making South Asian women visible
The Prajnya Archives invite you to a visual celebration of the ideas, creativity and voices of women WOMEN OF WORDS August 1-October 15, 2019 Are there women in your family or your circle of friends to whom writing comes naturally and who express themselves most freely through the written word? Send us photos with stories... Continue Reading →
Pushpa is a widow, aged about 35, engaged in vegetable trade with a self-help group loan, in Natham village, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu When Pushpa lost her husband unexpectedly in an accident, she approached the Raja Rajeswari women self-help group in Natham village through IFDE field coordinator, D. Jayalakshmi for advice and help. Out of... Continue Reading →
With self-help group loans, S. Rajani, aged about 30, living in Kundrathur village, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, has developed the milk trade within 3 years. The Moon Self Help Group formed in 2007 with 12 women had been actively functioning. S. Rajani got a loan of Rs.15,000 in 2011 and bought a cross-bred cow. She... Continue Reading →
A young and dynamic IPS Officer, freshly inducted into the Indian Police Service, Sandhya has shone through her tireless endeavours directed towards getting into the bureaucracy to serve the society. During her struggling years, she not only set exemplary standards of hard work and enrichment of self but also showed empathy and compassion for the... Continue Reading →
Rinku Mecheri is the founder of Chennai Volunteers, a social initiative that fosters civic engagement and ensure that volunteers can engage with non-profits in a sustainable and meaningful way . A dynamic web portal, CV partners with over 140 NGOs and institutions across our city today and work towards making our civic society more inclusive. An alumnus... Continue Reading →
A young software developer, who exudes compassion for the society and is doing her own bit towards community building by taking up the responsibility of educating her maid’s daughter. She not only teaches the child for free but also participates whole-heartedly in helping the little one excel in extra-curricular activities. She deserves recognition and remembrance... Continue Reading →
J. Mallika of Manajcheri village, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, aged about 40, who started selling saris 10 years ago, has developed her trade, also rendering voluntary guidance and counselling services to people. Mallika received a loan of Rs.10,000 from Indira Gandhi Self Help Group, Amman Koil Street, Manajcheri village, which was functioning for 12 years.... Continue Reading →
"Jayanthi Buruda is the youngest tribal scribe from Odisha who is the first woman Koya journalist to report from conflict areas of Malkangiri. She owes her interest in helping the needy and social work to her farmer parents who inspired her despite their meagre resources. She said she chose journalism as it would help her... Continue Reading →
Guldasta lets children bloom so that their future blossoms Established in 1995, Guldasta owes its existence to the sheer tenacity of Vimla Kaul and her husband late Prof Hari Mohan Kaul. An engineering graduate from BITS, Pilani, Prof Kaul served as Chief Engineer in the Government-run Central Ground Water Board but took voluntary retirement and... Continue Reading →
Seven years in a full time role, and seven more as volunteer, as India's largest NGO - Pratham - which is committed to helping every child in India attend school and learn well. I have worked with teams on helping them budget and plan their cash flows, report in donor-designated formats and in the training... Continue Reading →
"She’s my mother. My first teacher, who showed me what it is to practice compassion and empathy towards fellow citizens. When I was a kid, I saw her gathering all the under privileged children in and around our colony and seating them in our drawing room with a copy and pencil each. At the far... Continue Reading →
We have received many entries for our call for photos of women engaged in civic projects and other kinds of community work, but not nearly enough! We welcome more submissions, but meanwhile we will begin posting those we have received so far. Hopefully, many more of you will be inspired to participate once you have... Continue Reading →
"I was in Trivandum, studying intermediate in the Maharaja’s College for Women. Actually Mountbatten was supposed to come to our college. They had asked me to garland him. But he never turned up. We hoisted the flag, and we were all excited and happy it was independence day. I had also participated in the Quit... Continue Reading →
"My grandmother, Anjalai Amma was in jail for more than four and half years.She gave birth to her last son in the jail itself . My grand father Murugappa and my maternal aunt Leelavathy and her husband Jamadhagni were also freedom fighters.Her biography is included in viii std Tamil text book[second semester book]." Courtesy:... Continue Reading →
Leela Diraviam participated as a freedom fighter in underground work; passing messages and attending meetings shrouded in secrecy. She describes herself as a Gandhian. She said, “On that day, there was no TV. We heard the speech in parliament, that India awakes to life and freedom (sic). As soon as he (Nehru) said that India... Continue Reading →
