India’s Evolving Role in Environmental Protection: A Study in Post-Globalization Era

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Citation

Papparaya, & Yatanoor, C. M. (2026). India’s Evolving Role in Environmental Protection: A Study in Post-Globalization Era. International Journal of Research, 13(1), 599–607. https://doi.org/10.26643/ijr/2026/v13i1-2

Papparaya

Research Scholar

Department of Political Science

Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, 585 106

Karnataka

papparaya123@gmail.com

Prof. Chandrakant. M. Yatanoor

Senior Professor & Chairman

Department of Political Science

Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, 585 106

Karnataka

cmyatanoor@rediffmail.com

Abstract:

         The advent of globalization, particularly following India’s economic liberalization in 1991, has presented a complex and often contradictory set of challenges and opportunities for the nation’s environmental governance. This paper examines India’s evolving role in environmental protection in this transformative period. It argues that globalization has acted as a dual-edged sword, concurrently accelerating environmental degradation through rapid industrialization and consumerism, while also providing access to green technologies, international finance, and a platform for global environmental diplomacy. The paper analyses the trajectory of India’s domestic environmental policy, highlighting the critical role of judicial activism and the strengthening of legal and institutional frameworks, such as the National Green Tribunal. It further explores India’s transition on the international stage from a cautious participant to a proactive leader, exemplified by its instrumental role in the Paris Agreement and the launch of initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Despite these advancements, significant challenges persist, including a persistent gap between policy formulation and implementation, the contentious development-versus-environment debate, and acute vulnerability to climate change. The paper concludes that India’s future role is pivotal; its ability to successfully navigate the intricate nexus of economic growth and ecological sustainability will not only determine its own developmental trajectory but also have profound implications for global environmental security.

Keywords: Globalization, Environmental Protection, India, Sustainable Development, Climate Change, Environmental Policy, Judicial Activism, International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Introduction:

           The process of globalization, characterized by the accelerated integration of economies, cultures, and societies, has fundamentally reshaped the global environmental landscape. For developing nations, this integration has been a catalyst for unprecedented economic growth, but it has often come at a significant ecological cost1. India, since its economic liberalization in 1991, stands as a prime case study of this complex dynamic. As one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and its most populous nation, India’s developmental pathway and its approach to environmental stewardship carry immense global weight. The post-globalization era has forced India to confront a dual reality: the pressures of resource-intensive growth and pollution on one hand, and the opportunities for international collaboration and technological advancement in sustainability on the other2.

           Before 1991, India’s environmentalism was largely shaped by domestic concerns, culminating in foundational legislation like the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the comprehensive Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, which was enacted in the aftermath of the Bhopal gas tragedy3. However, the post-1991 economic reforms unshackled the industrial sector, attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and integrated India into global supply chains. This unleashed economic forces that placed immense strain on the country’s natural resource base and its nascent regulatory capacity.

          Now, it is essential to examine India’s evolving role in environmental protection since 1991. It reveals that India’s journey has been one of adaptation and transformation, characterized by a reactive strengthening of domestic policy in response to escalating environmental crises and a gradual, yet decisive, shift towards a leadership role in global environmental diplomacy. This paper analysed the dual impacts—negative and positive—of globalization on India’s environment. It will then trace the evolution of the nation’s domestic legal and institutional frameworks, with a special focus on the crucial role of judicial activism. Subsequently, India’s engagement in international environmental forums is discussed. The persistent challenges and future prospects for sustainable development in India are also analysed.

The Dual Impact of Globalization on India’s Environment

         Globalization’s effect on India’s environment is not monolithic; it has simultaneously been a source of degradation and a catalyst for positive change.

A. Negative Externalities and Accelerated Degradation

          The most visible consequence of economic liberalization was the rapid pace of industrialization and urbanization. The drive to attract investment and boost manufacturing output often led to the relaxation of environmental oversight, creating “pollution havens” in certain industrial clusters4. This resulted in:

  1. Increased Pollution: Air and water pollution levels surged. The proliferation of thermal power plants, vehicular emissions in rapidly growing cities, and untreated industrial effluents from sectors like textiles, tanneries, and chemicals have led to a severe public health crisis. A 2020 report noted that 22 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities were in India, with Particulate Matter (PM2.5) concentrations far exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines5.
  2. Resource Depletion: The demands of a globalized economy have intensified pressure on India’s natural resources. Deforestation for mining, infrastructure projects, and industrial agriculture has accelerated. Water tables have plummeted due to unsustainable extraction for both agriculture and industry, leading to acute water stress in many parts of the country6.
  3. Consumption Patterns and Waste Management: Globalization introduced global brands and fostered a culture of consumerism. This, coupled with rapid urbanization, has led to a monumental increase in municipal solid waste, plastic waste, and electronic waste (e-waste). The infrastructure for managing this waste has failed to keep pace, resulting in overflowing landfills, polluted water bodies, and informal, hazardous recycling practices7.

B. Positive Opportunities and Catalysts for Change

           Despite these severe negative impacts, globalization has also provided pathways for environmental improvement.

  1. Access to Green Technology and Finance: Integration with the global economy has facilitated the transfer of cleaner and more efficient technologies. India has become one of the world’s largest markets for renewable energy, driven by falling costs of solar panels and wind turbines, largely imported or produced with foreign technology. Furthermore, international financial mechanisms, such as the Green Climate Fund and FDI in sustainable projects, have provided crucial capital for India’s green transition8.
  2. Enhanced Global Awareness and Civil Society: Globalization has connected Indian environmental movements with international networks. This has amplified the voices of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups, enabling them to exert greater pressure on the government and corporations. Global norms and standards regarding environmental protection and corporate social responsibility have slowly begun to influence domestic policy and corporate behavior9.
  3. Pressure from International Markets: As Indian companies became more integrated into global supply chains, they faced increasing pressure from international buyers and consumers to adhere to higher environmental and labour standards. This has incentivized some export-oriented industries to adopt cleaner production processes and obtain international certifications like ISO 14001.

The Evolution of Domestic Environmental Governance

         In response to the escalating environmental crises of the post-globalization era, India’s domestic governance framework underwent a significant, albeit often reactive, evolution, driven primarily by judicial intervention and subsequent legislative action.

(i) The Era of Judicial Activism

           Perhaps the most significant development in Indian environmental jurisprudence has been the proactive role of the judiciary. Through Public Interest Litigations (PILs), the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts have expanded the interpretation of the Constitution to protect the environment. The court declared that the “Right to Life” under Article 21 of the Constitution includes the right to a clean and healthy environment10. This principle became the basis for numerous landmark judgments:

  • In the M.C. Mehta v. Union of India series of cases, the Supreme Court issued directives on controlling pollution in the Ganga River, relocating polluting industries from Delhi, and mandating the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for public transport in the capital11.
  • The judiciary established key environmental principles in Indian law, including the “precautionary principle,” the “polluter pays principle,” and the doctrine of “public trust,” which holds that the state is a trustee of natural resources for the public12.

           This judicial activism filled a critical void left by executive and legislative inertia, compelling the government to act on pressing environmental issues.

(ii) Strengthening of Institutional and Legal Frameworks

           Prompted by judicial orders and growing public pressure, the government strengthened its institutional architecture.

  1. The National Green Tribunal (NGT): A landmark development was the establishment of the National Green Tribunal in 2010. The NGT is a specialized judicial body equipped with expertise to handle environmental cases effectively and expeditiously. It has delivered several impactful judgments, including bans on old diesel vehicles, regulations on sand mining, and penalties for environmental violations, establishing itself as a powerful environmental watchdog13.
  2. New Policies and Regulations: The post-globalization era saw the introduction of a new suite of environmental regulations targeting specific problems. These include the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016; Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016; and Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The National Environment Policy (2006) was formulated to mainstream environmental concerns into all development activities14.
  3. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): The EIA notification, first issued in 1994 and subsequently amended, made environmental clearance mandatory for a wide range of development projects. However, the EIA process has been a subject of intense debate, with critics arguing that recent amendments, such as the draft EIA Notification 2020, have sought to dilute environmental safeguards in favor of promoting “ease of doing business”15.

India on the Global Stage: International Environmental Diplomacy

            India’s role in international environmental negotiations has transformed significantly. Initially, its stance was defensive, strongly advocating for the principle of “Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities” (CBDR-RC) to emphasize the historical responsibility of developed nations for climate change and to protect its own “right to develop”16. While this principle remains a cornerstone of its foreign policy, India’s approach has become more proactive and solution-oriented.

A. Leadership in Climate Action: The Paris Agreement

         At the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21), India played a crucial role as a bridge between developed and developing nations, helping to forge the final consensus. It submitted ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which included:

  • Reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35% by 2030 from 2005 levels.
  • Achieving about 40% of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
  • Creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

           At COP26 in Glasgow (2021), India further enhanced these commitments, pledging to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and setting a target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 203017.

B. Proactive Multilateral Initiatives

           Beyond its commitments, India has launched major international initiatives, positioning itself as a leader of the Global South in the green transition.

  1. International Solar Alliance (ISA): Co-founded by India and France in 2015, the ISA is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization that aims to mobilize technology and finance to promote the widespread deployment of solar energy. With over 120 signatory countries, the ISA is a testament to India’s vision of “one sun, one world, one grid” and its leadership in climate solutions18.
  2. Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI): Launched by India at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, the CDRI is a multi-stakeholder global partnership that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks. This initiative addresses a critical adaptation need for developing countries19.

These initiatives signal a strategic shift in India’s role from being a mere rule-    mntaker in global environmental governance to an active agenda-setter.

Challenges and Future Directions

           Despite significant progress in policy formulation and international diplomacy, India faces formidable challenges in translating its ambitions into on-the-ground reality.

  1. The Implementation Gap: A chasm persists between India’s well-formulated environmental laws and their enforcement. State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and other regulatory bodies are often underfunded, understaffed, and susceptible to political and corporate influence. This results in widespread non-compliance and continued environmental degradation20.
  2. Development vs. Environment Dichotomy: The tension between achieving rapid economic growth and ensuring environmental protection remains a central political challenge. The government has often been accused of prioritizing industrial and infrastructure projects by diluting environmental regulations, as seen in the controversies surrounding forest clearances and the EIA process.
  3. Climate Change Vulnerability: India is one of the country’s most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and water scarcity. Adapting to these impacts will require massive investment and planning, diverting resources that are also needed for mitigation and poverty alleviation21.
  4. Resource Inefficiency and Circular Economy: India’s economy is still highly resource-intensive. Transitioning to a circular economy model, which emphasizes resource efficiency, recycling, and waste minimization, is crucial but remains in its nascent stages.

         In the future, India’s role will be defined by its ability to address these challenges. Key priorities must include strengthening regulatory institutions, investing in enforcement capacity, mainstreaming sustainability into economic planning, and fostering public participation in environmental decision-making.

Conclusion:

          The era of globalization has profoundly shaped India’s environmental trajectory, presenting it with a formidable set of problems and a unique array of opportunities. The pressures of a rapidly growing, market-integrated economy have undeniably exacerbated pollution, resource depletion, and ecological stress. However, this same period has seen the rise of a powerful and independent judiciary, the creation of a sophisticated legal framework, and the emergence of India as a credible and influential voice in global environmental diplomacy.

           India’s role is inherently paradoxical: it is a major contributor to global environmental challenges, yet it is also a source of innovative, large-scale solutions, particularly in the renewable energy sector. Its leadership through platforms like the ISA and CDRI demonstrates a clear intent to shape a more sustainable global future. The ultimate test, however, lies in its domestic performance. Bridging the gap between policy and practice, resolving the conflict between short-term economic gains and long-term ecological security, and building a truly sustainable development model are the defining challenges for India in the 21st century. The success or failure of this endeavour will not only determine the well-being of its 1.4 billion citizens but will also be a critical factor in humanity’s collective effort to secure a viable planetary future.

