RISE OF WOMEN'S LITERACY IN MYSORE

Mysore State was renowned for its systematic approach to education. Among its achievements, women’s education saw notable progress. Until the mid-19th century, there were virtually no formal educational facilities for women. The earliest initiative began with the London Mission in 1840, which established the first Kannada medium school for girls. Soon after, a Hindu community in Bengaluru opened another girls’ school. Due to the lack of dedicated institutions, girls were initially forced to study in boys’ schools. Deep-rooted social prejudices hindered the expansion of girls’ education, and by 1879–80, only 12 such institutions existed. A major milestone came during the early years of the Rendition period, with the founding of the Maharani’s Girls’ School in Mysore. Initially privately managed, the school was taken over by the government in 1891. It eventually grew into a second-grade college affiliated with Madras University.