Today women occupy high positions in the life of our country. They Play a key role in the development of the country. India, the largest democracy of the world, takes pride in having produced a woman Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi.
Even the biggest state of U.P. has the distinction of having been ruled by eminent ladies like Sucheta Kriplani And Mayawati. Besides this, the country has her women governors, ambassador Cabinet Ministers, scientists, and engineers, police officers, magistrates and judges.
Educated girls are taking to the professions of doctors, teachers and lawyers. Their participation in the political, economic, social and cultural life of India can in no case be underestimated.
Women enjoyed a respectable position even in ancient India. We hear of women sages and women scholars in the Vedic period. It was believed that there live God where women are respected. No ritual was considered complete without the participation of women.
With the coming of invaders in India, they completely lost their glory. They became totally dependent on menfolk. Evil practices came to rule over them in the name of custom notable among these evil practices were, Sati, Child-marriage and permanent ban on the marriage of widows.
The birth of a daughter in the family was considered a curse to the family. Women were reduced to mere household drudges and viewed as child-producing machines.
Times changed and women came
After attaining freedom in 1947, women of India started capturing their dignity and respect. The Indian Constitution has granted full equality to women. They enjoy equal rights today. They share all privileges equally with men.
The society has accepted the new concept of womanhood. A number of women have come to occupy high positions in the country Mrs Vijay Laxmi Pandit was our High Commissioner in England for a long time.
Miss Padmaja Naidu had been the Governor of West Bengal for a long time. Even the present Governor of Tamil Nadu happens to be a lady. Today there are a number of lady Ministers and Deputy Ministers. We have women who Complete with men in all India service.
Despite all these achievements, much remains to be said and to be desired. We should not be led to believe that all is well in the country. A vast majority of women living in villages comprise backward and illiterate women. They are still superstitious.
The evil practices of Sati and bride burning have not been wiped out completely. Stray cases of Sati’ and bride-burning do take place in the country. Recent Jaipur Sati’ case and Tandoor-burning’ case of Delhi are still fresh in the memory of the people.
Women are harassed, tortured and gang-raped even these days. Rajasthan has recently experienced cases of gang-rape of women. Women have raised their powerful voice against the atrocities committed on the weaker sex.
Government constituted recently a ‘Women Commission to look into the problems of the women and to suggest remedial measures. This has instilled in women a sense of safety.
The Government has undertaken measures to give women a fair deal. Besides enacting ‘Anti-Dowry Act’ it is doing its best to create a social atmosphere against the dowry system.
Since the beneficiaries of the measures undertaken to better a lot of the Indian women have gone to the rich ladies belonging to the urban areas, the government is now trying to spread education in the rural areas and to create an awareness among the rural women.
Thus we see that women are taking their rightful place in different fields of life. They are bringing honour and glory to India by serving the c
Besides managing their household job efficiently, They a