References:

  1. J. A. Frankel, “The Environment and Globalization,” in Globalization: What’s New, M. M. Weinstein, Ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 2005, pp. 129-169.
  2. E. S. Somanathan and R. S. Kumar, “Environmental Policy in India: A Review,” in A Companion to the Indian Economy, P. Basu, Ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011, pp. 491-508.
  3. S. Divan and A. Rosencranz, Environmental Law and Policy in India: Cases, Materials and Statutes, 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
  4. S. Murty, B. N. Kumar, and M. Paul, “Environmental Regulation, Productive Efficiency and Abatement Cost in Indian Cement Industry,” Ecological Economics, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 123-134, Aug. 2006.
  5. IQAir, World Air Quality Report 2020: Region & City PM2.5 Ranking, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.iqair.com/world-air-quality-report
  6. NITI Aayog, Composite Water Management Index, Government of India, New Delhi, Jun. 2018.
  7. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Annual Report 2018-19 on Implementation of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, New Delhi: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, 2019.
  8. International Energy Agency (IEA), India Energy Outlook 2021, Paris: IEA, Feb. 2021.
  9. A. Kothari, “Environment and Globalization: A View from India,” Development, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 81-86, Jun. 2005.
  10. P. Leelakrishnan, Environmental Law in India, 4th ed. New Delhi: LexisNexis, 2016.
  11. M. C. Mehta v. Union of India, (1987) 1 SCC 395 (Oleum Gas Leak Case).
  12. L. Rajamani, “The Right to a Healthy Environment in India: The Judiciary’s Role,” Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 175-184, Jul. 2002.
  13. G. P. Wilson, “India’s National Green Tribunal: A Robust Environmental Court,” Journal of Environmental Law, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 131-143, Mar. 2015.
  14. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), National Environment Policy, 2006, Government of India, New Delhi, 2006.
  15. K. C. S. Kartha and L. V. Kumar, “Dilution of Environmental Norms: An Analysis of the Draft EIA Notification 2020,” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 55, no. 34, pp. 10-13, Aug. 2020.
  16. N. Dubash, “The Politics of Climate Change in India: Narratives of Equity and Co-benefits,” Wires Climate Change, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 191-201, May/Jun. 2013.
  17. Government of India, India’s Updated First Nationally Determined Contribution Under Paris Agreement (2021-2030), submitted to UNFCCC, Aug. 2022. [Online]. Available: https://unfccc.int/NDCREG
  18. International Solar Alliance, About ISA, [Online]. Available: https://isolaralliance.org/about/
  19. Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, About CDRI, [Online]. Available: https://www.cdri.world/about-cdri
  20. S. Narain, “The Challenge of Implementation in India’s Environmental Governance,” in The Oxford Handbook of the Indian Economy, C. Ghate, Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012, pp. 603-625.
  21. Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability,” Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, 2022.

RiseGuide Introduces SEEK: A Curated Expert Knowledge Engine Designed to Reduce AI Hallucinations and Information Overload

The exponential growth of digital content has fundamentally reshaped how individuals pursue self-development. Yet the abundance of information has also created a paradox: while knowledge is more accessible than ever, clarity and reliability are increasingly difficult to obtain. RiseGuide, an EdTech platform serving more than 500,000 users globally, has announced the launch of SEEK — a proprietary Search Engine for Expert Knowledge built to deliver verified, actionable insights without the inaccuracies often associated with open-domain AI systems.

According to an article on Yahoo Finance, SEEK was developed as a response to the growing frustration professionals experience when navigating contradictory advice, SEO-driven content, and algorithmically generated recommendations that prioritize plausibility over precision. Rather than functioning as a generative AI model trained on broad internet data, SEEK operates within a curated and closed knowledge ecosystem composed exclusively of publicly available materials from more than 300 recognized experts.

The Structural Problem of Advice Saturation

Search engines routinely return hundreds of millions of results for common self-improvement queries. A phrase such as “how to improve productivity” yields an overwhelming array of articles, advertisements, blog posts, and generalized opinion pieces. Many of these are optimized for keyword visibility rather than methodological rigor. Consequently, users encounter repetition, superficial recommendations, and conflicting frameworks without clear criteria for evaluation.

Oleksandr Matsiuk, CEO and Founder of RiseGuide, argues that the high dropout rate in personal development initiatives is not primarily a motivation deficit. Instead, it reflects cognitive overload. When individuals are exposed to excessive, unstructured advice, implementation becomes fragmented and unsustainable. SEEK was conceptualized to address this specific friction point.

By restricting its knowledge base to validated expert methodologies, SEEK narrows the decision space. The system references documented frameworks developed by neuroscientists, behavioral scientists, leadership strategists, negotiation specialists, cognitive psychologists, and top-tier performance researchers. This architecture prioritizes methodological credibility over breadth.

Moving Beyond Probabilistic AI Outputs

Traditional large language models generate responses by predicting statistically likely continuations of text based on patterns in vast training datasets. While such systems excel in linguistic fluency, they can produce outputs that are generalized, non-specific, or occasionally inaccurate when addressing specialized self-development questions.

SEEK adopts a fundamentally different design. It does not scrape open web content in real time, nor does it generate speculative responses beyond its knowledge repository. Instead, it functions as a closed-loop system grounded in curated expert sources. If a query falls outside its verified library, the system explicitly acknowledges the limitation rather than producing an inferred answer.

This approach addresses one of the most persistent criticisms of generative AI — hallucination, or the fabrication of unsupported claims. SEEK mitigates this risk by attributing all outputs to specific expert materials and providing users with direct access to source references.

Architecture of the SEEK Response Model

The SEEK interface is structured to balance efficiency with depth. Upon entering a question, users receive a layered response framework that integrates multiple formats:

  1. Video Evidence: The system identifies exact video segments in which experts discuss the topic. Timestamped references from TED Talks, lectures, interviews, podcasts, and educational content are surfaced for direct review.
  2. Executive Summary: A concise synthesis distills the core insights, allowing for rapid cognitive processing.
  3. Deep Dive: Expanded explanations are accompanied by source links, enabling verification and contextual exploration.
  4. Action Step: Each response concludes with a clearly defined, immediately applicable task. This emphasis on implementation reflects behavioral research indicating that specificity increases follow-through.
  5. Related Questions: Intelligent follow-up prompts encourage deeper inquiry and refinement of understanding.

For instance, a user confronting public speaking anxiety who searches for confidence-building strategies will not receive generic affirmations. Instead, SEEK may provide precise vocal modulation techniques, breathing protocols referenced by communication specialists, timestamped expert discussions, and a structured pre-presentation rehearsal exercise.

This layered architecture aligns with evidence-based learning principles: cognitive chunking, multimodal reinforcement, and task-oriented application.

Foundational Design Principles

SEEK is built upon three primary operational principles:

1. Verified Sources Only
The knowledge database synthesizes publicly available work from over 300 experts across multiple domains, including behavioral economics, neuroscience, leadership development, cognitive science, memory research, and habit formation. Each source is manually vetted by RiseGuide’s internal team to ensure methodological legitimacy.

2. Elimination of Hallucinations
Because the system operates within a bounded corpus, it avoids fabricating unsupported claims. All responses are traceable to identifiable expert material. When gaps exist, the system acknowledges them.

3. Context-Driven Application
Information is framed not merely as theoretical insight but as operational guidance. The emphasis on action steps and contextual framing differentiates SEEK from static content repositories.

Integration Within the RiseGuide Ecosystem

SEEK is not positioned as a standalone tool but as an extension of RiseGuide’s broader structured learning ecosystem. The platform offers thematic tracks such as Charisma Mastery — focused on executive presence and communication refinement — and Intelligence Training, targeting memory enhancement, focus optimization, and cognitive resilience.

These programs combine interactive lessons, micro-learning assessments, and guided exercises. SEEK complements this structure by enabling on-demand expert consultation within the same environment. Users can explore specific challenges while remaining anchored to structured curricula.

Since its founding in 2024, RiseGuide reports fivefold year-over-year growth. The platform’s user base has surpassed 500,000 individuals seeking systematic personal and professional development rather than passive digital consumption.

Market Positioning and Strategic Implications

The launch of SEEK reflects broader shifts in digital education and AI-assisted learning. As generative AI becomes ubiquitous, differentiation increasingly depends on reliability, attribution transparency, and domain specificity.

By positioning itself as a curated expert knowledge engine rather than a generative AI chatbot, RiseGuide occupies a niche at the intersection of EdTech and knowledge verification. The platform implicitly challenges the assumption that more data equates to better insight. Instead, it suggests that constrained, validated datasets may yield more practical outcomes.

From a strategic standpoint, SEEK addresses three market demands:

  • Reduced cognitive overload in professional development.
  • Increased accountability and traceability in AI-assisted knowledge delivery.
  • Greater emphasis on implementation rather than information accumulation.

Availability and Access

SEEK is currently available to all paid RiseGuide subscribers through the platform’s iOS and Android applications. The feature was introduced following beta testing and is fully integrated into the mobile experience.

Conclusion

The contemporary knowledge environment is characterized by abundance but fragmented reliability. Professionals navigating career growth, communication challenges, or cognitive performance enhancement require structured, verifiable guidance rather than algorithmically averaged advice.

SEEK represents an attempt to reframe digital search within the self-development domain. By restricting its inputs to curated expert frameworks and embedding actionable steps within each response, RiseGuide seeks to bridge the gap between information and execution.

As AI systems continue to evolve, platforms that prioritize verification, transparency, and applied methodology may define the next phase of digital learning infrastructure.

Chenguang Capital and AetherBridge Financial have upgraded their partnership, integrating ECN trading systems and officially entering a new strategic cycle.

With the successful implementation of AetherBridge Financial’s direct market access (ECN, Electronic Communication Network) mechanism-based swap business, AetherBridge Financial’s mission and vision—”Empowering the real economy through financial innovation and safeguarding the future of wealth through professional services”—has been further deepened and expanded.

ECNs, as one of the emerging technologies in modern financial trading, have become an important tool for stockbrokers to differentiate themselves, become core players, and compete. With the expansion of ECN trading functions, market participants will be able to enjoy stronger connectivity and greater control through ECN infrastructure, while trading efficiently in multiple global markets. Currently, the existing scale of ECN infrastructure exceeds RM5 billion, and this scale continues to grow. The application of ECN trading mechanisms will play an important role in activating capital markets, promoting high-quality economic development, and enhancing institutional investor confidence.

Especially against the backdrop of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut cycle, Chenguanng Capital and AetherBridge Financial have reached a strategic cooperation agreement on ECN trading mechanisms.  Through close collaboration and efficient iteration, a high-speed dual-center ECN trading solution has been implemented, further expanding direct market access (ECN) functionality. This will enable investors to trade stocks directly on the exchange through member brokerage systems. Through close cooperation and relying on regulatory guidance, both parties have ensured compliance, creating a standardized stock trading system that meets regulatory requirements and promoting innovation among stock brokerages.

This collaboration not only upgrades the ECN trading mechanism to meet the evolving needs of global capital markets but also helps market participants gain greater control in an efficient, low-latency trading environment, further enhancing institutional investor confidence and market activity.

Chenguang Capital and AetherBridge Financial have joined forces, focusing on regulatory requirements and market demand, to comprehensively promote the application of financial technology, strengthen basic service construction, and support the transformation and innovative development of stock brokerages. By building a dual competitive advantage—shifting from “capital-driven” to ECN trading—using the Malaysian “stock brokerage” ECN trading mechanism as a breakthrough, Chenguang Capital aims to create a composite advantage of “international pricing power + local penetration,” laying a solid foundation for its internationalization strategy.  Finally, the deconstruction and reconstruction of the global financial market trading order is driving the transformation of the traditional financial system’s intermediary role into a co-builder of the new ECN order, contributing to the active and stable development of the capital market.

Chenguang Capital stated that with the upgraded cooperation with AetherBridge Financial, both parties have officially entered a new strategic cycle. 2026 will be a more systematic and stable year. With the full launch of the “Sunrise Strategy,” the strategic direction will cover the following aspects:

A more mature ECN execution system

A more robust structured trading model

A more standardized disciplinary verification process

Stronger cross-border collaboration capabilities

Chenguang Capital further declared that “Sunrise” represents the foundation, and “Sunrise” represents the advancement; 2026 will be a crucial year for deepening cooperation between Chenguang Capital and AetherBridge Financial. Both parties will continue to work hard in digital transformation and innovative development, optimizing trading mechanisms, strengthening the application of financial technology, and promoting high-quality development of the capital market.

 Media Inquiries and Business Cooperation

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Email: info@chenguangcapital.com

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Contact Person: Chenguang Capital

Hong Kong: 26/F, Phase 1, Hong Kong International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong

Shanghai: Rooms 4102-4105, Shanghai Tower, 501 Yincheng Middle Road, Lujiazui, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China

What a Full-Service Digital Marketing Company in the USA Actually Does

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Leads are inconsistent. Ad spend keeps rising. You post content, but revenue doesn’t follow. Most founders don’t need more “marketing.” You need coordination. That’s where a real digital marketing agency USA earns its keep.

A true digital marketing company USA doesn’t sell random services. It builds a system that turns attention into measurable revenue. At Five Talents, we’ve seen small businesses waste months hiring freelancers who never spoke to each other. SEO ran one direction, paid ads another, the website converted poorly, and no one owned the funnel. That chaos costs money.

