WOMEN WHO HELPED SHAPE THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION

On Constitution Day (November 26), President Droupadi Murmu highlighted the significant role played by women members in drafting the Indian Constitution.

The Constituent Assembly consisted of 299 members, including 15 women.
Prominent figures included Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kripalani, and Vijayalakshmi Pandit.
Several lesser-known women from diverse backgrounds contributed to debates on gender, caste, and reservations.

Ammu Swaminathan (1894–1978)

Background: Hailed from Palakkad, Kerala, and married to the much older Subbarama Swaminathan.
Role in Politics:

- Became interested in politics during her teens.
- Strongly opposed caste restrictions and gender discrimination.
- Contested the Legislative Assembly elections from Madras in 1945.
- Became a member of the Constituent Assembly, where she spoke on gender equality.
- Highlighted the irrelevance of the Hindu Code Bill for addressing issues affecting women.

Post-Independence: Elected to the Lok Sabha from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.

Annie Mascarene (1902–1963)

Background: Born in Trivandrum (now Thiruvananthapuram) into a Latin Christian family.
Challenges:

- Faced caste-based discrimination and social ostracism.
- Worked hard to fund her own education despite limited resources.

Role in Politics:

- Joined the Constituent Assembly.
- Advocated for strong central governance during the early days of the Republic.
- Highlighted the autonomy of local governments.

Post-Independence: Contested and won as an independent candidate in the 1952 parliamentary elections from Thiruvananthapuram.

Begum Qudsia Aizaz Rasul (1909–2001)

Background:

- Belonged to a political family with ties to Malerkotla, Punjab.
- Had a privileged upbringing but faced challenges due to religious constraints on education.
- Received a fatwa against her convent education.
Role in Politics:
- Joined politics with her husband in 1936.
- Despite opposition, contested and won a seat, becoming a prominent Muslim League member.
- Opposed the idea of Pakistan, citing potential harm to Indian Muslims.

Post-Independence: Continued advocating for Muslim representation and women’s issues.

Dakshayani Velayudhan (1912–1978)

Background:

- First Dalit woman to graduate in science from Cochin (now Kochi).
- Member of the Cochin Legislative Council.
- Belonged to the Pulaya community, facing caste-based discrimination.

Role in Politics:

- Worked as a teacher and later as a social worker at Mahatma Gandhi’s Sevagram Ashram in Wardha.
- Spoke on issues related to caste discrimination and equality in the Constituent Assembly.

Post-Independence: Became a Rajya Sabha member in 1952.

Renuka Ray (1904–1997)

Background:

- Born in Pabna (now Bangladesh); her father was a bureaucrat.
- Mother was one of the first women students at Calcutta’s Presidency College.
- Studied at the London School of Economics.

Role in Freedom Movement:

- Quit college in 1920 to join Gandhi’s freedom struggle.
- Focused on women’s rights, raising awareness on divorce and inheritance issues.
- Advocated for equality within the Central Legislative Assembly from 1943.