In the history of women education in India, who is credited with founding the first university exclusively for women in the country?

Introduction / Context:
Women education in modern India developed gradually through the efforts of many social reformers. One landmark achievement was the establishment of a university exclusively for women, which provided higher education opportunities at a time when such access was very limited. This institution later came to be known as SNDT Women University. Examinations on Indian social reform movements and education history often ask who founded this first women university.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on the first university exclusively for women in India.
• Options list several well known reformers and historical figures.
• We assume the standard historical account accepted in education history.
• The founder was a male social reformer strongly committed to women education.

Concept / Approach:
Dhondo Keshav Karve was a prominent social reformer who devoted much of his life to the cause of women education and widow remarriage. He established the Indian Women University in 1916 at Pune, which later became SNDT Women University with its main campus in Mumbai. While other figures like Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Savitribai Phule played crucial roles in women education and social reform, the specific achievement of founding the first women university is tied to Karve. Therefore, the correct approach is to recall this specific association rather than selecting a more generally known reformer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the question is about a university level institution, not just primary or secondary schools. Step 2: Recall that Dhondo Keshav Karve founded the Indian Women University in 1916. Step 3: Note that this university later evolved into SNDT Women University, recognised as the first women university in India. Step 4: Compare with other reformers like Vidyasagar and Savitribai Phule, who are associated with schools and broader social reform, not with founding this university. Step 5: Select Dhondo Keshav Karve as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Histories of women education in India consistently mention Karve as the founder of the first women university. The official history of SNDT Women University also records his pioneering role and the initial establishment of the Indian Women University. In exam oriented notes, his name is usually highlighted in bold in connection with this achievement. There is no comparable claim made for any of the other individuals listed in the options, which confirms that Karve is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A: Rani Ahilya Devi was a notable ruler and patron of temples but is not linked to founding a women university.
• Option B: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar promoted widow remarriage and girls education in Bengal but did not found the first women university.
• Option C: Rani of Jhansi is remembered as a freedom fighter, not as an education reformer in this specific context.
• Option E: Savitribai Phule played a pioneering role in girls schooling, especially in Pune, but the university level initiative is associated with Karve.

Common Pitfalls:
Because many reformers worked for women upliftment around the same time, students may confuse their specific contributions. Under pressure, they might pick Savitribai Phule or Vidyasagar because these names are strongly associated with women education in general. To avoid this, build a small table mapping each reformer to a key achievement: for example, Karve to first women university, Savitribai to first girls school in Pune, Vidyasagar to widow remarriage laws. Such targeted mapping makes it easier to recall the right association in exams.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Dhondo Keshav Karve.