New Delhi, Aug 31 (PTI) A new book, “The Fifteen”, gives readers a glimpse into the lives, struggles, worldviews, and contributions to nation building of the women members in India’s Constituent Assembly.
Written by Angellica Aribam and Akash Satyawali, the book provides a “comprehensive knowledge of the women behind India’s Constitution and a window into the world where in these women navigated extraordinary challenges and left lasting imprints”.
In 1946, the Indian Constituent Assembly was tasked with formulating the document that would soon govern the largest democracy in the world. Among its 299 members, 15 were women .
These women were vastly different from each other – from members of royal families and the political elite to those from marginalised Dalit and Latin Christian communities; staunch Gandhians to revolutionaries; grassroots social workers to leaders of the global social order.
Ammu Swaminathan, Annie Mascarene, Hansa Mehta, Sarojini Naidu, Leela Roy, Begum Qudsia Aizaz Rasul, Sucheta Kripalani and Leela Roy are among the 15 women whose profiles are featured in the book.
“The fifteen women contributed immensely to shape modern India. Each of their remarkable journeys not only tells us about law and polity but also presents a glimpse into the multiple Indias that existed in their perfections and imperfections. Theirs are stories of resistance and hope,” wrote the authors in the book.
Guided by their own life experiences, these women contributed to debates on the idea of India that resonates even today – from drafting progressive personal laws to the need for a uniform civil code, from the rights of detainees to their varied and evolving opinions on reservations.
According to the publishers, the keenly researched book chronicles the lives of these trailblazing women – recounting the influences that shaped them, the norms they defied, and the convictions they stood for.
“Bringing alive the history of the Indian Constitution in rich detail, The Fifteen pays tribute to the undeniable contribution of women to the Indian republic, while reminding us we must understand the past to better shape the future,” they added.
The book, priced at Rs 799, is available for purchase across online and offline stores. PTI MG MAH MAH
