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Women in Indian History [1]

Paper Code: 
25HIS 322
Credits: 
04
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

This course empowers students to analyze the lived experiences of women in specific historical contexts of Ancient and Medieval India. They reflect on women's issues during the British period and their contributions to the Indian National Movement. Additionally, students trace continuities in Gender Issues and Feminist Movements in India, gaining insights into the evolving role and status of women across historical epochs.

 

Course Outcomes: 

Course

Outcome (at course level)

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Course Code

Course Title

25 HIS 322

Women in Indian History

 

CO89-Analyse historiographical intervention in writing womens’ history and understand the Position of Women in Ancient and Medieval India.

CO90-Examine Social Reform movements and Social Legislation related to women during the Colonial Period.

CO91- Determine the role of women in the Indian National Movement.

CO92- Appraise the social and economic rights enshrined in the constitution of India.

CO93-Explain Gender Issues and Feminist Movements in Independent India

CO94-Contribute effectively in course-specific interaction

Approach in teaching:

Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Tutorials, Reading assignments, Power Point Presentation

 

Learning activities for the students:

Self-learning assignments, Effective questions, Seminar presentation

Class Assignment, Presentation, Individual and group projectsClass test, Semester End Examinations, Quiz, Solving problems in tutorials

 

10.00
Unit I: 
Women in India

Women in Historical Perspective : Position of Women in Ancient and Medieval India 

14.00
Unit II: 
Social Reform movements during British Period

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Ranade, Pandita Ramabai , Jyotiba Phule and Tarabai Shinde.Social Legislation related to women during the Colonial Period.: Abolition of Sati, Widow Re- Marriage and the Age of Consent bill (1891)  Sharda Act.

 

14.00
Unit III: 
Women in Freedom Movement

Participation of women in the Indian National Movement.

Important Women Leaders in the Freedom Movement : Sarojini Naidu, Anne Besant, Aruna Asaf Ali and Madam Bhikaji Kama

 

10.00
Unit IV: 
Women Rights

Social and economic rights enshrined in the constitution of India

 

12.00
Unit V: 
Gender in Independent India

Gender Issues and Feminist Movements in Independent India- Towards Equality Report 1978 onwards.

 

 

Essential Readings: 
  • Uma Chakravarti: Rewriting History- The Life and Legends of Pundita Ramabai
  • Altekar, A.S. : The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization 
  • Desai Neera : Women in Modern India

 

References: 
  • Agnew Vijay : Elite Women in Indian Politics.
  • Basu A and Ray B. : Women Struggle – A History of All India Women’s Conference, 1927 -1990.
  • Evernst, Jana M : Women and Social Change in India.
  • Nanda B.R (ed) : Indian Woman; From Purdah to Modernity.
  • Mishra Rekha : Women in Mugal India. (1526-1748).
  • Raj, Bharti and Basu Aparna etc. : From Freedom to Independence: Women and Fifty years of India Independence.
  • Shashi Arora : Rajasthan me Nari ki Stithi, Bikaner, 1981.
  • G.N. Sharma : Social Life in Medieval Rajasthan.
  • Tara Ali Begh : India’s Women Power.
  • Sudhir Chandra: Enslaved Daughters
  • Roslyn O Hanlon: A Comparison Between Man and Woman: Tarabai Shinde and the Critique of Gender Relations in Colonial India.

 

E-Resources

Women in Historical Perspective

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Ranke

Pandita Ramabai

Jyotiba Phule

 

Participation of women in the Indian National Movement

Sarojini Naidu

Aruna Asaf Ali and Madam Bhikaji Kama

Social and economic rights enshrined in the constitution of India

Gender Issues and Feminist Movements in Independent India- Towards Equality Report 1978 onwards

 

Academic Year: 
2025-26 [16]

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Source URL: https://history.iisuniv.ac.in/courses/subjects/women-indian-history-3

Links:
[1] https://history.iisuniv.ac.in/courses/subjects/women-indian-history-3
[2] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334249916_LIFE_OF_WOMEN_IN_INDIA_ANCIENT_TO_MODERN_TIMES
[3] https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/41972/1/Unit-1.pdf
[4] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349547460_Contribution_of_Pandit_Ishwar_Chandra_Vidyasagar_as_Educational_and_Social_Reformer_in_the_19_th_Century
[5] https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/20628/1/Unit-5.pdf
[6] https://www.dubaimarthomaparish.org/links/e-lib/Pandita%20Ramabai.pdf
[7] https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/20647/1/Unit-12.pdf
[8] https://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol20-issue4/Version-1/E020412326.pdf
[9] https://egyankosh.ac.in/handle/123456789/64628?mode=full
[10] https://egyanagar.osou.ac.in/download-slm.php?file=GEHI-02-Block-03.pdf
[11] https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Aruna+Asaf+Ali+as+nationalist+leader+&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1651821129323&u=%23p%3DC34uzZKnWIQJ
[12] https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2004159.pdf
[13] https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/43139/1/Unit-7.pdf
[14] http://www.drbrambedkarcollege.ac.in/sites/default/files/women%27s%20movement%20%28English%29%20part%202.pdf
[15] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329022612_The_History_of_Feminism_and_Doing_Gender_in_India
[16] https://history.iisuniv.ac.in/academic-year/2025-26