Strategy Before Tactics

Here’s what surprises many entrepreneurs. The best digital marketing agency starts with positioning and numbers, not ads. Before touching PPC advertising services or SEO services, we clarify the offer, margins, and break-even cost per lead. If you don’t know what you can afford to pay for a customer, paid advertising becomes gambling.

We build a clear go-to-market structure: audience, messaging, traffic channels, and conversion paths. That’s not theory. That’s how you protect your budget. A strong results-driven digital marketing company USA. begins with growth strategy consulting and messaging strategy services, because traffic without clarity converts poorly.

Traffic That Actually Converts

Once the foundation is right, traffic matters. This is where many internet marketing companies oversell impressions. You don’t need vanity metrics. You need qualified leads.

We combine Google Ads management services, paid social media services, and professional SEO services so your brand shows up at every stage of the buying cycle. Search engine optimization services build long-term visibility. PPC advertising services generate immediate demand. Social media marketing services warm up cold audiences.

But traffic alone won’t fix weak conversion paths. Your website design services and responsive web design services must support the campaign. We’ve increased demo bookings by over 30% simply by restructuring homepage messaging and tightening calls to action.

Content, Automation, and Retention

Acquiring leads is expensive. Keeping them costs less. A full-service online marketing agency handles content marketing services, email automation services, and sales copywriting services together. Why? Because acquisition and retention are one system.

Blog writing services attract search intent. Email funnel services nurture prospects who are not ready yet. Automated email marketing keeps your pipeline warm. When this runs properly, cost per acquisition drops.

For nonprofits, Google Ad Grant management and Google Ad Grant account setup unlock free Google Ads for nonprofits. Done right, nonprofit Google Ads services can generate thousands of targeted visitors without draining operational budgets.

Branding and Digital Infrastructure

You can run ads, but if your brand identity design feels inconsistent, trust suffers. Branding services, logo and brand design services, and website copywriting services create coherence. That coherence increases conversion.

We often step in as both digital marketing consultant and execution partner. Some clients need full implementation. Others need business growth consulting services and oversight for internal teams. Either way, accountability matters. That’s what separates a vendor from a partner.

If you are looking for a results-driven digital marketing company USA. that understands tight budgets and real growth pressure, visit Five Talents. We build marketing systems that produce leads, close sales, and support long-term business strategy services. If your marketing feels fragmented, it’s time to fix the structure.

Trauma and the Pursuit of Equality and Empowerment of Women: A Comparative Analysis of Texts by Margaret Atwood, Kiran Desai, and Arundhati Roy

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Citation

Qureshi, T., & Javed, I. (2026). Trauma and the Pursuit of Equality and Empowerment of Women: A Comparative Analysis of Texts by Margaret Atwood, Kiran Desai, and Arundhati Roy. International Journal of Research, 13(2), 135–145. https://doi.org/10.26643/ijr/2026/38

Tanzah Qureshi                                                                                        Dr. Indira Javed

Research Scholar, tanzahq02@gmail.com                                                  Professor                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

BU, Bhopal                                                                                        SNGGPG College Bhopal                                                                                                                                           

Abstract-

This paper focuses on various cultural, social and political nuances that help to subjugate the women and the impact this has on the quest for equality. The women writers though shy away from being called the feminist still focus on the issues faced by women, their silent endurance to the discrimination and cultural subjugation which results in various problems faced by them. The female characters in the respective novels face their trails and are triumphant by resolving their psychological or sociological issues. The women writers by talking about these problems have brought them to the centre stage and have thus created a dialogue for gender equality. This analysis delves into Margaret Atwood, Kiran Desai, and Arundhati Roy’s intricate connection between trauma and the quest for empowerment of women by examining the specific manifestations of subjugation within their respective narratives.

Keywords– Trauma, Women empowerment, Gender equality, Alienation, Estrangeness Effect

Objectives

To understand the perspectives of gender from the view point of Margaret Atwood, Arundhati Roy and Kiran Desai,

To explain the effect of gender and patriarchy on women psyche,

Methadology

The research methodology of this research paper is qualitative in design. Researcher has used both primary and secondary material to prove the objectives. Textbooks, critical material such as Research Papers, Journals and viewpoints of experts have been utilized. This is descriptive, explanatory, analytical and comparative study.

Introduction              

Trauma acts as a major barrier to women’s equality, rooted in systemic patriarchal structures, gender-based violence, and transgenerational cycles of abuse. It induces fear, anxiety, and diminished self-confidence, hindering autonomy and economic empowerment. Overcoming this requires trauma-informed approaches, safe spaces, and active engagement of men to dismantle inequality. Addressing trauma is not just an individual, therapeutic need but a necessary step for societal progress in achieving gender equality and empowering women to fully participate in all aspects of life.

Review of Literature and Discussion

“Through her vivid portrayals of women’s struggles and triumphs, Roy critiques the patriarchal systems that perpetuate gender inequality, while also celebrating the resilience and agency of her female protagonists” (Raman and Kumar 2021). This quote suggests that Roy in extreme goes against the gender restrictions and patriarchal norms. She is a feminist and womanist who thinks for women and talks about their empowerment in society, family and state.

Trauma manifests in many things, including the oppressive weight of patriarchal norms, the suppression of individual voices, and the psychological impact of societal expectations. These authors critically examine the systemic pressures which inflict deep-seated wounds upon women, and are manifested as internal conflicts and external struggles for autonomy by women. In Margaret Atwood’s works, female protagonists frequently navigate environments marked by male violence and exploitation, employing psychological defenses to process their suffering before embarking on a transformative journey towards self-reclamation.  Specifically, in The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood shows the extent of identity loss that the handmaids are stripped of their names. “My name isn’t Offred, I have another name, which nobody uses now because it’s forbidden” (Handmaid’s Tale 3).Atwood explores the intricate relationship between individual memory and societal control, demonstrating how the protagonist Offred utilizes personal recollections to maintain her sense of self amidst Gilead’s systematic attempts to erase her identity. This struggle for self-preservation through memory and resistance against oppressive systems is a recurring motif in Atwood’s works, often highlighting the specifically female nature of these struggles, such as issues surrounding reproductive rights and societal objectification (Banurekha and Abhinya). Atwood’s narratives consistently feature female protagonists who, despite their individual circumstances, actively resist victimhood by finding unique ways to assert their agency and challenge the patriarchal structures that seek to diminish them (Banurekha and Abhinya) ( Jaisy). We see Offred being subjected to gender-based oppression, violence, and objectification. Yet, she subtly defies these constraints through her passive rebellious acts like trying to maintain her autonomy by preserving the memories of her family. Furthermore,in Surfacing, Atwood intricately weaves the themes of environmental degradation and gendered oppression, portraying them as co-dependent systems of domination, where women’s bodies and the natural world become parallel sites of control and commodification ( Muthuswamy and Venkateshkumar). Atwood’s narratives delve into the fragmented psyche of her female characters , often caused by the female subjguation that they face, they have to reconnect with their past to make themselves whole again or to fight the demons of their past and overcome them. This fragmentation often stems from the deceptive patriarchal ideologies that diminish women’s autonomy and the sense of self. Offred, for instance, reclaims her fragmented self through storytelling and her monologues, critiquing the Gileadean propaganda and asserting her individuality. Her internal monologues serve as a critical tool for mental survival, allowing her to resist the imposed subjugation and maintain a semblance of her former identity

The profound psychological impact of such systemic subjugation necessitates a rigorous examination of the coping mechanisms and resistance strategies employed by these protagonists. The narrative often functions as a critical medium for these women to articulate their experiences and reclaim themselves within the oppressive structures.


Kiran Desai in her novel, ‘The Inheritance of Loss’ shows how trauma and displacement profoundly affect the identities and futures of its female characters, illustrating their arduous journeys toward self-discovery amidst postcolonial anxieties. Her protagonists grapple with both personal and collective traumas, revealing how gendered experiences intertwine with broader socio-political dislocations to shape their inner lives and external realities. “Could fulfillment ever be felt as deeply as loss?” (Inheritance of Loss 3)

This poignant question encapsulates the existential dilemmas faced by Desai’s characters, who are often caught between cultural expectations and personal aspirations. In her Novel, characters like Nimi, the judge’s wife went through abuse. “He beat her with a brass vase. She was never the same again”(Inheritance of Loss 186).

This line highlights the impact that abuse has on women and the subsequent changes that come with it. Nimi was beautiful and rich, Jemubhai, took advantage of the dowry money and yet he did not even treat his wife as a human being. Once he hurled her face in the toilet. whenever he met her, she had gone through phases of abuses and his ultimate decision to never see her brings her even more misery. She was neglected and abused. This systemic mistreatment, including marital violence and abandonment, leaves indelible psychological scars, illustrating how patriarchal structures inflict lasting damage on women’s sense of self-worth and agency. Such portrayals underscore the pervasive nature of gender inequality, where women are often confined to subordinate roles and subjected to various forms of exploitation, including psychological, economic, and sexual abuse. These profound and multifaceted traumas necessitate resilient coping mechanisms, which often manifest as internal resistance and a determined pursuit of self-redefinition against oppressive societal norms (Devraju) ( Sharma and Chouhan). The female characters in Desai’s works frequently navigate the complexities of cultural hybridity and identity crises, often reflecting the broader post-colonial struggles for self-definition in a globalized world (Tennyson) .

Desai through Sai shows the generational gendered changes. The changes are albiet subtle but Desai has shown these tranformations. Sai, though more educated and modern, still grapples with gendered expectations. Her romance with Gyan exposes the fragility of her autonomy in a society where women’s choices are often undermined. Her experiences highlight the subtle yet persistent ways in which patriarchal norms continue to influence even seemingly liberated women, forcing them to negotiate their desires within established societal frameworks (Desai). Her attempts to assert independence are frequently met with resistance, underscoring the enduring societal pressures that circumscribe female agency even in contemporary contexts.

Arundhati Roy also exposes the Indian society’s fragility when Ammu falls in love with Baba. This transgression of caste and social boundaries leads to tragic consequences, illustrating how societal rigidity and patriarchal control restrict women’s emotional and physical freedom, ultimately shaping their destiny. Roy’s novel The God of Small Things further underscores how societal prejudices and patriarchal systems contribute to the trauma experienced by women, often through the lens of forbidden love and its devastating repercussions on female protagonists. The tragic narratives of Ammu and other female characters reveal how the intersection of gender, class, and caste often subjects women to systemic oppression, leading to profound personal and intergenerational trauma. Her relationship with Velutha, an Untouchable, challenges the deeply entrenched caste system, highlighting the intersection of gender and caste as sites of resistance (Chacko 2000 and Nair 2002).

“She’s a woman. She’s not allowed to decide what she wants” (The God of Small Things 45). This statement profoundly encapsulates the pervasive subjugation experienced by women within rigidly hierarchical societal constructs, wherein patriarchal norms systematically curtail individual agency.

Rahel navigates a different path. She modern, independent well eduacted but still bears the scars of this societal conditioning, manifesting in her struggles with relationships and a pervasive sense of displacement. She does get married to a man but she struggles with emotional intimacy. She recognizes that Larry loves her, and she accepts the void that exists in her marriage.

“He couldn’t understand her. She couldn’t explain. They didn’t agree on things” (The God of Small Things 20). Their inability to bridge this communicative chasm underscores the profound alienation that can arise even within intimate partnerships when fundamental understandings of identity and desire diverge, a consequence often exacerbated by the entrenched societal pressures impacting female autonomy.

In The God of Small Things, the female characters, including Mammachi, Baby Kochamma, Ammu, and Rahel, despite their intellect and affluence, are unable to achieve their full potential due to a system of oppression rooted in gender. She understands the profound impact of her mother’s ostracization on her own capacity for connection, highlighting the intergenerational trauma inflicted by societal strictures. This intergenerational trauma, exacerbated by societal judgments and restrictive norms, manifests as a perpetual struggle against systemic oppression, impeding the women’s achieving their full potential and well-being (ALI).

