News & Articles

What the Women Say: Elusive Peace, Pervasive Violence: Sri Lankan Women’s Struggle for Security & Justice Spring 2013- The 8th brief in ICAN’s “What the Women Say” series focuses on women in Sri Lanka’s northern provinces in the aftermath of war. Drawing on a survey conducted in ten war-torn districts and discussions with over 450 women, it reflects on women’s legal gains and their activism for peace and human rights while also highlighting the critical security, economic and social risks that many women face. The recommendations we offer to the Sri Lankan government and the international community reflect the survey findings and priorities outlined in the 2012 Sri Lankan Women’s Agenda on Peace, Security and Development. (International Civil Society Action Network, Spring 2013)
Arunima Sinha, who had lost a leg after being thrown off a moving train, today created history by becoming the first amputee to scale Mount Everest Sinha said her elder brother encouraged her when she disclosed her willingness to climb the world's highest peak, after getting an artificial limb. (OutlookIndia.com, 21 May 2013)
A marriage of 22 years, a union of 3 months, and a struggle of two decades. Devinder's only "fault", Navneet says, is that he was an engineer and professor who felt strongly about his students who went missing during the dark days of militancy in Punjab. And that he spoke openly about it. She calls him Professor. In the 22 years of their marriage, they have been together just three months. As the 48-year-old battles courts and governments to hold on to a husband who is slowly losing his mind, it speaks perhaps of a yearning that things had turned out differently. (Pritha Chatterjee, 26 May 2013)
Working to Stop Violence Against Women Two activists spoke with India Real Time about violence against women and what people can do to help fight the problem and change attitudes. (India Real Time, May 13, 2013)
Identity and Home in Meira Chand's novels Anu Kumar writes about Meira Chand's body of work, from her first novel in the 1970s to her most recent. (for Sawnet, Jul 2011)
Meira Kumar to be India's first woman speaker Ms Kumar, who has been elected to parliament five times, is the daughter of the late Babu Jagjivan Ram, a prominent Dalit leader and former deputy prime minister of India. (BBC World News, 2 June 2009)
Stripped Assam woman in poll bid A tribal woman who was stripped and assaulted in India's north-eastern state of Assam is to contest the parliamentary elections. (BBC World News, 10 Mar 2009)
Widows: the world's forgotten women Widows are mistreated around the world and have little protection. (NewsBlaze, 4 Feb 2009)
Pakistan's girl band creates a stir The Lahore-based Zeb and Haniya are Pathans who write their own music which is influenced by American folk, swing, jazz and blues, Bollywood, Turkish and Lebanese music and the homegrown qawwali and ghazal. (Listen to their music online at http://www.zebandhaniya.com) (BBC News, 22 Dec 2008)
Bhutanese take divorce in their stride Bhutan differs from its neighbours India, Nepal and Bangladesh in that divorce and love marriages are common. (BBC News, 24 Dec 2008)
Pizza Grannies Two women in their 70s run a flourishing pizza business in Bangalore. (Women's Feature Service, )
Daughters in the Parent Trap Madhu Kishwar writes about their experiences with abused women who are encouraged to return to their husbands. (Women's Feature Service, )
Afghanistan's top policewoman shot dead Lt-Col Malalai Kakar, head of Kandahar's department of crimes against women, was shot in her car as she was about to leave for work. (BBC World News, 28 Sep 2008)
