Roshni
January - March 2021
PAST PRESIDENTS SERIES Webinar on Smt. Vidyagauri Nilkanth Seventh President of AIWC (1933)
By Dr. Laxmi Gandhi, Bardoli
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Taibaji was the first President of Gujarat Branch. Vidyagauri Nilkanth was the third President of Gujarat from 1930 to 1931. She became National President of AIWC in the year 1933. Smt. Rani Laxmibai Rajwade was the secretary general. During her tenure, the seventh Annual Conference was held at Lucknow. Smt. Muthulaxmi Reddy was the Conference Chairperson. She hosted the 11th National Annual session of AIWC at Ahmedabad in the year 1936. Smt. Margaret Cousins was the President of AIWC, and she was Conference Chairperson. Her sister Shardaben Mehta was also a great worker in AIWC. Shardaben and Salman Taibji were the two delegates from Gujarat who were present at the 1st Inaugural Session of AIWC at Pune. Both of them were selected as committee members in All India Committee.Vidyagauri and Shardaben visited various cities and towns of Gujarat and established constituent branches all over Gujarat. They established around thirty branches all over Gujarat.
mt. Vidyagauri Ramanbhai Nilkanth was the seventh President of All India Women’s Conference.She was born in a highly cultured & educated family on 1st June 1876 at Ahmedabad. Her father, Shri Gopilal Dhruva was a judicial officer and mother, Balaben was a housewife. Her primary education was at Raibahadur Maganbhai Girls’ School. She took her secondary education at Anglo Vernacular Classes at the Mahalaxmi Training College, Ahmedabad. In those days marriages were arranged at very young age. She got married to Ramanbhai Nilkanth at the age of thirteen years. Ramanbhai was a great writer and educationalist. With support and encouragement from her husband and family members she continued her studies even after marriage. She passed Matriculation exam in 1891 standing first in Gujarati language in the University of Bombay. In those days Gujarat was not a separate state. It was Mumbai Rajya in which Gujarat and Maharashtra were combined. By this time, she became the mother of two daughters. Even then she continued her studies with interruption of two deliveries.She continued her higher education and registered for BA with her sister Shardaben in Gujarat College, Ahmedabad taking subjects like moral philosophy, psychology & logic. She and her sister were the first lady graduates of Gujarat in the year 1901.
As Educationist She devoted her life to women’s education. She started adult education classes for the illiterate women.She encouraged girls to go to school. She also encouraged different small states (Rajwada) and helped them to start schools for girls.She was associated with a number of schools and educational institutes, including Diwaliba Girls School, Ramanbhai Chhotalal Girl’s School, and Vanita Vishram at Ahmadabad. Vanita Vishram
Association with AIWC She was the pioneer in starting AIWC Gujarat Branch at Ahmedabad, in the year 1927. Salman
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