Vina Mazumdar
Encyclopedia
Dr. Vina Mazumdar is an India
n academic, feminist, a pioneer in Women studies in India and a leading figure of the women’s movement in post-independence India. She was secretary of the first Committee on Status of Women in India that brought out the first report on condition of women in the country, Towards Equality (1974). She was the founding Director of Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS), an autonomous organization established in 1980, under Indian Council of Social Science Research
(ICSSR). She is presently a National Research Professor at the Centre for Women's Development Studies, Delhi.
household in Kolkata
, she did her schooling from St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School
, Kolkata
, run by the British Protestant Mission. Later she did her graduation from the Banaras Hindu University
. An Honours Graduate from Oxford in 1960s, she also did her D.Phil. also from Oxford University in the 1970s.
and later University of Berhampur
. Subsequently, she joined the University Grants Commission
Secretariat, New Delhi as an Education Officer and also remained a Fellow of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla
, for the research project, 'University Education and Social Change in India' (April 1970 - Dec. 1970.
She was Member Secretary, the first Committee on the Status of Women in India formed in 1975, where her report, 'Towards Equality', became turning point both for Women's Studies and women's movement in India. Later she became Director, Programme of Women's Studies, Indian Council of Social Science Research
from 1975 to 80.
She was founder-Director of the Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS), New Delhi from 1980 to 1991, and thereafter was Senior Fellow at CWDS and JP Naik National Fellow, ICSSR for two years. Since 1996 she has been the Chairperson, Centre for Women's Development Studies, New Delhi.
She published her memoir, Memories of a Rolling Stone in 2010.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n academic, feminist, a pioneer in Women studies in India and a leading figure of the women’s movement in post-independence India. She was secretary of the first Committee on Status of Women in India that brought out the first report on condition of women in the country, Towards Equality (1974). She was the founding Director of Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS), an autonomous organization established in 1980, under Indian Council of Social Science Research
Indian Council of Social Science Research
Indian Council of Social Science Research was established in the year of 1969 by the Government of India to promote research in social sciences in the country...
(ICSSR). She is presently a National Research Professor at the Centre for Women's Development Studies, Delhi.
Early life and education
Vina Mazumdar was born in a middle-class BengaliBengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
household in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, she did her schooling from St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School
St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School
St. John's Diocesan Girls' H S School, , is situated in the city of Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was established in 1894. Standing on the crossing of Sarat Bose Road and Elgin Road in South Kolkata.-Overview:The school is one of the oldest girl's schools of Kolkata...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, run by the British Protestant Mission. Later she did her graduation from the Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
. An Honours Graduate from Oxford in 1960s, she also did her D.Phil. also from Oxford University in the 1970s.
Career
She started her career as a teacher of Political Science in the University of PatnaUniversity of Patna
The Patna University, Hindi: पटना विश्वविद्यालय, the first university in Bihar, was established in 1917 during the British Raj, and is the seventh oldest university of the Indian subcontinent. At that time, the jurisdiction of the university extended to Bihar, Orissa, and the Kingdom of Nepal...
and later University of Berhampur
Berhampur University
Berhampur University is a university near Berhampur, Orissa, India. It is one of the oldest and major universities of Orissa, the others being Utkal at Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur University.-History:...
. Subsequently, she joined the University Grants Commission
University Grants Commission (India)
The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory organisation set up by Union government in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It provides recognition for universities in India, and provides funds for government-recognised...
Secretariat, New Delhi as an Education Officer and also remained a Fellow of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
, for the research project, 'University Education and Social Change in India' (April 1970 - Dec. 1970.
She was Member Secretary, the first Committee on the Status of Women in India formed in 1975, where her report, 'Towards Equality', became turning point both for Women's Studies and women's movement in India. Later she became Director, Programme of Women's Studies, Indian Council of Social Science Research
Indian Council of Social Science Research
Indian Council of Social Science Research was established in the year of 1969 by the Government of India to promote research in social sciences in the country...
from 1975 to 80.
She was founder-Director of the Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS), New Delhi from 1980 to 1991, and thereafter was Senior Fellow at CWDS and JP Naik National Fellow, ICSSR for two years. Since 1996 she has been the Chairperson, Centre for Women's Development Studies, New Delhi.
She published her memoir, Memories of a Rolling Stone in 2010.
Further reading
- Womens Movements in India: 1970s-1990s, by Indu Agnihotri and Vani Mazumdar Writing the women's movement: a reader, Ed. Mala Khullar. Zubaan, 2005. ISBN 8186706992. p. 48-79
Additional references
- A Pathmaker: tributes to Vina Mazumdar. Rainbow Publishers, 2002. ISBN 8186962433.
- Vina Mazumdar Bibliography Deep Blue, Michigan University
External links
- Centre for Women's Development Studies, website
- Ten Women, Ten Lives, Ten Concerns: Vina Mazumdar profile Sound and Picture Archive for Research on Women (SPARROW)