In the colossal land of India, patriarchy is so profoundly ingrained in our society. Herein, it often appears to be a fecund societal construction and misconstrued as a tradition. In the country where ‘Sati Partha’ was never considered as a malevolent practice in the primeval age, letting go of misogyny even in this era is tougher than it seems. Interestingly, there were some women who resisted conformity and never backed from taking brave steps even in the problematic societal milieu. These were the ones who knew ‘Feminism’ better than most of us and put their tireless efforts to make people aware of it.
Here I have compiled a brief list of some fearless women whose immense contribution has fuelled up the aspirations of many other women:
Savitribai Phule:
Hailed from the lower caste, Savitribai Phule went on to educate herself and started educating other women from depressed castes. She became the first lady to start school for girls and thus, is celebrated as the mother of the Indian Feminist Movement. She, along with her husband and other women, worked remarkably to abolish caste and gender discrimination.
Fatima Sheikh:
She was the first Muslim teacher in India who also happened to be the friend of the Phule Couple. She set up a school together with Savitribai Phule and started educating women from marginalized communities. As a Muslim woman of the 19th century, the risk that she took in those times is extraordinary.
Ramabai Ranade:
Being one of the first women’s rights activists of India, Ramabai Ranade came across as the torchbearer of feminism. She dedicated her whole life to make women self-contained and financially independent. As a child, she never had access to books and later, got married off at the age of 11. She is the one who laid the foundation stone of ‘Seva Sadan’ in Mumbai and Pune.
Dr. Vina Mazumdar:
Dr. Mazumdarwas one of the first women who contributed to the ‘Twin Movements’ of women studies and Women’s Activism. She soon discerned that society is unaware of the life experiences of underprivileged women, which eventually led to the advent of the Centre for Women’s Development Studies. In the later years, she became a founding member of the Indian Association of Women’s Studies (IAWS), which promotes women’s education through national conferences.
Tarabai Shinde:
With an unassailable motive to bring women’s emotion in the light, Tarabai Shinde wrote ‘Stree-Purush Tuna’, a text which throws light on sentiments against women’s subordination and the patriarchal biases of both Brahmins and non-brahmins group.
Pandita Rama Bai:
Being the daughter of Anant Shastri Dongre, she had successfully lived up to the legacy of his father. Pandita Rama Bai also played a crucial role in forming women’s organizations. She also founded ‘Arya Mahila Samaj’ through which she started providing shelter to distressed women and encouraged them to develop crafts.
Rassundari Devi:
An ordinary housewife who dared to dream big! She wrote her autobiography in Bengali in 1876 called ‘Amar Jibon’, which means ‘My Life’.
Wrapping Up
So these were some encouraging journeys of these courageous ladies who shined even in the confines set of opportunities. Today, time and again girls sunned for their voices and always being objectified and harassed.
Even in modern times, India is not stretching its arms enough to welcome ‘Feminism’. It is sad to see the rising case of sexual harassment and domestic abuse. Feminism talks about equality; it gives the courage to take a step forward and also rewards you with wings to pursue your choices. Nobody should be worried about being referred to as a feminist as it emancipates both women and men from the imposed gender stereotypes.
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Richa Nupur is a writer, on a voyage to create versatile and impactful content. Discovering her orbit in an ocean of artists, she looks for uniqueness to project unbiased opinions. She dares to define herself as a keen learner who turns her head to humor and all things art!