Phules

Phules is a surname associated with a Marathi-speaking family notable in 19th-century social reform in British India. The most prominent bearers are Jyotirao Phule (c. 1827–1890) and Savitribai Phule (1831–1897), who were married and worked together to advance education for girls and lower-caste communities while challenging caste discrimination.

Jyotirao Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 to promote social reform and equality, and he authored works such as Gulamgiri (Slavery) that criticized caste hierarchy. Savitribai Phule was a pioneering educator who, with Jyotirao, opened the first school for girls in Pune in 1848 and supported education initiatives for marginalized groups. Their collaboration helped lay the groundwork for modernization and social change in Maharashtra and beyond, despite facing significant opposition in their lifetime.

Their legacy continues through institutions and scholarships named in their honor and through the broader recognition of their contributions to education and social reform. A prominent example is Savitribai Phule Pune University, renamed in 2014 to honor Savitribai Phule while preserving the university’s original mission. The surname Phules remains in use today, referring to descendants and others who trace lineage to this influential family, as well as to people who adopt the name as a marker of cultural or historical association.