Nepal’s ASMITA Brings Women Powerful Advocacy ASMITA was the first-ever public media presence to give voice to Nepalese women’s human rights. Surprisingly, ASMITA was able to launch its media presence because women’s rights in Nepal at the time were silenced and forgotten. Asmita website. (Women News Network, 10 Jan 2008)
Wealthy New Yorker jailed for keeping slaves Varsha Sabhnani, 46, was convicted with her husband, Mahender Sabhnani, in December of forced labour, peonage, harbouring aliens, document servitude and conspiracy. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison for keeping two Indonesian women as slaves, forcing them to work up to 20 hours a day for years after confiscating their passports. (Sydney Morning Herald, 27 June 2008)
A Nation's Lowest Women Work Under Severe Degradation In spite of the modernization of many parts of India, the age old custom of using dry -- non-flush -- toilets have exposed many bio-hazards to women in India who work as manual scavengers. (Women News Network, 12 May 2008)
Fahmida Mirza elected first woman speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly The former doctor was elected by 249 out of 342 votes. She is a veteran politician from Sindh and a loyalist of Benazir Bhutto's PPP party. (Dawn, 19 Mar 2008)
Taslima Nasrin "exiled again" Protests by Muslim groups forced her into hiding in Nov 2007. After months of confinement she has decided to move to Europe. (BBC World News, 19 Mar 2008)
The story of the £9 jeans Fred Pearce tracks the origins of his jeans to a group of sweatshop seamstresses in Dhaka, who work long hours producing clothes that are sold in Wal-Mart and Gap, H&M and M&S, Sears and Asda. But they also gain a measure of financial independence. (Independent, UK, 28 Feb 2008)
160 refugee Sri Lankan women workers return Sri Lankan women who were working in the Middle East sought refuge in embassies, citing citing harassment, non payment of wages, abuse by employers and agents and the like. At least 160 will return to Sri Lanka. (Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka., 28 Feb 2008)
Pakistan's women's cricket team qualifies for the World Cup The group of largely unknown young women have defied the odds to beat Zimbabwe, Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands to set up a final date with South Africa. (Rediff, 23 Feb 2008)
Wedding sleuths find their niche Wedding detectives who check out prospective grooms are being hired in increasing number in India. (Washington Post, 23 Feb 2008)
Tackling a Society's Boundaries, on TV and in a Family India's newest Tamil talk-show, Ippadikku Rose, is hosted by the transgender Rose. (NY Times, 20 Feb 2008)
Indian politician expelled from tribe for taking father's name The Khasis are matrilineal, and Mr. Kyndiah broke their legal code by taking his father's surname. (BBC World News, 5 Feb 2008)
Qurratulain Hyder dies at 80. The noted Urdu writer dies after a long illness. (multiple sources, 21 Aug 2007)
India's first female President 'I Will Be A Political President', says Pratibha Patil. Interview at Rashtrapati Bhavan (Outlook, 13 Aug 2007)
Afghan women boxers fighting for peace Women boxers in Afghanistan aspire to take part in the Olympics. (BBC World News, 31 July 2007)
Using the internet to fight corruption in India The wife of an IAS whistle-blower is blogging about her husband's experiences, in the hope that increased publicity will protect her husband. (International Herald Tribune, July 2007)
Haryana boys heading south in search of brides A shortage of women in Haryana and poverty in Kerala leads to Haryana-Kerala marriages. (Hindustan Times , June 2007)
Pani puri funds Infosys dreams The wife of a pani puri vendor has become a software engineer in Infosys, thanks to her husband's support. (Deccan Herald, 24 May 2007)
Women in the Indian Paramilitary Heading for Liberia to assist in UN operations (Telegu Portal, Sep 2006)
