Indian barrister, writer, and social reformer (1866–1954)
Cornelia Sorabji
Cornelia Sorabji, c. 1924
Born
(1866-11-15)15 November 1866
Nashik, Bombay Presidency, British India
Died
6 July 1954(1954-07-06) (aged 87)
London, United Kingdom
Alma mater
Bombay University
Somerville College, Oxford
Occupation(s)
Lawyer, social reformer, writer
Parent
Francina Ford (mother)
Relatives
Susie Sorabji (sister) Alice Pennell (sister) Richard Sorabji (nephew)
Cornelia Sorabji (15 November 1866 – 6 July 1954) was an Indian lawyer, social reformer and writer. She was the first female graduate from Bombay University, and the first woman to study law at Oxford University. Returning to India after her studies at Oxford, Sorabji became involved in social and advisory work on behalf of the purdahnashins, women who were forbidden to communicate with the outside male world, but she was unable to defend them in court since, as a woman, she did not hold professional standing in the Indian legal system. Hoping to remedy this, Sorabji presented herself for the LLB examination of Bombay University in 1897 and the pleader's examination of Allahabad High Court in 1899. She became the first female advocate in India but would not be recognised as a barrister until the law which barred women from practising was changed in 1923.
She was involved with several social service campaigning groups, including the National Council for Women in India, the Federation of University Women, and the Bengal League of Social Service for Women. She opposed the imposition of Western perspectives on the movement for women's change in India, and took a cautious approach to social reform, opposing rapid change. Sorabji believed that until all women were educated, political reform would not be of genuine lasting value. She supported the British Raj, and purdah for upper-caste Hindu women, and opposed Indian self-rule. Her views prevented her obtaining the support needed to undertake later social reforms. Sorabji authored multiple publications, which were influential in the early 20th century.
CorneliaSorabji (15 November 1866 – 6 July 1954) was an Indian lawyer, social reformer and writer. She was the first female graduate from Bombay University...
Sorabji is a Parsi surname and given name. It may refer to: Alice Maude Sorabji Pennell (1874–1951), Indian physician and writer CorneliaSorabji (1866–1954)...
2005), 1–36. He is the nephew of CorneliaSorabji, the first woman to practice law in Britain and India. Sorabji is an ethnic Parsi with roots in India...
children included lawyer CorneliaSorabji, educator Susie Sorabji, and medical doctor Alice Maude Sorabji Pennell. Francina Ford Sorabji was widowed in 1894...
School in Hyderabad, Sindh were affiliated with the university as well. CorneliaSorabji, who later studied law at Somerville College becoming Oxford's first...
Indian National Congress, founder of the Bombay Municipal Corporation CorneliaSorabji (1866–1954): first female graduate of Bombay University, first female...
A. N. Ray served as Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of India; CorneliaSorabji, Oxford's first female law student, was India's first female advocate;...
Pune. Susie Sorabji was educated at Bombay University. Sorabji's sisters included law pioneer CorneliaSorabji and physician Alice Maude Sorabji Pennell....
Report on the Administration of Bengal. 1902. Gooptu, Suparna (2006). CorneliaSorabji: India's Pioneer Woman Lawyer. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-567834-5...
Christian missionary. Her sisters included lawyer CorneliaSorabji and educator Susie Sorabji. Alice Sorabji attended her family's Victoria High School in...
started with twelve girls, two of them widows. Mary Sorabji, sister of social reformer, CorneliaSorabji was one of the first teachers. The subjects taught...
inspired by India’s first two trailblazing women lawyers, the solicitor CorneliaSorabji and the barrister Mithan Jamshed Lam. In the second book, The Satapur...
Legend (Gresham, 1913) Dinah Craik, John Halifax, Gentleman (OUP, 1914) CorneliaSorabji, Indian Tales of The Great Ones (1916) J. S. Fletcher, The Cistercians...
Maharani Chimnabai Saheb of Baroda, and among its regular members were CorneliaSorabji and Sucharu Devi. The President of the NCWI was Maharani Chimnabai...
the United Kingdom. Manning's help was not just theoretical, in 1888 CorneliaSorabji wrote to the National Indian Association from India for assistance...
Justice of India Sujata Manohar Elphinstone Judge Supreme court of India CorneliaSorabji First female graduate from Bombay University, first woman to study...
November 12 – Sun Yat-sen, Chinese revolutionary (d. 1925) November 16 – CorneliaSorabji, Indian-born lawyer (d. 1954) November 28 Sy Sanborn, American sportswriter...
first woman to argue before the United States Supreme Court. 1888 – CorneliaSorabji became the first woman to practice law in India. After she received...
historian and writer Alice Maude Sorabji Pennell, Doctor and writer Charan Raj, actor Pavani Reddy, actor CorneliaSorabji, lawyer and writer. Notably the...
the female characters in their endeavor to advance women's suffrage. CorneliaSorabji in India Eliza Orme in England First women lawyers around the world...
Court had differed on this, allowing CorneliaSorabji to enroll as an advocate. Hazra cited the example of Sorabji, as well as the recently enacted British...
Indian National Congress, founder of the Bombay Municipal Corporation CorneliaSorabji (1866–1954): first female graduate of Bombay University, first female...
ABC-CLIO. p. 599. ISBN 9781576071014. Sorabji, Richard. Opening Doors: The Untold Story of CorneliaSorabji, Reformer, Lawyer and Champion of Women's...
Gabriel Pascal, Hungarian-born film producer and director (b. 1894) CorneliaSorabji, Indian-born lawyer (b. 1866) July 13 Frida Kahlo, Mexican painter...
Australian politician, 22nd Premier of Tasmania (d. 1932) 1866 – CorneliaSorabji, Indian lawyer, social reformer and writer (d. 1954) 1867 – Emil Krebs...
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