"I had never read anything like this in the religious books of the Hindus." After years of searching for something more than the hopeless existence her religion offered to those not born into a high caste, Pandita had at last discovered someone who could uplift the downtrodden women of India—and every land. "To me, who but a few moments ago 'sat in the region and shadow of death, light had sprung up' (Matthew 4:16)." In An Honorable Heritage, Pandita Ramabai tells her story of being born into the privileged Brahman caste and leaving tradition behind for something far better—the light and hope she found in Christ.
Pandita Ramabai, called "the most controversial Indian woman of her time," was a social reformer, an advocate for the emancipation of women, and a pioneer in education. She spoke seven languages and translated the Bible into her mother tongue, Marathi. In appreciation of her work for the advancement of Indian women, the Indian government issued a commemorate stamp of Pandita Ramabai in 1989.