Daughters of India : Art and Identity

Contents: Introduction. Author\'s note. 1. Pushpa. 2. Lalita. 3. Chandaben. 4. Savitri. 5. Indra. 6. Padma. 7. Achamma. 8. Kusima. 9. Bidulata. 10. Minhazz. 11. Gani Devi. 12. Samabai. 13. Bimla. 14. Shyamali. 15. Sonabai. 16. Larku. 17. Sunithi. 18. Roopa. 19. Girija Devi. 20. Swayam. 21. Getting there. 22. Resources for action. Acknowledgements. Bibliography. Index.

"One in every six women in the world lives in India, more than the combined female populations of North America, the European Union and the Middle East. Yet most people outside India know little about Indian women, who often receive confusing and inaccurate press.

Daughters of India profiles twenty women from diverse communities ranging from the rice paddies of far Southern India to the plantations of the Himalayas and from the dry western deserts to the verdant east coast. Differing in age, economics, social status, privilege, treatment and opportunity, they represent every woman. In their battles against adversity, their own words express their innate strength. All of these women are connected by a single thread: creative expression. Indian women are often completely unconscious of their artistry and it is only recently that they have drawn any attention. In these chapters, artistry is combined with individual women\'s words and stories to portray the empowerment of Indian women. Daughters of India is about change in the face of almost impossible odds, personal initiative that carves out a new identity and implacable insistence on the recognition of human rights.

A portion of the proceeds from this book will benefit the Global Fund for Women, the Self-Employed Women\'s Association, and Folk Arts Rajasthan, as well as other organizations that work to empower women, a full list of which appears in the back of this book." (jacket)