(Vasudha Katju is a sociologist. She currently teaches at the Centre for Writing and Pedagogy, Krea University. This column first appeared in The Indian Express on October 8, 2021)
- It is remarkable how many lives Kamla Bhasin touched. Activists, friends, students, and colleagues reminisce about a woman who drew them in with her humour, wit, ideas, and energy. People recall reading her books and poems, listening to and singing her songs. They note the organisations and networks she helped found and build. These may seem like personal accomplishments, but they are also important contributions to movements. Movements coalesce not just around issues, but also around the sense of community, shared culture, solidarity, and history that are shaped by individuals and institutions. At a time when the women’s movement is missing a sense of shared spaces and dialogue, it’s important to remember that some of our existing spaces exist because of the actions of Kamla Bhasin and others like her. Yet these spaces and the feminist movement itself are very different today than they have been in the past…
Also Read: Are investors shifting from China to India? – The Hindu Businessline