Nepali becomes both male and female citizen The authorities in Nepal have granted a man who dresses and behaves as a woman both male and female citizenship. (BBC World News, 4 Feb 2007)
Let's Burn the Burqa "The Quran does prescribe purdah. That doesn't mean women should obey it.", says Taslima Nasrin. (Outlook India, 22 Jan 2007)
Ira Pande remembers Shivani The prolific Hindi writer Shivani (Gaura Pant) died in March 2003. In this interview, Kamla Bhatt talks to Ira Pande, Shivani's daughter, also a writer. (The Kamla Bhatt Show, 2006)
India's bank for women A woman-run cooperative bank in Pune helps women gain financial independence. (BBC World News, 28 December 2006)
Orissa tribe blesses lesbian marriage Although same-sex relationships are outlawed in India, the two women persuaded their Kandha tribe to approve of their marriage. (BBC World News, Dec 2006)
Astronaut Sunita Williams on space shuttle Discovery (Rediff, Dec 2006)
A mirage, in the guise of a law India's Domestic Violence Act is notable, but imperfect, says Shoma Chatterji. Indira Jaisingh says that it restores equality. (indiatogether.org, Dec 2006)
Trapped on an H-4 visa Well qualified, English-speaking Indian women come to the U.S. to join their husbands who are H-1B visa holders. What follows next, for some, is a cycle of extreme abuse. The Hindu. Also see H4 wives often adjust to isolated lives sans paychecks. India New England. (Both articles by Shivali Shah, June 2006)
Triple Talaq An ongoing collection of newsclips and articles. )
A Rebel in the Mosque: Going Where I Know I Belong Asra Nomani writes about her attempt to get equal accomodations for women in her mosque in West Virginia. (jazbah.org, Jan 2006)
I like women like me! Sruti Bala writes about the first and only Palestinian gay women's association Aswat, how it tries to link together different forms of discrimination, and how this could be relevant for the Indian/South Asian context. (countercurrents.org, Oct 2005)
Sex and the Umma Mohja Kahf and Asra Nomani's column (muslimwakeup.com, Sep 2005)
The woman killed for pop music Shaima Rezayee, a television presenter for Kabul TV, is shot dead. (Times, UK, May 2005)
For bride, dowry is deal-breaker Defiant Indian women increasingly fight in-laws demands. (Washington Post, Mar 2005)
Memories of a friend Shashi Deshpande remembers Shama Futehally, whose poise, grace and propriety came out of a strong sense of right and wrong. (The Hindu, March 2005)
Every Act is Political Shauna Singh Baldwin interviews Samina Ali 2004)
In Memoriam: Shama Futehally After a long illness, Shama Futehally died in 2004. (Anu Kumar in the Economic & Political Weekly. , Sep 2004)
The Hijab and I The word 'Hijab' is relatively new for me. It was not a part of my vocabulary as I was growing up. I learned it much later, when I began to read literary and religious Urdu texts... (C.M. Naim in Outlook, Sep 2004)
Survival Guide for Write-at-Home parents The author of 8 mystery novels and parent of two toddlers talks about survival strategies. (Sujata Massey, )
Women lead rural India's internet rush (BBC News, July 2004)
Through the Looking Glass Sangeeta Ray writes about diasporic writing. (India Seminar, )
Kamala Markandaya dies (Indolink, May 2004)
Sex-selective abortion in India. A lengthy analysis summarizing a mailing list discussion on the topic, which highlights the responses to this issue in the Indian-American community. Beloo Mehra (Sulekha, Apr 2004)
The Indian Foreign Service now allows women to "man" its posts. (Outlook, Mar 2004)
NRI lesbians denied marriage license. (Rediff, Mar 2004)
The Failing Light Why did a rising young poet plunge into despair, taking her own life and the life of her 2-year-old son? An article about the memorial service for Reetika Vazirani. (Washington Post, 15 Feb 2004)