Specifically, the analysis delves into how these authors utilize distinct narrative techniques to portray the psychological impact of trauma, often linking individual experiences of distress to broader socio-political injustices (Abubakar, 2017). Moreover, this section explores how the authors’ representational choices, particularly concerning gender and sexuality, contribute to a nuanced understanding of trauma within marginalized communities, thereby offering fresh insights into the intricate interplay of power and vulnerability (Ranga & Prasad, 2025). For instance, Atwood’s *Surfacing* explores the protagonist’s journey of individuation, directly linking her psychological recovery from past traumatic experiences to an introspective exploration of her unconscious mind (González Hernández, 2015) (Heidarizadeh, 2015). Desai, on the other hand, through characters like Bim, explores the enduring nature of trauma within familial structures, highlighting how intergenerational patterns of abuse and societal expectations shape feminine identity within traditional contexts (Kumar, 2024). Roy further complicates this by depicting characters, such as Rahel, who navigate complex socio-political landscapes where caste, gender, and historical legacies profoundly impact their identity and choices, underscoring the pervasive influence of societal and familial pressures (Kumar, 2024). This analytical framework further extends to examining how these authors, through their distinct literary styles, dismantle hegemonic narratives concerning gender and sexuality, advocating for more inclusive and equitable societal visions (Ranga & Prasad, 2025). Through their narratives, these authors collectively illuminate the intricate connections between personal suffering and systemic inequalities, advocating for a deeper understanding of how trauma permeates individual and collective consciousness (Heidarizadeh, 2015).

Discussion

The discussion section will elaborate on the implications of these findings, drawing connections between the narrative techniques and thematic concerns identified in the results section to broader theoretical frameworks concerning trauma studies, postcolonial literature, and feminist theory. Specifically, it will explore how Atwood, Desai, and Roy contribute to an understanding of trauma not merely as an individual psychological phenomenon, but as a deeply embedded socio-political construct shaped by historical oppressions and power imbalances.

And how these traumatic experiences, specifically of women, pave the way for a more nuanced approach where women realize that their sufferings wouldn’t end until and unless they change themselves. They take charge, and they resolve their traumas. This profound understanding is clearly shown in the generational changes that women see. Rahel and Ammu’s situation is different but the inherent trauma remains the same This cyclical nature of trauma across generations underscores the need for profound societal transformation rather than individual adaptation, suggesting that collective action is essential for true liberation from oppressive structures. Moreover, the enduring effects of Partition, as depicted in various literary works, highlight how historical events continue to shape the traumatic experiences of women, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of their lived realities.This literary analysis delves into the psychological underpinnings of female protagonists, revealing how characters like Mariam and Rahel internalize their mothers’ trauma, perpetuating cycles of self-perception influenced by gendered oppression and cultural exclusion (Işık, 2025). This intergenerational transference of trauma not only molds their individual identities but also reflects broader societal narratives where women’s worth is often defined by their roles within patriarchal structures (Kumar, 2024).

Furthermore, the psychological exploration of these characters often reveals a fractured self, necessitating an internal journey toward self-knowledge and integration, much like Jungian individuation, where protagonists reconcile conscious and unconscious elements to achieve wholeness (González Hernández, 2015) (Banurekaa & Abinaya, n.d.).

Result and Findings

This section presents the findings from the textual analysis, highlighting recurrent thematic patterns and narrative strategies employed by Atwood, Desai, and Roy in depicting trauma and the struggle for equality. A critical examination of these literary works reveals how deeply ingrained societal structures exacerbate personal suffering, simultaneously illuminating the resilience and agency of characters striving for liberation.

Anita Desai has focused on the psychological nuances of her characters, delving into their inner lives and frustrations within a changing societal landscape. Her protagonists often grapple with neurotic conditions arising from an inability to adapt to harsh realities, leading to psychological disturbances whether they react aggressively or compromise with their situations

Atwood’s female charcters often grapple with deeply personal traumas such as abuse, imprisonment, and objectification, which underscore the broader societal pressures faced by women.

Conversely, Kiran Desai’s protagonists frequently navigate the trauma of displacement and cultural alienation, revealing the profound psychosocial impact of globalization and postcolonial identities on individuals. In contrast,

Arundhati Roy’s literary contributions explore the pervasive trauma inflicted by systemic injustices, including caste discrimination and environmental degradation, demonstrating how deeply rooted societal structures perpetuate cycles of suffering and inequality.

Conclusion

These narratives, through their poignant portrayal of female suffering and resilience, highlight the critical need for gender equality as a means to alleviate the deep-seated trauma inflicted by patriarchal structure. Roy intricately weaves the stories of three generations of women—Baby Kochamma, Mammachi, Ammu, and Rahel—to highlight the difficult situation of women in post-colonial nations, demonstrating how their social positions were profoundly affected by the legacies of imperialism and the British colonizers’ oppressive humanitarian missions. This intergenerational trauma, exacerbated by societal judgments and restrictive norms, manifests as a perpetual struggle against systemic oppression, impeding the women’s achieving their full potential and well-being.

The women writers by highlighting the generational changes in the autonomy of women show the changes that have occurred over time and the need for continued advocacy to achieve full gender equity.

Atwood, Desai, and Roy, bring trauma and gender equality to the forefront of their narratives, using literature as a powerful space to explore the collective loved experience of women under the oppressive systems of patriarchy. Their works emphasise that trauma is not just a personal or psychological issue but also a reflection of broader social, cultural and political forces that  affect women. By portraying trauma as a product of patriarchy and postcolonial structures, these authors challenge the traditional approaches and call for a more inclusive understanding of healing. Their narratives emphasize that true empowerment requires both personal recovery as well as dismantling the systems that perpetuate harm. These authors use fiction to amplify women’s voices, confront systems that perpetuate harm and envision a future where healing is tied to equality and liberation. They bring trauma to a center stage as a feminist and political issue making a strong case of empowerment of women through narrative and structural change.

References

Abubakar, Sadiya. “Art as Narrative: Recounting Trauma through Literature.” IRA-International Journal of Management & Social Sciences (ISSN 2455-2267), vol. 8, no. 1, Aug. 2017, p. 118.

ALI, Yaseen. The Politics of Feminism in the Eyes of Postcolonial Studies. DergiPark (Istanbul University), July 2021.

 Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale. Toronto, Ontario: McClelland Steward Ltd, 1985.

­­­­­­­­­_____ and J. Brooks Bouson. Critical Insights. 2013.

Banurekaa, S., and S. Abinaya. Emerging Women in Margaret Atwood’s Select Novels.

Barman, R. P. Exploring Feminine Identity Challenges in Anita Desai’s Fiction. SSRN Electronic Journal, Jan. 2024.

Chacko, M. Caste and Gender in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Economic and Political Weekly, Issue 35 volume 42, 2000. PP, 3745-3750.

Desai, Kiran. The Inheritance of Loss. Penguin, India. 2006.

Devaraju, Vanitha. The Theme of Loss and Grief in Shashi Deshpande’s Small Remedies. Smart Moves Journal Ijellh, Vol. 6, no. 10, Oct. 2018.

González Hernández, Ma Lourdes. The Mapping of the Self. 2015.

Heidarizadeh, Negin. “The Significant Role of Trauma in Literature and Psychoanalysis.” Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 192, June 2015, p. 788.

Jaisy, D. L. An Eco-Feminism: A Study OF Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. 2018.

Kumar, B. Magesh. “Exploring Feminine Identity: A Comparative Analysis of Female Protagonists in Anita Desais- Clear Light of Day and Arundhati Roys- The God of Small Things.” International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology, vol. 12, no. 6, June 2024, p. 1670.

Mutuswamy, Priyadarsini, and Venkateshkumar. “Roots of Ruin: Ecofeminist Echoes of Environmental and Gendered Subjugation in Margaret Atwood’s Dystopias.” International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research, vol. 7, no. 3, June2025.

Raman, P. and Kumar. The Language of Rebellion: A Study of Arundhati Roy’s Narrative Techniques. International Journal of Literature, Volume 22, Issue 3, 2021. PP, 395-410.

Ranga, R., and Pushkala Prasad. “The Politics of Representing Gender and Sexuality in Arundhati Roy’s Selected Books.” World Journal of English Language, vol. 16, no. 1, Sept. 2025, p. 305.

Sharma, Divyani, and Swati Chauhan. “Portrayal of Patriarchal Subjugation of Women in the Selected Works of Anita Nair.” Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, vol. 15, no. 5, Dec. 2023.

Tennyson, M. E. “Cultural Hybridity and Identity Crisis in The Inheritance of Loss.” Studies in Social Science & Humanities, vol. 3, no. 7, July 2024, p. 37.

Wangmo, Thinley, and Margaret Atwood. The Fall of Women under the Masculine World and the Rise of Women through the Awakening of Feminist Instinct in Surfacing by Margaret Atwood. Apr. 2018.

Women and Resistance in Arundhati Roy’s *The God of Small Things*. *Journal of Feminist Literary Criticism*, 4(1), 45-59. [19] Raman, P. (2021).

Nair, A. Love and Loss in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Indian Literature Quarterly, Issue 6, Volume 2) 2002. PP, 105-119. 

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Interdisciplinary Study of Margaret Atwood’s Novel Surfacing

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VarshaPatil

Department of English,

JET’sZ.B.Patil College, Dhule-424002 (MS)

E-mail: varshapatil.vp.100@gmail.com

Abstract:

Margaret Atwood’s novel Surfacing is a landmark novel in Canadian literature. It presents a richly layered narrative that lends itself to interdisciplinary interpretation. The paper examines the novel through the critical frameworks of eco-criticism, gender studies, psychoanalytic theory, postcolonial discourse and mythological studies.The young and unnamed protagonist comes back to Northern Quebec, the wilderness in search of her father who disappears. Her journey into the Quebec wilderness in search of her father transforms into a search for her identity. The novel throws light on gender oppression, cultural imperialism, environmental problems and psychological issue. Surfacing is immensely relevant in the present scenario of environmental crisis, gender oppression and cultural crisis. Atwood proposes that authentic survival necessitates confronting truth, reclaiming fractured identity and restoring an ethical relationship with Nature.

Keywords:Interdisciplinary studies,eco-criticism, psychoanalysis, mythological studies

Research Objectives:

  1. To examine Surfacing through an interdisciplinary framework.
  2. To analyze the representation of ecological consciousness.
  3. To investigate the critique of patriarchal structures within the narrative.
  4. To explore the psychological dimensions of repression, trauma, and self-recovery as reflected in the narrator’s journey.
  5. To evaluate the novel’s engagement, its critique of American cultural imperialism.
  6. To examine the mythic and archetypal patterns that structure the narrator’s symbolic descent and rebirth.
  7. To show how survival operates as a multidimensional concept, encompassing ecological responsibility, gender autonomy, psychological integration, and cultural sovereignty.

Introduction:

Margaret Atwood is the most distinguished contemporary Canadian novelist, poet,environmentalist and human activist. Her novel Surfacing was published in 1972. It was a period during which second wave feminism was at the height of its momentum and influence.The novelSurfacing throws light on the social- political issue of the late 20thcentury, such as the environmental degradation, second wave feminism, Canadiannationalism.The young and unnamed protagonist comes back from Toronto to Northern Quebec, the wilderness to search for her father, who disappears. Her friend, DavidAnna and Joe have accompanied her. She is a commercial artist. She has come back to Northern Quebec Bush after 9 years. Her coming to the wilderness becomes the arena, for her psychological crisis and regenerative self-realization. It function as the locus of her psychological fragmentation and eventual integration.

An interdisciplinary reading of thenovel Surfacing foregrounds its structural and thematic complexity.Surfacing emerges as a dynamic narrative that operates andconceptualizesmeaning on multiple levelssuch as ecological consciousness, gender theories, postcolonial unease and mythic symbolic coverage.The novel’s central motif is survival which goes beyond physical endurance.It encompasses ecological accountability, psychological reconciliation and cultural sovereignty. It critiques environmental exploitation, gender oppression,cultural imperialism, and psychological suppression.

Annis Pratt a feminist archetypal criticconsiders the novel in terms of “a quest for rebirth and transformation”.Prof.CoomiV.Vevaina from University of Mumbai, India discusses the novel from”Jung’s psychoanalysis”.To SushilaSingh, the novel is “a significant nationalist and feminist work of art”. Russell Brown finds in Surfacing “implications of the artist in the myth-makingprocess”.Surfacing has been interpreted by applying various disciplines.

Interdisciplinary study of Surfacing enables to analyse the text by applying multiple theoretical lenses such as humanities, social sciences, environmental studies, psychology, gender studies. The synthesis of these theoretical frameworks enable more comprehensive understanding of Atwood’s strategy.

Eco-criticism studies the representation of Nature. It also studies the relationship between Nature and human beings. The northern Quebec wilderness brings about the protagonist’s transformation and self- realization. The dead heron symbolises cruelty done towards Nature. The crucificationimagery reminds us of religious sacrifice. The dead heron symbolizes ecological violence .By doing harmfulact the human world is alienated from the natural world. The gulf between these two worlds becomes increasingly pronounced over time. She criticises the Americans who fish and litter in the lake. To her this act symbolizes capitalistic exploitation.

