Feminist icon Kamla Bhasin no more

KATHMANDU, September 25: Feminist activist, author and a stalwart of the women’s rights movement in India, Kamla Bhasin, passed away on Saturday morning.

News of her demise was shared on Twitter by activist Kavita Srivastava earlier today, reported the Indian Express.

“Kamla Bhasin, our dear friend, passed away around 3AM  today. This is a big setback for the women’s movement in India and the South Asian region,” she tweeted. “She celebrated life whatever the adversity. Kamla you will always live in our hearts. In Sisterhood, which is in deep grief.”

Kamla Bhasin, our dear friend, passed away around 3am today 25th Sept. This is a big setback for the women's movement in India and the South Asian region. She celebrated life whatever the adversity. Kamla you will always live in our hearts. In Sisterhood, which is in deep grief pic.twitter.com/aQA6QidVEl

— Kavita Srivastava (@kavisriv) September 25, 2021

Since the 1970s, Bhasin has been a prominent voice in the women’s movement both in India, as well as in other South Asian countries. In 2002, she founded the feminist network ‘Sangat’, which works with underprivileged women from rural and tribal communities, often using non-literary tools such as plays, songs and art.

Bhasin has authored several books on gender theory, feminism and understanding patriarchy, many of which have been translated into more than 30 languages.

The Indian Express