Srishti Gupta

Anuradha Ghandy, a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary, spent her life actively working in remote areas of central India for the emancipation of the masses, especially women, from what she called the semi-feudal, semi-colonial Indian state. Her book is one of the most comprehensive texts available on the history of the feminist movement as explored through its thematic variations. She succeeds in succinctly describing several of the philosophical strands that have appeared over the different 'waves' of feminism by discussing each in terms of its epochal relevance, merits and contribution to feminist thought and action, along with an in-depth critique. At times, the book reads like her personal notes to herself, yet still feels appropriately educative in its didacticism with a remarkably pragmatic analysis.