writing_womans_lives_symposium_paper_book_v2

justifying her decision to defy these so called norms. Rebellion at times becomes unavoidable for
attaining authentic existence in society. Narendra Mohan calls it “an endeavor to add meaning to
human existence by way of strengthening the concept of social justice, equality and liberty.” 12
Padma Sachdeva’s autobiography looks at the larger questions regarding women’s emancipation
through education and rebellion for self‐determination. Economics changes the dynamics of family
and her subjective experiences brings to light to certain issues like status of women, violence and
discrimination against women traditional exploitation and predominance of male chauvinism in all
spheres of life which can be changed only with economic empowerment. The critique of the text
from literary as well as economic perspective foregrounds the importance of autobiography in the
sphere of the understanding of the economic conditions of women which play an important role in
the articulation of women’s identity. In fact, it goes with the Beijing Declaration and Resolution, and
the Millennium Declaration and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women where women’s empowerment is essential for ensuring not just their personal or
household welfare but also the well‐ being of the community with whom they live. Consequently this
helps the realisation of development goals.
Keywords: Autobiography, Economic independence, Women’s status, Education
Prof. Jasbir Singh
Professor of Economics
University of Jammu, J&K, India
drjbsingh@yahoo.com
Dr. Sandhya Bhardhwaj
Associate Professor of English
Govt. Degree College Parade, Jammu
Authors are thankful to Dr. Anupama Vohra for her comments on earlier version of the paper.
Notes
1
Padma Sachdeva, A Drop in the Ocean: An Autobiography, trans. Uma Vasudev, Jyotsna Singh
(India: National Book Trust, 2011), 49.
2 Ibid., 52.
3 Ibid., 52.
4 Ibid., 56.
5 Ibid., 68.
6 Ibid., 120.
7
Ibid.,104.
8
Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own, (New York: Harcourt Brace & Co., 1984), 4.
9
Padma Sachdeva, A Drop in the Ocean: An Autobiography, trans. Uma Vasudev, Jyotsna Singh
(India : National Book Trust, 2011), 239.
10
Padma Sachdeva, A Drop in the Ocean: An Autobiography, trans. Uma Vasudev, Jyotsna Singh
(India : National Book Trust, 2011), 72.
11
Ibid.,110.
12
Mohan Narendra, “Protest and Literature,” Indian Literature XVIII, 1 (1998): 92.
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