The novel Surfacing advances, a sustained critic of American imperialism, representing it as a force that commodities and victimizes the natural world. The protagonist identifies herself with the Nature. She says:

I am not an animal or tree, I amthe thingin which the trees and animals move and grow. I am a place. (236)

The mystical assertion signalsrepudiation of anthropocentric supremacy as she reconceives herself as an organic participant within a broader ecological continuum.

To become one with the Nature, she renounces everything. She rejects clothing and canned food. She comes back to the Nature, which enables her to regain her wholeness andrealize her strength. Her stay on the Northern Quebec Island enables her to regain her consciousness of victimization of natural elements. The lake symbolizes the ecological depth. The narrator’s dive into the lake is the symbolic immersion into primordial origins. The landscape is polluted and destroyed by the colonisers, the Americans. She feels that the act of eating of the herons is an exercise of power.

Her search is the search for herself, identity.She rejects to be victimized. Psychoanalysis interprets the novel as narrative of separation. The protagonist looks ather relationship with art teacher as a blow from patriarchy. She sacrifices everything for him. The art teacher seduces her and makes her pregnant. The forced abortion keeps her always restless. She considers herself as a murderer and suffers from a guilt consciousness. She says:

But I bring with me from the distant pass five nights ago, the time traveller, the premaevalone who will have to learnshape of a goldfish now in my belly, undergoing its watery changes.Word furrowspotential already in its proto-brain untravelled paths (249).

She is no more than a dead onedue to the act of an enforced abortion. She feels that her ‘self’ has been divided into two halves. After this betrayal and forced abortion, she decides to live on the Northern Quebec Island to forget the past and its memories.

Postcolonial criticism examines power relations between the colonizers and colonized.The American tourists in Surfacingsymbolizecultural imperialism. She observes them who reduce the sacred landscape to a resource for consumption. They pollute the lake. The wilderness is Canadian identity, which is threatened by technology, moral corruption and capitalist expansion.

The quest of the protagonist is a mythic quest. The lake functions as a womb. Her dive into the lake symbolizes immersion into the womb. Her coming out of waterleads towards the process of transformation. Water purifies her in totality and leads to her survival in the real sense. She is a transformed soul.

The protagonist’s imagination to shed human skinand the repression shows archetypalreturn to origin of life. Her emergence from the wilderness symbolizes the resurrection.

Surfacing is a very wonderful text for interdisciplinary study by applying various disciplines. The novel is a comment on survival, identity and moral responsibility.Through interdisciplinary synthesis Surfacing, conceptualizes survival as a multidimentional construct. Atwood shows that individual,ecological, national healing requires facing truth and cultivating a harmonious relationship with Nature.In the present context of environmental precarity, gender inequalities and accelerating cultural homogenization, Surfacing retains urgent contemporary resonance.

References:

  1. Atwoodb Margaret. Surfacing. London: Virago Press, 2009. Print.
  2. Pratt Annis.“Surfacing and the Rebirth Journey”.The Art of Margaret Atwood:Essays in Criticism. Ed. Cathy N. Davidson and Arnold E.Davidson. Toronto Anansi Press,1981.Print.
  3. VevinaCoomi S. Re/MemberingSelves Alienation and Survival in the Novels of Margaret Atwood and Margaret Laurence. New Delhi: Creative Book, 1996.Print.
  4. Singh Sushila. Joyce Carol Oates and Margaret Atwood: Two Forces of the Two World Feminism. Punjab University Bulletin 18.1(1987) Print.
  5. McCombsJudith.Critical Essays on Margaret Atwood.Boston: G.K.Hall,1988.Print.
  6. RigneyHill. Madness and Sexual Politics in the Feminist Novel: Studies in Bronte,Woolf,Lessing and Atwood. Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin, 1978.Print.
  7. MalashriLal. “Canadian Gynocritics: Context of Meaning in Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing”. Perspectives on Women: Canada and India. Ed.AparnaBasu.New Delhi: Allied Publishers,1995.Print.

The Glimpses of Human Rights and Society in the Novels “Untouchable” and “The God of Small Things”

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Dr. Ravindra Ramdas Borse

B.P.Arts, S.M.A. Sci. and K.K.C. Com. College, Chalisgaon

Email: ravindraborse1@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to observe the role of human rights in the societies before and after the independence India. It is studied through the novels of Indian writing in English. Here, it is an attempt to study, discuss and find out the reflection and violation of human rights in Indian society during pre-independence and post-independence period through the Indian fiction in English with reference to the selected novels of Mulk Raj Anand and Arunthati Roy. For this study two novels have been selected, first is “Untouchable” and another one is “The God of Small Things”. Selection of these writers and novels is based on the particular principles and thoughts. The basic criterion of selecting these writers and novels is the issue of “Human Rights”. Both the novels belong to two deferent periods of Indian history still they have a common theme that is humiliation of mankind and violation of human rights in the society. As we know that Mulk Raj Anand is the pioneer of Indian writing in English. He is an eminent writer in the history of Indian English Fiction. He is the first Indian writer who dared to write and raised the voice of deprived people in pre- independent India. On the other hand, Arundhati Roy is an author who belongs to post- independent period of India. In her novel, she tries to show the real picture and approach of Indian literate society and its people towards the poor and backward people through the depiction of Indian cultures and societies. In her novel “The God of Small Things”, she depicted the real picture of Indian people and their approach towards the illiterate and backward class people.

            Above mentioned novels have been selected on the basis of following principles:

1. Both the novels focus on different cultures with common agenda.

2. The selected novels depict the plight and pathetic condition of downtrodden people in Indian society before and after the independence.

3. The writers of these novels have concern for underprivileged people.

4. Violation of human rights has been keenly depicted by these authors in above mentioned novels.

5. There is an ample scope for the study of human rights and its violation in India as shown in said novels.

KEYWORDS:

            Deprived, underprivileged, downtrodden, human rights, backward, literate, illiterate, pre-independence, post-independence, plight, caste, creed, culture, multi-cultural, multi-lingual.

INTRODUCTION:

            “Human Rights” are rights which have been offered to all human beings by birth with the purpose and aim of no discrimination. Without ‘Human Rights’ it’s impossible to the people to leave their life merrily. Each and every member in society needs of it. It helps all the human beings to live with freedom and peace. “Human Rights” can be considered as a basic rights or fundamental rights which have been offered to every individual. These rights are crucial in our life just like the ‘Food’,’ Cloths’ and ‘Shelter’ as the three basic needs of every human beings. Human rights have special significance in India and it also plays a vital role in the country like India. Role of ‘Human Rights” in a country like India is quiet complicated because it’s a large country in the world where people from different caste, culture and religion.

            Role of ‘Human Rights” throughout a country like India is quiet complicated because it’s huge country within the world where people from different caste, culture and religion live together. 

There are some other issues like population, poverty and lack of education which affect the proper implementation of human rights in India. The true beginning of “Human Rights” can be noticed on 10th December 1948 at Paris. It is a year when United Nation’s General Assembly accepted and implemented the proposal of ‘Human Rights’ for world. But in India, it has been taken into consideration and implemented on 2nd October 1993. An aim of ‘Human Rights Commission of India’ is to stop manipulation of Indians by the bureaucracy and safeguard the rights of common people.

As we know, India is multicultural and multilingual country in which people belongs to different caste, culture, community and creed still they live together. Above discussion makes it cleared that India is multi-lingual and multi-culture country. Due to these multi-culture and multi-lingual societies in India there is a chance and possibility to discriminate among the people of high caste and low caste. It has been noticed and observed from the past references that Indian society (in the context of Hinduism) had been divided into class / caste system (Vernas). The people were categorized into four classes / castes (vernas) such as:  1. Brahmin, 2. Kshatriyas, 3. Vaishyas, 4. Shudras. This class or verna system has at less or maximum level been continued in pre and post- independence India which we can notice in society and even in Indian writing as well. The incidents of ‘Human Rights violation in society’ are truly presented in the literary works of Mulk Raj Anand and Arunthati Roy. Number of words and sentences in “Untouchable” and “The God of Small Things” shows it in a cleared manner. For example, the words “Bhangis (Anand, p. 123), Chamars (Anand, p. 132), Harijans (Anand, p. 131) were used in contemporary period for deprived people of society to humiliate them by calling them with the use of their castes. To prove this point we can go through the novel “Untouchable” in which one can find number of examples of such discrimination among the people by the so called upper class society in Indian history from beginning to the present era by reading Indian literature. Indian literature is a mirror of society which reflects and represents Indian society, specially marginalized communities. In this context, the novel “Untouchable” and “The God of Small Things” are appropriate examples of deprived people. These writers shade lights on human rights’ violation in society through their respective novels. The characters sketch of the “Bakha” in ‘Untouchable’ and “Velutha” in ‘The God of Small Things’ are real depiction of underprivileged class in India. The themes of these novels move around these characters only. As we go through the reading of these novels it’s noticed that there is no life, freedom, peace and choice to lower class people in society as every incident in the novels present exploitation and humiliation of characters. Both ‘Bakha and Velutha’ are victims of caste system. Mulk Raj Anand and Arundhati Roy aim to reflect caste system and violation of human rights of these people in India in contemporary periods through the character sketches ‘Bakha and Velutha’. Mahatma Gandhi insisted and asked Mulk Raj Anand to give exposures to the plight of lower class communities in pre-independent India during 1930s. Casteism was a kind of disease in India. Even today, it has been continued in more or less amount directly or indirectly. Lower class people were suppressed by upper class not only by mental torture but also physically and socially. In this regard C.J. George says, “Casteism is a social practice and no Hindu religious leader of any merit and significance would admit it as part of his religion. Giving a place to casteism in Hindu religion is done by certain wolves in sheep’s skin for certain privileges and advantages” (p.40).

Human Rights and Literature (The novels under consideration):

            Human rights and literature both are concerned to the human being and play crucial role in society. Progress and development of mankind is the common agenda of human rights and literature. Literature and human rights are age old concepts. The purpose of both of them is to shade light on human life and bring illiterate downtrodden people in to the flow. Thus, we can state that literature and human rights are two different things with same motto. Both try to develop and correlate to mankind. These two are the sources of the study and solutions to human challenges and issues of lower class such as exploitation and manipulation. Human rights and literature are the terms which harmonizing to one other. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss these terms simultaneously. Indian English literature has a tradition of raising issues of contemporary eras. Hereby, an attempt to study human rights perspective through the novels ‘Untouchable’ and ‘The God of Small Things’.

            The novel “Untouchable is written by Mulk Raj Anand in 1935. It has been set in pre-independent India. The setting of the novel is of one day episode from morning to evening in which number of events can be observed in the life of low caste communities in colonial period of India. Mulk Raj Anand is one of the pioneers of Indian English Literature who often raised the point of subaltern people through all of his literary work. He is considered a champion of human rights as he depicted the true picture of human psyche in his literary pieces. The very first work of Mulk Raj Anand’s is ‘Untouchable’ where he pointed out the pathetic condition of marginalized people in society who have badly been treated in the Indian community by upper class. The story revolves around the prominent character ‘Bakha’. He is the man who has been fascinated by the upper class people in society. He just tries to imagine and imitate the upper class military officers life for oneself which highly impossible during the colonial India. We can notice the situation of it from the opening lines of the novel which gives us a vivid picture marginalized community and violation of their basic rights in the contemporary period. It can be cleared from the beginning lines of the novel “Untouchable”. The colony of these out caste people was settled in two rows near the cantonment in the town but out of the reach of upper class colony. The upper class people separated their colonies from the marginalised. There lived the scavengers, the grass-cutters and other outcastes from Hindu society” (Anand, p.1). Here, one can get an idea from the quote, how the place of living and the people who have been privileged were differentiated and poorly treated. During the pre-independence period lower class people were not allowed to join or sit with upper class people and it could be the reason of illiteracy and cause of lacking behind in lower class. Because they have never been allow to get an education or join the stream of knowledge which was the only right for upper class society. Education and performing prayers’ to God are the birth rights of upper class only. It was the tendency of upper class people towards lower class. Once Bakha was attracted by the worship “Sri Ram Chandarki Jai” (Long live the Great God Ram) (Anand, p.52). He was fascinated and moved at temple but was caught by the priest who shouted “Polluted, polluted, polluted”(Anand, p. 52).  Lower caste people were not allowed to enter in the colonies of upper class. If he had to do so then must announce his arrivals.

