Aparna Basu

Platinum Jubilee

University of Delhi, 1922-1997

Malavika Karlekar

This volume will mark a new trend in dealing with women’s varied experiences of life: individual introductions situate the narrator in a context – and then her voice takes over, with no intervention from the editors (except to provide footnotes wherever necessary). The personal narrative — be it an autobiography, a letter or a diary — has come to be recognised as an acceptable data source in history and social science. Literary critics and students of literature too find considerable use in reading the personal writings of poets, fiction and crime writers. In this book, readings of personal narratives help in painting various images of lives that we can only know at second hand. The mélange includes memoirs, published articles, ‘portraits from memory’, a collection of essays , and an oral interview. In all, the self was the focus. The writings of Sailabala, Li Gotami, and Shakuntala go beyond a recounting of their lives and deal with spiritual and travel experiences. Three of the essays are excerpts from published autobiographies — Sarala Devi Chaudhurani’s Jeevaner Jharapata (Life’s Fallen Leaves), Kalpana Dutt’s Reminiscences and Sailabala Das’s A Look Before and After. Vidyagauri Nilkanth’s writings are essays and a selection of amazingly candid letters exchanged with her husband. Anasuya Sarabahi’s is an interview in Gujarati with niece Gira and Monica’s a selection from an unpublished memoir. Li Gotami, whose original name was Rutty Petit, travelled to Manasarovar, and a few of the magazine articles on this amazing journey have been reproduced here. Whichever form a woman chooses, writing about her self, is emancipatory; she may be a person who has so far received little attention from the family or the world. Or she may be one who is a well-known public figure – yet little is known about her childhood. So she writes about many selves – life is not about one coherent self but rather one of many lives and experiences. In other words,

Women’s Life Experiences from Western and Eastern India

In So Many Words

The Book Chronicles the stories of many of these inspiring women who rose to prominence during the daunting struggle against the biggest empire of the world, but never went astray from the path of non violence.

Women in Satyagraha

Anup Taneja

Since the mid-1970s gender has been introduced as a fundamental category of social, cultural and historical reality, perception and study. Social history is becoming more intelligible through recent studies on women. Women are no longer invisible in history. This monograph marks a welcome recognition of the importance of situating women's history within the broader perspective of social history, and illustrates the wide variety of themes in women's history on which historians have been working over the last few decades. The essays in this monograph have been written with great insight and bear ample evidence of painstaking research.

Women in Indian History

Breaking Out of Invisibility

* Presents some glimpses from Gandhi's life: how he adopted non-violence as a potent tool in his quest for the 'truth force' and led the path to India's independence* Showcases some hand-picked photographs from the National Gandhi Museum, which portray various scenes from Gandhi's life with his South African friends, co-workers and Kasturba, his wife. These show his transformation over the years, and a few personal moments as well, which highlight his bonding with family and children* Exhibits the picture that Gandhi himself envisioned of what the future of India as a free nation would behold* Rich in archival content, the book should help scholars and students alike, researching on the subject Gandhi's Vision: Freedom and Beyond chronicles the principal events leading to India's independence under Gandhi's leadership and his vision of a free India. The book commemorates 71 years of Indian independence and is replete with portraits of the Mahatma in action - invoking the spirit of patriotism, uniting people from all religions, regions and social groups across the country: Hindus, Muslims and Parsis, peasants and landlords, workers and capitalists, the intelligentsia and the illiterates, men and women, the young and the old. Among those stalwarts who led the freedom movement, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi shines not only for the novel means of non-violence, but also for simultaneously wanting to root out social evils like communal hatred, untouchability and gender disparity. With several such issues espoused by him continuing to dominate the social space, his teachings remain relevant even today. Contents:Introduction; Towards Freedom; The Awakening; Pre-Gandhian Movements in India and Gandhi in South Africa; Gandhi's Return to India; Satyagraha, Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience in India; The Final Call - Quit India Movement; Walking Alone and Freedom; Gandhi's Dream of Free India; Vision of India as a Stable, Flourishing and Sustainable Nation; Progress with Knowledge and Education; Acknowledgements; References.

Freedom and Beyond

Gandhi's Vision

Biography of G.L. Mehta, 1900-1974, an administrator, statesman, ambassador, and a writer.

Aparna Basu

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