Dhondo Keshav Karve

Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve
Karve on a 1958 stamp of India
Born	(1858-04-18)18 April 1858 Dapoli, Bombay Presidency, British India
Died	9 November 1962(1962-11-09) (aged 104) Pune, Maharashtra, India
Occupations	Professor activist writer social worker
Spouse(s)	Radhabai and Godubai
Children	3, including Raghunath Karve
Awards	Bharat Ratna (1958) Padma Vibhushan (1955)

Dhondo Keshav Karve (18 April 1858 – 9 November 1962) (pronunciation^ⓘ), popularly known as Maharshi Karve, was a social reformer in India in the field of women's welfare. He advocated widow remarriage, and he himself remarried a widow as a widower. Karve was a pioneer in promoting widows' education. He founded the first women's university in India, the SNDT Women's University in 1916.^[1] The Government of India awarded him with the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 1958, the year of his 100th birthday. He organized a conference against the practice of devdasi. He started 'Anath balikashram' an orphanage for girls. His intention was to give education to all women and make them stand on their own feet. Through his efforts, the first women university was set up in 20th century.

The appellation Maharshi, which the Indian public often assigned to Karve, means "a great sage".