Mithuben Hormusji Petit (Aged 81) born on 11 April 1892 in Bombay (now Mumbai), was born into an affluent Parsi Zoroastrian family. Her father, Sir Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, was a well-known industrialist, philanthropist, and Baronet. Petit was one of the pioneer Indian female activists for independence who participated in Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March.
Despite opposition from her family, who urged her to renounce her activism or risk disinheritance, Petit remained committed to the cause of the nation. She was inspired by her aunt, Jaiji Jehangir Petit, who was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and was the Secretary of the Rashtriya Stree Sabha, a women’s movement founded on Gandhian ideals.
Petit played a major role in the Salt March, along with Kasturba Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu. Kasturba Gandhi began the march at Sabarmati, Sarojini Naidu lifted the salt for the first time at Dandi on 6 April 1930, and Petit stood behind Mahatma Gandhi when he repeated the violation at Bhimrad on 9 April 1930. The march was one of the most important events in the Indian independence movement.
Petit also participated in the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928, which was a no-tax campaign against the British raj, where she worked under the guidance of Sardar Patel. She was instrumental in the anti-liquor movement in India and spent time with Mahatma Gandhi explaining the liquor issue to the schedule tribes in Gujarat.
In 1930, Petit set up an ashram in Maroli called Kasturba Vanat Shala or Kasturba Sevashram, which taught underprivileged children from families of Adivasis, Harijans, and fisherfolk spinning, carding, weaving, dairy farming, leatherwork, and a Diploma Course in Sewing to make the women self-sufficient. Known as “Maiji” (mother), Petit also opened a hospital of the same name for the scientific treatment of mentally ill patients in 1942. She passed away on 16 July 1973. Petit received the Padma Shri in 1961 for her social work.
Mithuben Petit
(1892 – 1973) – (Maharashtra)
Mithuben Hormusji Petit (Aged 81) born on 11 April 1892 in Bombay (now Mumbai), was born into an affluent Parsi Zoroastrian family. Her father, Sir Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, was a well-known industrialist, philanthropist, and Baronet. Petit was one of the pioneer Indian female activists for independence who participated in Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March.
Despite opposition from her family, who urged her to renounce her activism or risk disinheritance, Petit remained committed to the cause of the nation. She was inspired by her aunt, Jaiji Jehangir Petit, who was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and was the Secretary of the Rashtriya Stree Sabha, a women’s movement founded on Gandhian ideals.
Petit played a major role in the Salt March, along with Kasturba Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu. Kasturba Gandhi began the march at Sabarmati, Sarojini Naidu lifted the salt for the first time at Dandi on 6 April 1930, and Petit stood behind Mahatma Gandhi when he repeated the violation at Bhimrad on 9 April 1930. The march was one of the most important events in the Indian independence movement.
Petit also participated in the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928, which was a no-tax campaign against the British raj, where she worked under the guidance of Sardar Patel. She was instrumental in the anti-liquor movement in India and spent time with Mahatma Gandhi explaining the liquor issue to the schedule tribes in Gujarat.
In 1930, Petit set up an ashram in Maroli called Kasturba Vanat Shala or Kasturba Sevashram, which taught underprivileged children from families of Adivasis, Harijans, and fisherfolk spinning, carding, weaving, dairy farming, leatherwork, and a Diploma Course in Sewing to make the women self-sufficient. Known as “Maiji” (mother), Petit also opened a hospital of the same name for the scientific treatment of mentally ill patients in 1942. She passed away on 16 July 1973. Petit received the Padma Shri in 1961 for her social work.
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