“You be sure to shout now, you illegally begotten!” said a shopkeeper from a side, ‘if you have learnt your lesson!’ Bakha hurried away. He felt that everyone was looking at him. He bore the shopkeeper’s abuse silently and went on. A little later he slowed down, and quite automatically he began to shout: ‘Posh keep away, posh, sweeper coming, posh, posh, sweeper coming, posh, posh, sweeper coming!’ (Anand, p.42)

These lines appropriately express the plight and humiliation of Bakha in the novel Untouchable. Mulk Raj Anand in his novel clearly focuses on the treatment of upper class towards untouchables. Each and every page contains number of events that point out violation of human rights. In the novel ‘Untouchable’, it is noticed that even simple touch of untouchable impure the upper class man.  “You’ve touched me, he had heard the Lalla say to Bakha, ‘I will have to bathe now and purify myself anyhow. Well, take this for your damned irresponsibility, you son of a swine!” (Anand, p.41). These lines show the mentality of so called upper class during colonized India. Untouchables were supposed to do all the menial work for upper class that is the only thing. In this way, Anand not only tries to sheds light on the upper class people’s attitude towards the lower class but also it is the violation of human rights of untouchables. On the other hand, though Arunthati Roy is a writer of post-independence era but reflection of downtrodden still observed in her novel “The God of Small Things”. The novel has been written in 1997 after the four years of establishment of ‘Human Rights Commission in India”. As we understand the background and professional life of Arundhati Roy it seems quite different to the way she has deal with the theme of “The God of Small Things”. The novel first published in the month of April of 1997 and received “Booker Prize” in the month of October of the same year. Within a short period of six months’ time she got an award for her novel. This is a rarest case in Indian history. It shows the prominence of the theme and her writing. By profession she is architecture and worked as a production designer. The theme and issues of Arundhati Roy’s novel are quite different from the other Indian writers in English. She began her writing carrier after getting separated from her husband after the four years married life. The novel “The God of Small things has its own place in Indian English literature. In the novel, she shades light on the current social issues of marginalized people. Through this novel, she provides exposure to these people and gives a platform to such people. She often tries to bring them in main stream of society as it has been noticed in the novel “The God of Small Things”. The plot of the novel begins with oppressive system of the society. There are two prominent issues we can notice here: one is caste exploitation in the contemporary period after the post-independent India and the second is the love story of a woman of upper caste who fallen in love with untouchable man. The setting of the novel is of Ayemenem, a small city in Kerala. The aim of the writer is to fight for equality and dignity of lower castes and classes in the society. Number of issues of human rights been discussed by her in the novel such as: children’s right, rights of women, rights of Dalit, right to select life partner for marriage and domestic violence.

Conclusion:

            To sum up, the present paper is an attempt to sheds light on ‘Human rights and Literature’. Both the elements play crucial role in the life of people and society as well. “Human Rights and Literature” are interconnected and effective elements to understand psychology and traditionally biased mind set human being. At the one side, ‘Human rights’ is the study and guideline for people of society to live their life happily. On the other hand, ‘Literature’ can be strongly considered the manifesto of people in society. Apart from this, one can study, read and observe these novels for the better understanding of human rights and its violation. One can consider these novels as documents of human rights study and also the mirror which shows the real picture of upper class society and their tendency towards lower class. Reading of both the novels helps us to know ‘human rights and violation of it’ through literature as an outcome of society. Thus, it is noticed that the aim of Mulk Raj Anand and Arundhati Roy’s writing is to bring awareness among people of the society about the violation of human rights in real life situations.

REFERENCES:

  1. Agnihotriet al. Trends in Indian English: A Sociolinguistic Perspective. New Delhi: Bahari Publications Pvt. Ltd., 1988.
  2. Anand, Mulk Raj. Untouchable. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2001.
  3. Basu, Tapan, Translating Caste. New Delhi: Katha 2002.
  4. Baxi, Upendra. The Future of Human Rights.Third Edition. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2008.
  5. Baxi, U.Voices of suffering and the future of human rights.Transnat’l L. & Contemp. Probs., 125, 1998.
  6. Benedek, W..Understanding Human Rights: Manual on Human Rights Education.BWV, Berliner Wiss.-Verlag, 2013.
  7. Boggards, P. Dictionaries for Learners of English.International Journal of Lexicography, Vol.9, No.4. 1996.
  8. .Chakrabarty, Koyel and Beniwal, Anup.“Human Rights and Literature: A Complementary Study in Indian Fiction in English.”International Journal of the Arts in Society.Vol.3. No.5. Common Ground Publishing Ltd. Melbourne: 2009:23-33.
  9. Chakrabarty, Koyel. The Problematics of Human Rights in Indian Fiction in English.Unpublished Ph. D. Thesis. New Delhi: Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, 2011.
  10. Choondawat, P. S. “Untouchability and Untouchable Youth: A Study in Urban     Context” in Singh R. (ed.) The Expressed Classes of India: Problems and prospects. New Delhi: B.R., 1986.
  11. George, C. J. Mulk Raj Anand: His Art and Concerns. New Delhi: Atlantic, 2000.
  12. Hudson, R.  Socio-linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
  13. Iyengar, K. R. S. Indian Writing in English. Bombay: Asia Publishing House, 1962.
  14. Roy, Arundhati.The God of Small Things. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2002.

Semantic Analysis of the Determinologization of Coroneologisms in the Uzbek Language

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Citation

Shuhratovna, O. I., & Fernando, R. S. (2026). Semantic Analysis of the Determinologization of Coroneologisms in the Uzbek Language. International Journal of Research, 13(2), 118–124. https://doi.org/10.26643/ijr/2026/37

Ortiqova Iroda Shuhratovna

Uzbekistan State World Languages University

Rosell Sulla Fernando

University of exact and social sciences

ABSTRACT

The 2020–2023 COVID-19 pandemic functioned as a global natural experiment in lexical innovation, rapidly generating emergency-driven terms—coroneologisms—such as lockdown (lokdaun), immunity (immunitet), and remote education (masofaviy ta’lim). Bypassing traditional lexicographic channels, these initially specialized terms quickly spread into everyday discourse, humor, and social media, exemplifying determinologization—the loss of technical specificity as terms enter common usage. Drawing on determinologization theory, Ullmann’s (1962) semantic-change taxonomy, and cognitive semantics within a corpus-assisted framework, this study analyzes the semantic evolution of coroneologisms in Uzbek. It identifies four key mechanisms—broadening, narrowing, metaphorization, and evaluative coloring—and outlines a five-step trajectory from media emergence to institutional codification. The findings show that the pandemic compressed decades of lexical change into just three years, transforming emergency terminology into stable, stylistically versatile elements of the Uzbek lexicon.

Key words: determinologization, coroneologisms, COVID-19, semantic change, Uzbek language, corpus linguistics, broadening, narrowing, metaphorization, evaluative coloring, lexical innovation, crisis communication, lockdown, immunity, remote education, pandemic discourse

The COVID-19 pandemic, which unfolded between 2020 and 2023, is widely recognized not only as a global public health crisis but also as a significant natural experiment in the development of language. In various societies around the world, the overwhelming urgency to name and describe new phenomena – such as lockdowns, PCR testing, remote education, and social-distancing measures – triggered a remarkable wave of ad-hoc lexical formations. These formations often circumvented the conventional processes of approval associated with traditional lexicography. In the context of the Uzbek language, this surge resulted in a cluster of emergency-driven coinages that scholars and journalists have referred to as “coroneologisms” [4], a term that represents a hybrid of “coronavirus” and “neologism.” Many of these newly minted terms began their lives as highly specialized medical or administrative jargon – terms like “ventilator,” “antigen test,” “lockdown,” and “immunity.” However, within a remarkably short span of time, they began to diffuse widely across social media platforms, appearing in hashtags, memes, humorous posts, and even informal conversations among the general public. This rapid transition of specialized terminology into popular discourse serves as a clear example of determinologization—the gradual erosion of a technical term’s limited meaning once it becomes integrated into the fabric of national language [2],[5]. This article seeks to explore the semantic pathways of determinologized coroneologisms in the Uzbek language. It specifically investigates (a) the primary modes of meaning shift – namely broadening, narrowing, metaphorization, and evaluative coloring – that accompanied these terms, and (b) the communicative and social processes that catalyzed or accelerated these transitions. Our analysis is grounded in corpus-assisted evidence derived from media and online discourse, allowing us to describe how a three-year emergency compressed decades of lexical development into a condensed historical timeframe.

Determinologization—a concept originally defined in the field of terminology [2] and further elucidated by L’Homme [3] – describes the process by which a technical or scientific term migrates out of its specialized context and into ordinary language. This movement is rarely neutral; as a term transitions “outside of its domain,” it often loses its precise denotation, acquires additional affective or ideological weight, and undergoes stylistic shifts across both formal and informal registers. To effectively characterize these semantic pathways, this paper employs Ullmann’s [6] framework for classifying semantic change, which is augmented by contemporary research insights regarding cognitive semantic evolution. Four mechanisms of semantic change emerged as particularly salient in this context:

Broadening (Widening): This mechanism refers to the expansion of a technical term’s referential scope, extending far beyond its original definition. For example, the medical term immunitet (biological resistance to disease) developed metaphorical uses signifying any kind of protection or resilience, as in iqtisodiy immunitet “economic immunity” or “institutional immunity to corruption”.

Narrowing (Specialization): This mechanism occurs when a term’s meaning contracts to a more limited subset of its earlier referents. For instance, the English loan lokdaun (< lockdown) originally denoted a range of industrial or security-related shutdowns, but in Uzbek pandemic usage it came to mean only “legally imposed stay-at-home order.” The term ventilator, widely used in headlines as ventilyatsiya qilmoq “to ventilate”, narrowed to refer exclusively to “connecting a patient to artificial lung ventilation.”

Metaphorical Transfer and Re-conceptualization: This mechanism involves projecting concrete imagery from one domain onto other, often more abstract, targets. A notable example is the everyday noun to‘lqin (“wave of water”) was repurposed to describe successive “waves of infection”, producing widely used expressions such as 1-to‘lqin, 2-to‘lqin.

Evaluative Coloring: In this mechanism, terms acquire positive or negative attitudinal elements, often imbued with humor or irony. Combinations such as “Kovidiot” (a blend of “covid” and “idiot”) and the compound antiniqobchi (anti + niqob + -chi) designated “anti-mask activists”, marking not only behaviour but also an ideological position.

These mechanisms collectively illustrate that the transition from specialized phrases to common vocabulary is not a linear process; rather, meanings may expand or contract, take on metaphorical nuances, or become evaluative in response to communicative needs and societal contexts.

The methodology employed in this research is rooted in a corpus-driven descriptive model [1], which emphasizes the analysis of real speech as the primary source of evidence for semantic change. To this end, we constructed a custom corpus comprising a diverse range of Uzbek language news sources, official announcements, online forums, and prominent social media platforms spanning from March 2020 to December 2023. This methodological approach facilitated the investigation of the following dimensions:

– The chronological diffusion of newly coined words across the three-year span of the pandemic;

– The distinguishing differences in register among official media, informal posts, and colloquial speech patterns;

– The profiles of collocations that unveiled new senses and figurative applications of emerging terms;

– Pragmatic signals that indicated humor, stance, or judgment, further elucidating instances of semantic change.

By liberating the analysis from an overreliance on prescriptive dictionary definitions – which have proven inadequate in capturing the dynamism of language evolution – the study aims to articulate what vocabulary has come to signify in public communication, contrasting this with the more static definitions prescribed by traditional dictionaries.

An in-depth analysis of the Uzbek linguistic data reveals that a significant number of high-frequency coroneologisms underwent a five-stage lexical evolution, a process that was notably expedited during the pandemic due to the prevailing sociolinguistic conditions:

Stage 1 – Media Seeding: In the initial shock phase of the pandemic (March–May 2020), the urgent need for communication led to the borrowing of English terms such as “lockdown,” “PCR test,” “ventilator,” and “mask regime.” These terms were rapidly integrated into Uzbek headlines, hashtags, and memes, where the immediacy of communication took precedence over adherence to orthographic or morphological consistency.

Stage 2 – Morpho-Phonemic Adaptation: As the usage of these borrowed terms began to stabilize, a process of nativization ensued. This involved alterations to stress patterns to conform to Uzbek linguistic standards, the simplification of consonant clusters, and the adoption of Latin script conventions in spelling. For instance, “RT-PCR” became simplified to “PZR,” and “lockdown” was adapted to “lokdaun.”

Stage 3 – Semantic Dilution and Metaphorization: During this stage, common words began to expand or mutate either metaphorically or in terms of their general application to biomedical contexts. The term “to’lqin,” for example, began appearing in headlines describing “a wave of layoffs,” while “karantin” evolved into shorthand for any form of restrictive regulation.

Stage 4 – Lexicographic Recognition: From 2021 to 2022, several key terms, including “lockdown,” “distance learning,” “PCR test,” and “immunity,” were officially recognized and included in the COVID-19 Explanatory Dictionary.

