Did you ever hear about Lady Meherbai Tata? If your answer is no, then this article is for you. You will be surprised after hearing that lady, Meherbai Tata.
She was the woman who raised money by pledging her jewelry in the bank to save her husband’s company from bankruptcy. Lady Meherbai Tata, daughter-in-law of Tata Group founder Jamsetji Tata, was a woman ahead of her time. She was India’s first feminist activist. In 1924, she became the first Indian woman to compete in tennis at the Paris Olympics, wearing a traditional saree. Meherbai’s efforts also led to the passage of the 1929 law banning child marriage in India.
Who is Lady Meherbai Tata?
Born in 1879, Meherbai was married at the age of 18 to Sir Dorabji Tata, the eldest son of Jamsetji Tata. At a time when women were not allowed to step out of the home, she was a visionary and revolutionary. She advocated for women’s education and their right to vote and fought to abolish the purdah system.
Maherbai saves Tatas
Meherbai also played a crucial role in reviving the Tata group during difficult financial times. In 1924, when Tata Steel (then TISCO) was struggling due to the Great Depression, he pledged his prized Jubilee Diamond, a gem twice as big as the famous Kohinoor, to help keep the company afloat. This saved the business and ensured its continued success.
Sadly, Lady Meherbai died of leukemia in 1931 at the age of 52. His work left a lasting legacy in the form of Tata Memorial Hospital and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, financed from the money received from the sale of his diamonds. Lady Meherbai continues to be an inspirational personality for her contribution to women’s rights and her role in shaping modern India. Meherbai was born on October 10, 1879, in Bombay. His father, Hormusji J. Bhabha, was one of the first Parsis to go to England to pursue higher education. When his family moved to Bangalore, he was educated at Bishop Cotton School. In 1884, his father was appointed principal of Maharaja’s College, Mysore.