Rukhmabai is not only celebrated for her contribution to the enactment of age of consent act in 1891 but also for being one of the first practicing woman doctors in colonial India. Rukhmabai was born in Marathi family in 1864.  Women had  been and is still discriminated and deprived of equal opportunity on the basis of sex . Earlier women were deprived of education because it was blindly believed that if a female was taught to read and write it would lead to untimely death of her husband and were thus married off at a young age. 

Rukhmabai father passed away when she was too young and her mother was only seventeen at that time. Her mother was remarried to Dr.Sakharam  Arjun who was a doctor and a proffesor. Rukhmabai was too a victim of child marriage as she was married off at the age of eleven to a nineteen year old Dadaji Bhikaji Raut. Her step father, sakharam made decison to keep the couple apart due to Rukhmabai's tender age . Rukhmabai continued with her education at home under her father guidance. Her stepfather was associated with religious and social reform groups ,as a result she came in contact with prominent names , the ones who where supporter of women cause in western india. Rukhmabai was exposed to the ideas of liberty and consent and thus this exposure shaped her opinion.

After seven years of their marriage, dadaji Bhikaji persuaded her to come with him . Rukhmabai refused to go and decided to stay with her father and continue her studies. Infuriated by her decision,dadaji moved court seeking it to order his wife to live with him. Rukhmabai again refused to move in with her husband stating that “ a woman cannot be compelled to stay in wedlock when she is not interested”. Though the first judge gave orders in favour of Rukhmabai stating that she can't be forced because she was innocent when she was married off. 

But the case draw attention of different parts of the society and was reopened in 1886. The earlier decison was subjected to criticism from some hindus stating that the law did not respect the Hindu rituals and customs and the society did not accept her notion. This time the verdict was given in favour of Dadaji and Rukhmabai was given a choice of either moving in with her husband or staying imprisoned for six months. She stayed firm with her decision and chose to spend six months in prison.

Rukhmabai wrote to Queen Victoria stating" man before the age of 20 and girl before the age of 15 should not be considered legal for marriage in the eyes of law". The queen overuled the court's decision and dissolved the marriage. Rukhmabai continued her education and went on to become a highly esteemed feminist and a medical practitioner.