Did Christian Missionaries Really Bring Education to All in India? The Truth About Gurukulas and Caste.

In a recent lecture, my Modern Indian Literature professor claimed that only Christian missionaries brought education to all in India, while traditional Gurukulas were exclusively for Brahmins. This got me thinking how accurate is this claim? It’s true that Christian missionaries played a role in making education more accessible, especially for Dalits and marginalized groups, but were they the only ones responsible for mass education? What about reformers like Jyotirao Phule and B.R. Ambedkar, or even colonial-era changes that led to more inclusive schooling? I’d love to hear perspectives from history buffs, educators, and anyone familiar with this topic. Was education in India truly inaccessible to the lower castes before missionary schools, or is there more to the story?