Women hold Pakistan's software flag aloft While the big boys of Indian IT are, well, boys, the leading lights of Pakistani software are women. (Telegraph, Feb 2004)
Stranger in a familiar land. While the governments of Pakistan and India are struggling to resolve their differences, the people of the two countries have more in common than they might imagine, as Pakistani novelist Kamila Shamsie discovered when she went to work in Madras. (Guardian, Feb 2004)
Boxing future for Muslim women India's first Muslim woman boxer-turned-coach and international referee. (BBC News, Feb 2004)
Today's South Asian women writers fill bookstore shelves Champa Bilwakesh (India New England, Feb 2004)
Storm over Indian women's mosque. (BBC News, Jan 2004)
Vasundhara Raje Scindia becomes first woman Chief Minister of Rajasthan Nevertheless, women aspirants find Rajasthan electorate unkind. In the same election, Uma Bharti becomes the first woman Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. (Outlook, Dec 2003)
In India, risk of domestic violence rises with women's education (Swapna Mazumdar, Women's e-news, Nov 2003)
The Last Will of Prof. P.C.Sen This scholar left an unusual will asking that his wife ignore the behavioural customs for widows. (Sawnet, 2003)
Growing up in the House Shabana Azmi writes about her experiences as a member of the Rajya Sabha (Indian Express, September 2003)
The South Asian Woman's List of Good Resolutions by Bisakha Sen and Shauna Singh Baldwin (Sawnet, 2003)
With contempt or love? Shauna Singh Baldwin discusses exoticization in diasporic Indian writing. May 2003)
The Legacy of Sherpa Women Mountaineers Lhakpa Sherpa has scaled Mt. Everest twice, and is aiming for a third time. Pasang Lhamu, one of Nepal's 15 national heroes, died in an earlier Everest expedition. (PBS Frontline, )
Message to Vijay: Tee off, don't sound off. Roopa Unnikrishnan writes a response to Vijay Singh's dismissal of women in golf. (Rediff, May 2003)
Having survived for ages, is the Indian sari dying in favour of the salwar? (Outlook, Jan 2003)
Pakistani Women in a Changing Society by Hamza Alawi. About the changes for women in Pakistan through the 1980s. (Sangat, 2002)
Uganda: a personal view on the expulsion, 30 years on Jameela Siddiqi writes about the expulsion of Indians from Idi Amin's Uganda in 1972 (Information for Social Change, 2002)
The God of Literary Trends "Wanted: South Asian beauties to pen delicious tales of kitchen squabbles and sparkly saris, imbued with quirky, food-based exoticism." (Noy Thrupkaew writes about literature, exoticism, and the new South Asian writers, in Alternet., Jun 2002)
The Hijras of Pakistan a photo essay by Dennis Drenner (Queer, Jun 2002)
Uganda: A personal viewpoint on the expulsion, 30 years on. Jameela Siddiqi writes about her memories and experiences of the expulsion of Indians from Uganda by Idi Amin. (Information for Social Change, June 2002)
"Saving" Afghan women Sonali Kolhatkar points out that activists who claim to be speaking on behalf of Afghan women often have their own agendas. (Zmag, May 2002)
The Myth of Matriliny. Empowerment still eludes Meghalaya's women. (indiatogether.org, Apr 2002)
The Whole She-Bang Mainstream women Hindi film-makers. (Outlook, Mar 2002)
Dispersed Radiance Women Scientists in CV Raman's laboratory. By Abha Sur (Meridians, Jun 2002)
Why on earth would an Indian choose to write poetry in English? Arundhati Subramaniam in Semicerchio (Semicerchio, )
The Algebra of Infinite Justice. Arundhati Roy in the Guardian, 29 Sep 01. See also counterpoint by Salil Tripathi.
I told a Pakistani friend not to stand up in the plane. Kamila Shamsie in the Guardian, 27 Sep 01.
I'm not the enemy. Reshma Memom Yaqub in the Washington Post, 13 Sep 01.