Supriya Cherian was a college student in Calcutta on Independence Day. She said, “On the 14th, we heard that the 15th was going to be a direct action day. Mr Surrawady was the CM and no one knew what was going to happen. Earlier, in our hostel, we had practiced flag hoisting and decided we... Continue Reading →
Today, we begin posting the submissions we received for our call for photos for the Freedom Generation archive. We have received some remarkable stories. We believe there are many more stories out there of women who participated in the events surrounding independence in 1947 in a small or big way. If you haven't responded to... Continue Reading →
"In 2010, as a Teacher and a Research scholar , I had a burning desire within me to reach beyond my family and reach community . I just brainstormed this idea with my two friends, Deepa and Lalitha. My friends expressed same passion and support and joined my hands in this journey. The discussions gave... Continue Reading →
I first listened to ‘Smack that’ by Akon back in 2006 and went on to listen to it a gazillion times. It contained a rap verse by legendary artist Eminem that caught my attention as I followed it with ease. So I thought to myself why not try a hand at rapping? My rapping skills... Continue Reading →
Swapna Kona Nayudu Job Title: Scholar of Peace Academic Fellow, Women in Security and Conflict Management Practices (WISCOMP), New Delhi, India. Field of Work: Kabul, Afghanistan. Dates: March, 2008. In 2008, I was awarded the Scholar of Peace academic fellowship by WISCOMP. The project was to study the representation of gender in the lower house... Continue Reading →
WE MAKE IT HAPPEN: Stories of Women’s Leadership A PRAJNYA ARCHIVES PROJECT TO MARK INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2015 WHEN: FROM MARCH 8 TO APRIL 8, 2015 • Have you been a leader—in school, at play, in the community or in politics? • Do you know women in leadership roles in the public or private sector,... Continue Reading →
"My name is Malathi Jaikumar nee Sundaram. I graduated in English Literature - BA Hons from Loretto College, Calcutta in the year 1963. I was the first woman graduate on my mother's as well as my father's side of the family. Writing has always been my passion and I have been writing as far back... Continue Reading →
"My mother, Malati Manohar Harshey (1920-2003) The first woman graduate in our family, she was also graceful, wise and widely beloved. A self-made lady who stood out in her time and set an example for all the women in the family. Mummy was a firstborn child raised to an intellectual but submissive youth in the small town... Continue Reading →
"A few words on my mother: My mother completed her Diploma in Commercial Practice at Adyar Polytechnic Chennai and went on to complete her Bachelor of Commerce from Delhi University by correspondence in 1973. All through her lifetime till day, she has perfectly managed to balance her relationship and career in the best way possible.... Continue Reading →
 Dr. Lalitha on her graduation day (1961) Receiving the Best Teacher Award  (being presented by the then CM of Andhra Pradesh N. Janardhan Reddy), 1988. Her social activities: contribution for a water storage tank at a village in 2003 Singing at a concert (her passion), Tirupathi, 2004 "Dr. Gudipati Lalitha is the First Graduate... Continue Reading →
"Believe it or not ; it is 100% true! I am the first woman graduate in three generations of my family, from the enquiries of my grand parents. Is it possible to secure a diploma and a degree in a regular five year stream from a college in Tamilnadu without undergoing +2 course in Higher Secondary... Continue Reading →
"Born in Thiruvidaimaruthur (Tanjore District) on October 3rd 1945, in a family of 8 as the 5th child and the last of the 3 girls, she was the first woman graduate of our family. Her dad Balakrishnan Thayagarajan was a headmaster (History Major) himself but she was the first woman graduate not only in this... Continue Reading →
College name: D J Sind College, Karachi University: Bombay University Major & Degree: BA, Sindhi and English Literature Year of graduation: approximately 1943/44 Contributor: Jyoti Punwani (daughter)
                 Dr.Vijayalakshmi Nambiar is on the left and on the right is my mother "On seeing the call for articles related to "The First Graduate" marking International Women's Day for 2014, I wanted to do a write up on my... Continue Reading →
"My name is M.Vasantha Kumary. I am the 6th member of my family which consists of 5 brothers and 3 sisters. I am the first women in my family to get a degree. I got my degree in the year 1971 for Economics. I studied in Govt. Women's college, Vazhuthacaud Trivandrum, Kerala during 1968-71. I... Continue Reading →
"My father immigrated to Malaysia (then known as Malaya) before the Second World War after marrying my mother aged 11. My mother joined him in Malaysia after the war and after 10 years of being married my parents had 8 children, four girls and four boys. Some of us were born in India and some... Continue Reading →
"I was the first woman graduate in my family. I graduated in 1957. I studied in Government Arts College in Coimbatore."