Stage 5 – Pedagogical / Institutional Stabilization: Ultimately, these terms found their way into educational materials such as school textbooks, teachers’ guides, and civil-service style manuals, as well as journalistic glossaries. This integration reflected a full incorporation of these expressions into the Uzbek lexical system. A key finding of this research is that the shift from impromptu borrowing to institutionally codified lexis was accomplished within a mere three-year timeframe. This indicates that the exigencies of crisis-driven speech have the potential to accelerate lexical development that would typically unfold over decades. The pathway also highlights that determinologization is not only structural but also emergent, influenced by local communicative urgency, institutional acceptance, and societal prominence.

Beyond merely structuring the semantic transformations discussed, the Uzbek coroneologisms exhibited four reiterative communicative and pragmatic roles that account for their swift proliferation within the language:

Economy of Expression: The newly introduced forms, which were predominantly borrowed, provided concise and readily comprehensible labels for concepts that may have been unfamiliar to the general public. Terms that required longer descriptive phrases, such as “online schooling” and “PCR diagnostic test,” were efficiently replaced with these shorter alternatives, thereby facilitating effective public communication within both media narratives and healthcare discussions.

Stance-Marking and Evaluation: Several terms adopted pejorative or ironic connotations during the politically charged periods of the crisis. For example, “covidiot” (a fusion of “covid” and “idiot”) became associated with individuals who disregarded safety protocols. Additionally, the slang term “remotka” (meaning “remote work”) emerged with a mildly humorous or dismissive tone, while “anti-niqobchi” explicitly indexed ideological opposition to mask mandates.

Group Identity and Solidarity: Some terms evolved into in-group codes that reflected the collective experiences of lockdown, distance learning, and online communication. The productive phrase “meeting up on Zoom” transformed into a rallying cry among social groups, encapsulated in expressions like “zumlashmoq” This development fostered conversation and unity among individuals navigating the challenges of isolation.

Humor and Coping: Lexical blends such as “quarantini” (a combination of “quarantine” and “martini”) and the incorporation of slang terms like “doomscrolling” provided a playful linguistic outlet for navigating anxiety and boredom. These terms thus served as coping mechanisms, contributing to stress-relief strategies in an otherwise challenging context.

These pragmatic functions underscore that the determinologized pandemic vocabulary was not merely a referential identity but also a valuable resource for stance-taking, community-building, and coping mechanisms amidst the crisis.

Table 1

№TermExpansion on the meaning
 Pandemiya     Shifted from strictly medical to any globally spreading phenomenon (“infodemic”, “pandemic of fear”).
 KoronavirusBecame a generic label for any contagious trouble; often used metaphorically (“a coronavirus of bad habits”).
 COVID-19Extended to denote cause, blame, or time-marker (“because of covid”, “covid generation”).
 VaksinaMetaphorised into “silver-bullet solution” for non-medical crises (“education vaccine”, “economic vaccine”).
 ImunitetBroadened to any system’s defensive capacity (“tax immunity”, “bank immunity”).
 KarantinRe-semanticised to mean any restrictive measure or even punitive isolation.
 IzolyatsiyaMoved from clinical isolation to everyday social distancing and on-line modes (“isolation lessons”).
 LockdaunImported as-is; now also describes total shutdowns in business or mental states (“mental lockdown”).
 AntitelaUsed figuratively for ideological or emotional resistance (“antibodies to negativity”).
 EpidemiyaGeneralised to any rapidly spreading trend (“epidemic of errors”, “epidemic of selfies”).
 Masofani saqlashPhysical distance became a metaphor for emotional coolness in relationships.
   GigiyenaHygiene concept expanded to information & mental spheres (“info-hygiene”, “sleep hygiene”).
 DezinfektsiyaDisinfection now covers cleansing of fake news or toxic content.
 SimptomClinical sign → any visible indicator of systemic problems (“symptoms of economic crisis”).
 TestNarrow lab procedure turned into generic verb “to test” and synonym for any quick check.
 Immunitet pasayishiImmunological drop re-interpreted as weakening resilience in economics or organisations.
 PCRAcronym became a household verb meaning “to swab-test” regardless of method.
 AntigenTechnical term now stands metonymically for rapid-test devices themselves.
 VentilyatorLife-support machine → metaphor for any critical external support (“financial ventilator”).
 Post-pandemiyaTemporal phase converted into a cultural label for “new normal” behaviours and policies.
 To‘lqinOriginally “wave” of water; pandemic discourse turned it into numbered surges (“third wave”) and now any periodic spike (“price wave”, “jobless wave”).
 ZumlashmoqPure Uzbek verb “to accelerate”; during the crisis it shifted from physical speeding-up to rapid scaling of remote work, vaccination drives, or digital services (“business zumlandi”).

The findings derived from the Uzbek data demonstrate that the process of lexical borrowing, catalyzed by a crisis, can significantly accelerate the phenomenon of semantic and pragmatic diversification. This process enables the transformation of technical medical terminology into broadly stylistic and affectively expressive components of everyday vocabulary. The outlined five-step trajectory, which encompasses the initial seeding of terms in media and their subsequent institutional codification, illustrates the complex nature of this social mediation process. It becomes evident that determinologization is not merely a function of lexical evolution but is socially mediated through communicative urgency, varying attitudes, and policy decisions. By combining determinologization theory, Ullmann’s semantic-change taxonomy, and a corpus-assisted methodology, this study presents a condensed lifecycle of lexical evolution that would typically require decades to develop. The results underscore the necessity for dynamic lexicographic practices and language-planning methods that are capable of responding swiftly to future public health or technological emergencies. An organized record of rapid lexical evolution, such as the analysis presented here, contributes to our understanding of how and why national languages maintain their flexibility and functional resilience in the face of global crises.

References

  1. Baker, M. (2011). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation (2nd ed.). Routledge. 353 p.
  2. Felber, H. (1984). Terminology Manual. UNESCO. 457 p.
  3. L’Homme, M.-C. (2020). Lexical Semantics for Terminology: An Introduction (3rd ed.). John Benjamins / De Boeck. 
  4. Nasirova, M. F. (2023). COVID 19 pandemiyasi davrida vujudga kelgan neologizmlar Oriental Renaissance: Innovative, educational, natural and social sciences . Volume 3. Issue11.
  5. Sager, J. C. (1990). A Practical Course in Terminology Processing. John Benjamins. 
  6. Ullmann, S. (1962). Semantics: An Introduction to the Science of Meaning. Blackwell.

Analysing the Perception of Violence in Walker’s Short Story Collection In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black Women

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Dr. Ireshadsaheb Usmansaheb Shaikh

U. P. Arts and Science College, Dahiwel, Dhule (M.S.) Dec. 2025

ireshad.shaikh11@gmail.com

Abstract: Alice Walker is a renowned African American novelist, poet, short-story writer, and social activist.She became known worldwide with the publication of her seminal work, The Colour Purple. She is regarded as a radical black feminist author. She propagated her theory of womanism in her stories. Violence is a recurring theme in her stories. Walker’s narratives demonstrate the hardships, tribulations, and dilemmas faced by African American immigrants in the United States. Alice Walker’s short story collections explore the theme of violence, particularly as it relates to women of color during the era of chattel slavery in the United States. Women of colour have historically been subjected to violence by both white and black men. While violence against black women is dehumanising, their resistance offers the possibility of a new identity.  Walker exposes the traumatic lives of black women resisting oppression and violence in her short story collections in various forms, such as physical, mental, self-inflicted, and societal violence.

Keywords: Violence, Oppression, Resistance, Resilience, Mammies, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment.

Alice Walker is a versatile and globally recognised American author, best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple (1982). She is regarded as a radical feminist writer and is known for formulating Womanism, also known as Black Feminism. Walker believed that the feminist movement was primarily owned by white women, leaving little room for women of colour, as white feminists often failed to acknowledge or relate to the experiences of Black women. Along with other Black feminist critics, she helped develop a feminist theory that includes the issues and problems of women of colour. For Black feminists, race and class are as vital as gender is for white feminists. Racial and gender discrimination have equally contributed to the dehumanisation of women of colour, prompting efforts to dismantle racist structures. 

A recurring theme in Alice Walker’s short story collection In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black Women(1973) is the testament of the exercise of verbal and physical violence against women of colour in the public and domestic spheres. She lays bare the truth of crafting an image of a Black woman as subhuman, unworthy of empathy, asexual, servile, angry, and bestial. Despite being labelled as inhuman, these women persist in asserting their voices and expressing pride in their cultural heritage. Walker’s narratives demonstrate the hardships, tribulations, and dilemmas faced by African American immigrants in the United States. Through these experiences, Walker’s Black female characters endure racism and ultimately gain the strength to challenge and dismantle oppressive patriarchal structures within American society.

Alice Walker’s short story collections explore the theme of violence, particularly as it relates to women of colour during the era of chattel slavery in the United States. Enslaved women were often subjected to dehumanising stereotypes, being labelled as breeders, mammies, jezebels, hoochie mamas, and sapphires. In her stories, Walker delineates these negative perceptions. Representations of Black women in art, literature, and popular culture have frequently depicted them as strong, masculine, bulky, boisterous, and angry, which has contributed to the notion that they could endure or were susceptible to violence. In the story ‘Everyday Use,’ a mother describes herself as,

“a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands……. I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man. My fat keeps me hot in zero weather. I can work outside all day, breaking ice to get water for washing; I can eat pork liver cooked over the open fire minutes after it comes steaming from the hog. One winter I knocked a bull calf straight in the brain between the eyes with a sledgehammer and had the meat hung up to chill before nightfall.” (Walker 46)

A prominent example of colonial and racial exploitation in European history is the case of Sarah Baartman, who was paraded and exhibited half-naked in street shows in London and Paris around 1811. Crowds were invited to observe her body, described as large, uncommon, and erotic, and she was labelled the ‘Hottentot Venus’. After her death, her body parts were preserved in jars and displayed in a museum. This violence was perpetuated by the dissemination of negative images of black women. Baartman’s narrative documents abuse, violence, sexual harassment, and rape. The construction of a false narrative about women of colour was intended to coerce them into inhumane and degrading conditions, thereby normalising violence against them and discouraging resistance. Women of colour have historically been subjected to violence by both white and black men. While violence against black women is dehumanising, their resistance offers the possibility of a new identity. In “Her Sweet Gerome”, the black female protagonist is described as a “big awkward woman, with big bones and hard rubbery flesh” (Walker 26) and endures domestic violence. Her husband physically abuses her and fails to recognise her as an equal partner. She gives him all her money and attempts to conceal the visible marks of abuse with makeup. She married him for his perceived gentlemanly behaviour towards other women and initially felt proud to be his wife, but his actions ultimately contradict this image. Although he is a civil rights activist, he beats her “black and blue” (Walker 27), yet the community continues to regard him as a gentleman.

Walker exposes the harshness of black men even as they fight for their own rights, highlighting the violation of the protagonist’s rights. He never treats her as a wife; when she seeks affection, he responds with violence. He also inherits her father’s money. Despite enduring his violent and abusive behaviour and spending all her resources, she becomes distraught upon discovering his affairs with other women. In her search for the truth, she realises his obsession with the Civil Rights Movement and the black revolution. In a moment of heartbreak, she destroys his books with a knife and sets fire to the bedroom. “Overwhelming with pain,” she hides her face behind her slightly burned hands and “screamed and screamed” (Walker 34).

“The Child Who Favored Daughter” depicts the severe abuse, crime, and violence experienced by women of colour at the hands of both white masters and black men. The narrative centres on the suffering of three women. The story begins with a black man described as “father, judge and giver of life” (Walker 35) who has a daughter named Daughter. In his youth, his sister, also named Daughter, fell in love with his white master, who treated them inhumanely. She is described as “like honey, tawny, wild and sweet,” and her brother cared for her deeply. Despite his pleas, she left with the white man. She later returned, accompanied by another woman’s husband, appearing hysterical and profoundly changed. She had lost her long hair, “her teeth wobbled in her gums when she ate,” and no longer recognised anyone. She sang continuously and was “tied on the bed as she was at the mercy of everyone.” To keep her silent at night, her father beat her with a belt. Eventually, she was found dead on the compound spikes.