I want to be protected from the intolerant. Radhika Yeddanapudi in Rediff, 13 Sep 01. Sep 2001)
Nazia Hasan's song is reborn. Remember 'Aap jaisa koi..'? Nazia Hassan's 80s hit is reborn in a hugely popular Caribbean chutney-soca mix, 'Real Unity'. You can even hear it online. Aug 2001)
Let those who have not sinned.... Shobha Warrier's 3-part article about prostitution in India. (Rediff, )
We're so Sari Kai Friese says that Indian expat novelists (endlessly) evoke the homeland. (and Abha Varma responds. (Village Voice, Feb 2001)
I was sold to a man .. is this Islam? Musharraf has failed to combat the murder of women who resist forced marriages. (Guardian, Jan 2001)
Frail ties unite us Anders Sjobohm writes a moving essay about being the adoptive father of a Sri Lankan boy. Jan 2001)
Scimitars in the Sun N. Ram interviews Arundhati Roy about a writer's place in politics. (Frontline, Jan 2001)
First ladies of IT About the wives of the Indian IT leaders. (Rediff, Dec 2000)
Bisexuality, the sudden reveal Spurred on by the new media openness, bisexuals are increasingly coming out in the open, but the revelation is not without its share of heartaches (India Today, May 2000)
Was it me or was it my sari? Shobha Narayan writes about wearing a sari for a month in Manhattan. (Newsweek, Mar 2000)
Bharati Mukherjee on Mother Teresa as part of Time's 100 Most Important People of the Century. (Time, Dec 1999)
Going home Surina Khan writes about going home to Pakistan when her mother developed cancer, and how coming-out as a lesbian has changed (and not changed) her relationship with her family. (Boston Phoenix, Oct 1999)
A far flung clan gathers online to put Aunt Sheila to rest Shoba Narayan's family holds an unusual wake. (New York Times, Aug 1999)
From here to Poland Growing up bicultural and biracial (Nina Mehta in SAJA, Apr 1999)
Queering Gender Trans liberation and our lesbigay movements, by P. Seshadri and L. Ramakrishnan. (Trikone, Jul 1999)
The Dilemma of the Woman Writer (Shashi Deshpande, Jun 1999)
sleeping arrangements Jaishri Abichandani thinks that adultery in the Indian context may be reasonable. (ms magazine, Apr 1999)
The Greater Common Good An article about the Narmada Dam, in the distinctive Arundhati Roy style. (www.narmada.org, Apr 1999)
Large-scale trafficking of Bangladeshi women (AFP, Jan 1998)
Mediocre crop M. Krishnan Nair says that the Indian English writing is a poor lot. (The Week, 1998)
Greetings, Aunt Flo! Aravinda Pillalamarri writes about the comfort and practicality of menstrual cups. (Manushi and IndiaTogether, Nov 2005)
Steamy Leaves An article about Shobha De. ( in The Week, )
Is there any hope for women in Pakistan? by Tabinda Aufaz (Dawn, Dec 1997)
"Independence has failed." Mahasweta Devi in the Rediff Interview (Rediff, Dec 1997)
A wife's letter to her husband and followups that appeared in Dawn. (Dawn, reproduced with permission, June 1997)
To Sex or Not to Sex Junglees and Behenjis in South Asian America. (Ginu Kamani, Nov 1997)
Women, Sex and Marriage: Restraint as a feminine strategy Madhu Kishwar writes about the power of celibacy and restrained sexuality. (Manushi. Reproduced here with permission, 1997)
American Dreamer Bharati Mukherjee in Mother Jones. Accompanied by a photo of Ms. Mukherjee draped in a sari made of the American flag. (Mother Jones, 1997)
Holders of the Word Interview with Bharati Mukherjee ( in Jouvert, 1997)
Towards stronger women. Shamita Das - Dasgupta talks of her work at Manavi, and the way she integrates her professional and personal life. (Article by Lavina Melwani in Femina, 1996)
A Terrible Hurt: The Untold Story behind the Publishing of Maitreyi Devi About Mircea Eliade's book 'Bengal Nights', and the rebuttal by Maitreyi Devi 'It Does Not Die' -- two versions of their interactions in the early 30s in Calcutta. (University of Chicago Press, 1996)
When India "missed" the Universe about beauty contests, Miranda House politics, westernized elite in colleges, perceptions of beauty, and the mother-sister role for women in India. By Madhu Kishwar. (Article reproduced from Manushi with permission, 1995)
The Great Indian Rape-Trick Arundhati Roy's pair of articles about Shekhar Kapoor's movie, Bandit Queen. This controversial article led to a court case, after which she retired (temporarily) to write her book, The God of Small Things. August, 1994)
Plagiarism and mystery Indrani Aikath-Gyaltsen was a promising novelist who destroyed her career by plagiarising an entire book by Elizabeth Goudge. She died in suspicious circumstances. (Molly Moore in the Washington Post, 1994)

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