author
Cornelia Sorabji
1866–1954
A pioneering lawyer, reformer, and writer, this remarkable figure broke barriers in both India and Britain at a time when women were rarely welcomed into the legal world. Her life joined firsts in education and law with years of practical work on behalf of women living in seclusion.
2 Audiobooks
Between the twilights : Being studies of Indian women by one of themselves
by Cornelia Sorabji
Indian tales of the great ones among men, women, and bird-people
by Cornelia Sorabji
About the author
Born in Nashik in 1866, Cornelia Sorabji became a trailblazer in legal history. She was the first woman to graduate from Bombay University and the first woman to study law at Oxford, achievements that made her widely known in both India and Britain.
Much of her working life was devoted to helping purdahnashin women, who lived in seclusion and often could not easily manage their legal and property affairs themselves. In India she worked as a legal adviser and advocate for women whose voices were often shut out of the courts, turning her education into practical support for people with little access to justice.
She was also a prolific writer, producing books, memoirs, and essays that drew on her experiences across cultures and professions. Today she is remembered not only for a long list of firsts, but for using her unusual position to open doors for others.