The narrative describes a man who, overwhelmed by his emotions, violently abuses his wife, ultimately causing her death and leaving behind a daughter. This daughter, depicted metaphorically as a flower, mirrors her mother’s fate by falling in love with a white man. Upon discovering this, the father subjects her to prolonged physical abuse, as described: “he beats her for a long time with a harness from the stable, and where the buckles hit, there is a welling of blood that comes to be level with the tawny skin, the spill over and falls” (Walker 43). The violence continues the following morning, culminating in further brutality: “he sees her blouse, wet and slippery from the rain, has slipped completely off her shoulders and her high young breast is bare.” In a frenzied state, he “gathers their fullness in his fingers……. he is suddenly burning with unnamable desire……draws the girl away from him pulling off his own arm and with quick slashes of his knife leaves two bleeding craters the size of grapefruits on her bare bronze chest and flings……to the yelping dogs” (Walker 43). Walker poignantly narrates the girl’s traumatic experience, drawing a comparison to flowers and emphasizing her defiance: “flowers pledge no allegiance to the banners of any man” (Walker 44). The story explores the pervasive violence faced by women of colour, particularly within familial and romantic relationships. Walker’s narratives detail the profound suffering of black women as they navigate relationships with fathers, brothers, husbands, and lovers, striving to survive and find meaning within oppressive circumstances.

“The Welcome Table” exposes the racist and violent actions of white individuals toward a poor, elderly Black woman in the American South. The protagonist attempts to pray at a church, but, due to her age and mental state, she does not realise it is a church designated exclusively for white congregants. Convinced that her devotion to Jesus Christ will protect her, she enters, only to be forcibly removed by members of the congregation. She experiences humiliation and injury and is found dead beside the road the following day. The narrative highlights her deprivation of human rights and the community’s indifference to her suffering and the injustice she endures. Similarly, “Flowers” depicts the realities of violence, lynching, and segregation during the Civil Rights Movement. White individuals would often fabricate accusations of rape against Black men to justify lynching, which served as a tool to degrade and dehumanise Black communities. The story follows Myop, a young girl who discovers the body of a lynched Black man, leading to her loss of innocence as she confronts the brutal realities of racial violence. Her stories are poignant and address themes of physical violence, beatings, fear, threats, the threat of rape, lynching, and death.

The story “The Revenge of Hannah Kemmhuff” explores the theme of physical violence. Here, the protagonist, Hannah, is physically abused by her husband, leading to a dramatic and violent confrontation. “Really, Doesn’t Crime Pay?” is another powerful story in Walker’s collection that deals with emotional abuse. The protagonist, Roselily, is trapped in an oppressive marriage with a man who emotionally manipulates and controls her, while another man in her life destroys her creativity by stealing her manuscript of stories. Stories like “Roselily”, “Everyday Use”, “The Welcome Table”, “Strong Horse Tea”, and “The Diary of an African Nun” demonstrate the societal violence, through systemic racism and sexism, confronted by women of colour, making them prone to violence and oppression. Stories like “Entertaining God’ and “We Drank Wine in France” reveal the theme of self-inflicted violence. Walker’s female characters struggle with internalised oppression, leading to self-destructive behaviours.Walker’s stories expose dark realities of the experiences of women of colour, filled with violence and subordination. Her stories attest to the resistance and resilience of women of colour.

Reference:

  1. Allaham, Ali Ahmad. “The Short Story As a Form of Resistance :A Study of the Short Stories of Ghassan Kanafani, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, and Alice Walker.” 2009,  https://core.ac.uk/download/153778714.pdf.
  2. Bagabas, Riham. “Analyzing “The Welcome Table” by Alice Walker from a WomanistPerspective.” 2022.Christian, Barbara. “The Contrary Women of Alice Walker.” The Black Scholar, 1981, pp. 21–71, doi:117.240.50.232. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
  3. Collins, Patricia Hill. “What’s in a Name? Womanism, Black Feminism and Beyond.” The Black Scholar, vol. 26, no. 1, 2001, pp. 9–26.
  4. Harris, Trudier. “Folklore in the Fiction of Alice Walker: A Perpetuation of Historical and Literary Traditions.” Black American Literature Forum, vol. 11, no. 1, 1977, pp. 3–8. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3041531. Accessed 13 Mar. 2024.
  5. Harrison, Jade M. “The Core Four: An Examination of Contemporary Black Women\U27s Writing in  The Norton Anthology of African American Literature.” 2019,  https://core.ac.uk/download/635587962.pdf.
  6. Hubbard, Dolan. “Society and Self in Alice Walker’s ‘In Love and Trouble.’” Obsidian II, vol. 6, no. 2, Summer 1991, pp. 50–75. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44485248. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
  7. Mickelson, Anne Z. Reaching Out: Sensitivity and Order in Recent American Fiction by Women. Scarecrow Press, 1979.
  8. Morrison, Toni. Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. Harvard University Press, 1992.
  9. Murugan, Seema. The Fiction of Alice Walker: A Study of Black Images. Authors Press, 2008.
  10. Petry, Alice Hall. “Alice Walker: The Achievement of the Short Fiction.” Modern Language Studies, vol. 19, no. 1, Winter 1989, pp. 12–27. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3195263. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
  11. Ross, Sinclair. “Racism.” Oxford Reference, Oxford University Press, http://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20111012125231893. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
  12. Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. 10th ed., Phoenix, 1982.
  13. The Complete Stories. 1994. Phoenix, 2005.
  14.  In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983.
  15. Weida, Kaz. “Womanism.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Dec. 2023, http://www.britannica.com/topic/womanism.
  16. Winchell, Donna Haisty. Alice Walker. Twayne Publishers, 1992.

Accessed January 6, 2025.

Indian Women’s Historical Role in 21st Century

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Prof. Dr. Yogesh Jagannath Korde (Associate Professor, Dept.of History)

Uttamrao Patil Arts and Science College, Dahiwel, Tal. Sakri, Dist. Dhule.

Email: kordeyj10@gmail.com Mob. 7588735543 / 9423906366

Introduction:

In Indian culture, women have been considered symbols of respect, honor, and maternal power. From the Vedic period to the modern era, women have been given an important place in the formation of family, society, and culture. However, looking at the actual socio-political reality, women have often been given a secondary position. Although women are respected in the religious and cultural spheres, their participation in the social, economic, and especially political spheres has remained limited, which is a significant contradiction facing Indian democracy.

The contribution of women to the Indian freedom struggle is invaluable and inspiring. Many women like Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, Kasturba Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Annie Besant, and Vijayalakshmi Pandit actively participated in the freedom movement. They not only participated in movements and satyagrahas but also played a crucial role in the dissemination of national ideology, organization building, and leadership. However, in the post-independence period, especially in parliamentary politics, the representation of women has not increased as expected. A review of Indian politics over the approximately seven decades since independence shows that political power and decision-making processes are still primarily male-dominated. With a few notable exceptions, most women leaders in politics are connected to a family political background. Many women have risen to prominence due to the political legacy of their fathers, husbands, or other influential male leaders in their families. This raises questions about the independent leadership capabilities of women.

 Although reservations have been provided for women in local self-governing bodies, in practice, concepts like ‘Sarpanch’s husband’ and ‘Councillor’s husband’ are prevalent in many places. This makes women’s political participation merely formal, and men continue to dominate the actual decision-making process. This situation is alarming from the perspective of gender equality in Indian democracy. Men and women are considered two equal wheels of the chariot of society. To achieve the all-round development of the nation, it is essential to provide equal opportunities, equal rights, and equal responsibilities to both these components. However, even today, women do not receive political representation proportionate to their population. Therefore, the subject of ‘women and politics’ becomes a crucial research topic, not only socially but also politically, constitutionally, and in relation to democratic values. Against this backdrop, this research attempts to study the position, participation, contribution, and current status of women in Indian politics. The main objective of this study is to underscore the importance of women’s political participation in making Indian democracy more inclusive, egalitarian, and robust.

Research Goal:

The main objective of this research is to conduct an in-depth and critical study of the status, participation, leadership opportunities, and role of women in the decision-making process within Indian politics.  By analyzing the contributions of Indian women to the political field since independence, the opportunities they have received, and the patriarchal mindset that still exists, this research aims to clarify the current state of women’s political empowerment.

Research Objectives:

1) To review the historical contributions of women in Indian politics and analyze their participation from the freedom movement to the present day.

2) To study the representation of women in Parliament, state legislatures, the cabinet, and top constitutional positions (President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister, etc.).

3) To examine the influence of family political legacy and patriarchal power structures on women’s entry into and progress in politics.

4) To review the work and leadership qualities of prominent women political leaders in Maharashtra and India.

Research Methodology:

Historical Method: The historical method has been used to trace the journey, contributions, and changing roles of women in Indian politics from the pre-independence era to the present day.

Data Collection Tools:

For this research, data has been collected based on primary and secondary sources. Primary sources: Constitutional provisions, parliamentary proceedings, and government reports. Secondary sources: Books on political science and sociology, research papers, journals and magazines, newspapers, articles, and reliable websites.

Importance of the Subject:

Equal participation of men and women is crucial for the robustness of the Indian democratic system.  Despite women constituting nearly half of the Indian population, their participation in the political decision-making process is disproportionately low. Therefore, the subject of “Women and Politics” is not merely limited to academic study but is of paramount importance from the perspective of social, political, and democratic values. Men and women are the two inseparable wheels of the chariot of society, and if one wheel is neglected, the nation’s journey becomes unbalanced. Increased active participation of women in politics can lead to greater sensitivity in policy-making, giving more priority to social justice, education, health, women and child welfare, environment, and grassroots issues. This helps in making democracy more inclusive, representative, and effective.  The contributions of women in the freedom struggle, as well as the leadership demonstrated by women like Indira Gandhi, Pratibha Patil, Jayalalithaa, Mamata Banerjee, and Mayawati in high positions after independence, clearly show that women’s capabilities are in no way inferior to those of men. Yet, the fact that women are still given a secondary role in Indian politics is a matter of concern. Studying this inconsistency and investigating the underlying social, cultural, and political reasons is essential. Although the reservation system in local self-governing bodies has increased women’s participation, in many places, the indirect dominance of men in actual power is still evident. Therefore, this research underscores the need for not just quantitative representation, but also meaningful and independent political empowerment of women. The main objective of this research is to present the current situation of women in Indian politics from a realistic perspective, to highlight the inequalities based on data, and to stimulate positive policy discussions for increasing women’s political participation in the future.  Therefore, this research proves useful in creating social awareness and encouraging policymakers, scholars, and political parties to introspect.

Overall, women’s participation in politics is not merely a matter of women’s rights, but a fundamental basis for the quality of democracy, national progress, and social balance. Hence, the topic of women and politics is of paramount importance and remains highly relevant and necessary in the context of contemporary Indian society.

Despite women’s valuable contributions at the political, social, and national levels from the freedom movement to modern times, their participation in decision-making processes appears to be limited. The reality that women’s representation is extremely low at all levels of the highest positions in Indian democracy—President, Prime Minister, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Chief Minister—cannot be denied. With a few notable exceptions, it is observed that the majority of women leaders have emerged based on their family’s political background. This highlights the patriarchal mindset and structural obstacles in Indian politics.

Although reservations have been provided for women in local self-governing bodies, in reality, women’s representation remains formal in many places, and their independent participation in decision-making is limited. Social customs, lack of education, economic dependence, and lack of political training are important reasons behind this.

However, women leaders like Indira Gandhi, Pratibha Patil, Jayalalithaa, Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati, Nirmala Sitharaman, and Sushma Swaraj have proven through their efficiency, leadership qualities, and decisive roles that Indian women can capably handle the highest responsibilities. Their work has helped dispel misconceptions about women’s leadership abilities. Overall, this research clearly shows that despite women’s undeniable contribution to Indian politics, they do not receive representation proportionate to their population. If we want to improve the quality of democracy and achieve the all-round development of the nation, it is essential to give women equal participation in the decision-making process, rather than limiting them merely to reservations. Providing women with political education, leadership training, and independent opportunities will make Indian politics more balanced, sensitive, and inclusive. Therefore, considering women and men as two equal wheels of the chariot of society, implementing concrete policy measures for the political empowerment of women is the need of the hour. Only then will it be possible to build a truly egalitarian and robust democracy.

References:

1) Diwan, Mohan; Devdhar, Jayant; Diwani, Vivek (2004), Politics of States in India.

Nagpur: Vidya Prakashan,

2) Government of Maharashtra (2017), Maharashtra Yearbook. Produced by Directorate General of Information and Public Relations, Mumbai–32,

3) Palshikar, Suhas; Birmal, Nitin, Politics of Maharashtra: Local Context. Pune: Pratima Prakashan,

4) Shinde, Sahadev; Chogule, Sahadev Patheya (Part–3). Kolhapur: Diksha Publication,

5) Mehendale, Vishwas, Yashwantrao Chavan to Prithviraj Chavan. Anubandh Prakashan,

6) Patil, Amritrao, Khandesh Lok Sabha. Jalgaon: Prashant Publication,

7) Women and Political Issues Jaipur: ABD Publication,