Bold, Assertive and Courageous.... The new Indian woman ...

Bold, Assertive and Courageous. The new Indian woman is all of this and much more. Among the many significant changes that have taken place in the India growth story in the recent times is the growing status of women. Breaking free from the shackles of outworn tradition, the modern day woman has been able to fight for her rights, achieve many milestones and create an identity for herself. The International Woman’s Day (IWD) held on 8th March every year is to commemorate the economic, social, cultural and political achievements made by women over the years. It is also a time to review her progress and reflect on her changing role and status in the society. This is what we have tried to do in the March 2011 issue of One India One People titled ‘Stree’, which in Marathi language means woman.    

March 2011 issue of One India One People 

In our lead article, Ranjona Banerji, says while Indian women are far more empowered today, it does not take away the fact that across India and the world, women are still fighting for basic human rights and amenities.

 In search of role models, Ammu Joseph tells us that some of the most influential female role models may be well women in our own lives: mothers, mothers-in-law, aunts, sisters, daughters, teachers, students, bosses, colleagues and friends. 

Saisuresh Sivaswamy looks at the changing trend in which today’s men are no longer shy of showing their vulnerable side and also take pride in being a more involved parent. 

Abhay Mokashi presents a study of women in politics. 

Talking about crimes against women, Lina Mathias points out that unless the government takes the safety of its women citizens seriously and women form a vigilant pressure group, piecemeal measures will amount to nothing, while Kamayani Bali Mahabal stresses that “The Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill 2010” should focus on prevention.

 Dr. Shoma Chatterji analyses the role of Indian woman homemaker and argues that though housework is not included in computing the gross national product, this in no way means that housework is an uneconomic activity.

Know India Better features the vibrant folk arts of Kerala. The just concluded festival of Kerala’s Performing Arts Utsavam, provided a rare opportunity to art lovers to savour the magic and majesty of the state’s cultural heritage. 

In Great Indians, we have profiled freedom fighter and social reformer Ravishankar Vyas, dynamic army officer Lt Gen P S Bhagat PVSM VC and the legendary Hindustani classical music vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

Get your copy of One India One People today. Write to us at oiop@vsnl.net or call 022-2353 44 00. You can even visit our website www.oneindiaonepeople.com for a look at our latest issue.

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day on March 8, One India One People pays tribute to four outstanding great Indians from different fields whose life is still an inspiration for many.    

Leela Roy

Leela Roy, an exemplary reformer (1900-1973), earned recognition as an eminent educationists, at a time when girls were hardly seen in schools let alone public life. She was a freedom fighter too, who was sentenced to six years rigorous imprisonment for participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement in December 1931. She also set up high schools and organizations for girls with an aim to educate and empower them.  Though there were obstacles at every step, Roy overcame them and became an inspiration for many of her contemporaries.

Kamala Das Aka Kamala Suraiya

 Kamala Das Aka Kamala Suraiya, writer and poet (1934-2009), stands out as an oddity on the Indian literary movement. She had little formal education and that too with inordinate breaks but her English poems figure in anthologies that are prescribed texts in literature studies in the US, UK and some Indian universities. Kamala Das was undoubtedly an iconoclast and had a literary flourish of her own. 

Gangubai Hangal

                                      Gangubai Hangal, Hindustani classical singer (1913-2009), was one of the most enduring figures of Hindustani music.  Together with Bhimsen Joshi and Firoze Dastur, she formed long-lasting trinity of the Kirana gharana music. As a musician and as a woman, Gangubai had to suffer a lot of humiliation and social discrimination because of the so called low status. She overcame this ignominy and the pathos in her music could be attributed to such bitter experiences.

Kamala Sohonie

Kamala Sohonie, the first Indian woman to get a PhD in a scientific discipline (1912-1998), was a path breaking researcher whose pioneering work in biochemistry was of great relevance to India. She started her career under the great scientist Sir C. V. Raman. He too was very impressed by Sohonie’s work and dedication.