(Photo taken in 1940) "The First Woman Graduate in My Family My mother, Sofia Cordeiro Monteiro, was the first woman graduate in her family. Born in 1919, she lived in Goa (then a colony of Portugal), where there were no facilities for University education. She was a brilliant student, finishing her SSC with distinction in... Continue Reading →
"The first woman graduate in the extended family is my maternal aunt, Subhalakshmi, 84 years old, living in Chennai, who holds a Masters degree in Economics. She passed out of Presidency College, Madras in the year 1951 and was ranked second in the University of Madras. She is currently a writer who writes in English... Continue Reading →
"I am Choodamani Raghavan and am the first woman graduate from a well known family of Chennai.I graduated in 1959 from Queen Marys College, Madras University in BA Economics . I am the grand daughter of K.S Krishnaswamy Iyengar a famous lawyer and High Court judge and daughter of K.S Vijayaraghavan Chief general manager SBI... Continue Reading →
"I am Susan Vergese, wife of George Vergese. After schooling in Mumbai and thereafter in Chennai, I passed out from Ethiraj College, Chennai in 1977. I did a course at Cultural Academy, Chennai and then got married. I joined my father's business selling X-ray films. After my father's demise, I continued to run "The X-ray... Continue Reading →
G.K. Revathi (on the right); photo taken in 1976 at Krishna Photo Studio, Pondy Bazaar, Chennai "Guntur Krishnamurthy Revathi was the first female graduate of her family. While she studied Biology in school when it came to college she chose Commerce as she thought it would help her secure a job. Even before she completed... Continue Reading →
Photo taken in 1972 "To the best of our knowledge, my mother, Anjana Vedapuri, is the first female graduate in her family. N.Anjana (as she was called then) finished her graduation in English Literature from Ethiraj College, Chennai in 1970. While her family could be called conservative in some ways, they were also highly supportive... Continue Reading →
name of the graduate- Late T Saraswathy Amma, the college and/or university- Sree Kerala Varma College, Kerala major and degree- BA Malayalam, B.Ed( Calicut University, Kerala) the year of graduation- 1954 approximate year the photo was taken - 2007 "Late Saraswathy Amma, my maternal grandmother, the protagonist of this write up is the first woman... Continue Reading →
(taken in 1972) "My mother passed away 4 years ago - her life and actions were an inspiration to me as a woman. She stayed away from her parents- with relatives in Bangalore, from age 8  to get an education and went on to become the 1st woman graduate in her immediate family." Contributor’s name:... Continue Reading →
 "IT’S MY LIFE! Forty five years ago, wearing the black gown, tightly holding the degree in hand a girl comes out of the Madurai Kamaraj University’s Convocation Hall. Her poor old father seeing with teary eyes brimming with love & immense pride hugs her and kisses her forehead. The moisture of that kiss felt... Continue Reading →
"Among the women who trust her to handle their delivery are those whom she had helped come into this world. It's a unique privilege that comes with being an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist for more than 40 years and my Aunt Dr Mallika Quraishi feels blessed to have it. Dr Mallika was among a handful of... Continue Reading →
"Vasanthi Devi received a B.A in 1945 at American College, Madurai, and M.A in Economics at Pachiyappa's College and Madras University. She received her M.A degree in 1947. The above photograph was taken some time in the 1970s when Mrs. Vasanthi Devi was teaching at Ethiraj College. She is being felicitated here by Mrs. Indira... Continue Reading →
 (Photograph was taken in 1953, just after her wedding) "Sundari Kumar received a BA Degree from St. Agnes, Mangalore, then part of Madras University. Mrs. Sundari Kumar later went on to do a Montessori training programme and taught in several schools including Carmel Convent, Calcutta and Loreto Convent, Ranchi." Contributor: Melanie P. Kumar (daughter)
"My mother’s black and white graduation photograph hung on the whitewashed wall in the living room of her Nizamuddin house in 1994. It showed my mother, Inder Kaur, in a sombre pose, wearing a saree, holding her Master’s degree in Punjabi literature. She was standing under some trees, so it looks as if a few... Continue Reading →
We are excited to announce that today we begin publishing the submissions we have received for the exhibit, one photo and story at a time!  We are choosing to exhibit in this fashion so that each photo and story gets the attention it deserves. Every exhibit will not only be displayed on our website, but circulated... Continue Reading →
"I was born in an orthodox Brahmin family from a village near Kumbakonam. My father was a teacher in the Nizam’s government. So our family of three brothers and three sisters lived with parents in Hyderabad. I studied in a private school. The two elder brothers were married and my elder brother was in the... Continue Reading →
"I am N.Sarojini Devi, Retd Dietician, Government Medical College, Thiruvanathapuram. I was the seventh and the youngest born to my parents Sri K.Narayana Pillai and Smt L.Narayani Amma.I had three sisters and three brothers. My parents belonged to a remote village Thiruvithamcodu in Kerala. Now that is part of KanyaKumari after the formation of Kerala... Continue Reading →
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