharda Mehta publish between 1906 and 1922 regarding children and household management?

Puranoni Balbodhak Vartao appeared in 1906 as children's stories followed by Florence Nightingale Nu Jeevancharina later that same year. Grihavyavasthashastra arrived in 1920 discussing household management systems while Balakonu Gruhshikshan published in 1922 addressed child education topics.

When did Sharda Mehta die and what autobiography documented her life?

She died on the 13th of November 1970 at Vallabh Vidyanagar after an eighty-eight-year journey. Jeevansambharana appeared in 1938 as her autobiography covering public life from 1882 through 1937.

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