A world that comprises diverse human beings across religion, caste, gender, class, geography, ideology, cannot be governed by a singular set of upper class, dominant caste, majority religion men The photograph also acknowledges a new generation of women who are aspirational, driven and, given the opportunity, as likely to succeed as men. We have just […]
In the Supreme Court, representation matters Read More »
A world that comprises diverse human beings across religion, caste, gender, class, geography, ideology, cannot be governed by a singular set of upper class, dominant caste, majority religion men, I write in the Hindustan Times The photograph should be framed in every law school, preserved for history books and written about in inspirational tracts for
Why I’m cheering the appointment of 3 women judges to the Supreme Court Read More »
When the State plans laws to punish parents who cross the two-child limit, let’s be clear about who pays the highest price. It’s women, the poorest and most marginalised PREMIUMRepresentational image. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) What’s not to love about a chota parivaar, that quintessential Indian family of parents and their two children? Fewer children mean better
When women pay the price for State failure Read More »
Behind the glitter of the medals lies a story of personal grit. Poverty and marginalisation cut across gender, but women face special discrimination that ranges from fighting to be born to being allowed to play a sport Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu arrives at the airport in New Delhi, on July 26. (File photo) The first went
Women athletes and their journeys of grit Read More »
Simone Biles might have just made it that much easier for young women everywhere. Her decision to pull out of the Olympics tells girls that they matter, their voices are important, and that it’s okay to put themselves first Biles’s decision to pull out of the Olympics does more than shine a welcome spotlight on
Young girls everywhere: Just say no Read More »
In 2019, a junior woman staffer accused then chief justice of India Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment and, subsequently, a targeted harassment of her and her family. The Pegasus revelations tell us that her phone and that of 11 phones associated with her was likely under surveillance along with those of 10 prime ministers, 3
“A matter of great importance touching upon judiciary’s independence” Read More »
The Pegasus revelation must be probed to reassure half this country’s citizens that justice is our constitutional right; that there is zero tolerance for the abuse of power; that we are not wrong to repose our faith in our highest court Representational image. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) At the height of the 2019 sexual harassment scandal involving
Ensure justice, in the courts and beyond Read More »
An examination of 40,000 marriages in rural India between 1960 and 2008 by a World Bank report finds that dowry’s taint has spread amongst Sikhs and Christians who now have higher average dowries than Hindus and Muslims Representational image. Three deaths, 10 days, 60 years of an anti-dowry law. Cold numbers that tell you not
Dowry: The persistence of a social evil Read More »
The Tamil Nadu state government’s announcement that women, and non-Brahmins, can apply to be temple priests signals the beginning of the end of another male stronghold. When the pujari at the Durga temple in Nalluthevanpatti village, Madurai, fell ill and could no longer perform the ritual pujas, his only child, a daughter, Pinniyakkal stepped up.
When the pujari (priest) at the Durga temple in Madurai fell ill and could no longer perform the ritual pujas, his only child, a daughter, Pinniyakkal, stepped up. Two years later, when he died in 2006, she staked her claim to be the full-time pujari, a hereditary position at that temple Representational Image. (HT archive)
Challenging patriarchy in religion Read More »
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights says 3,621 children have been orphaned since the start of the pandemic. With over 360,000 deaths so far, this is likely an underestimation Representational image. (AP) It started with a WhatsApp message. “A 2 months old baby boy and a 2 yrs old baby girl [sic] need
When our children are left vulnerable Read More »
The Tejpal judgment could have stopped with an acquittal on reasonable doubt due to lack of police evidence. Instead, there are insinuations about the woman’s credibility, including the fact that she admittedly had no physical injuries after the assault Despite that, many of those questions, and replies, are now on public record thanks to a
The regressive mindset behind the Tarun Tejpal judgment Read More »