Jasodhara Bagchi, 77, women’s rights activist, died here on Friday.
She suffered a cardiac arrest and multiple organ failure, her daughter Tista Bagchi told The Hindu .
Ms. Bagchi, who was educated at Presidency University here, Oxford University and Cambridge University, taught English briefly at Lady Brabourne College here. From 1964, she spent a major part of her life teaching English at Jadavpur University and went on to become the founder-Director of the School of Women’s Studies there. Though Ms. Bagchi retired in 1997, she continued to teach at the School of Women’s Studies as an Emeritus Professor till her death.
Ms. Bagchi, known for her Leftist views, had earlier been the Chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Women. She wrote extensively on social and women’s issues and was vocal in supporting women movements. Her husband is the renowned economist Amiya Bagchi.
“Her Indian Women: Myth and Reality (1989) is considered a landmark work on women’s issues. She had edited several volumes on women’s personal histories,” Ms. Tista Bagchi said.
Ms. Bagchi’s recent book, Parijayee Nari O Manabadhikar (Migrating Women and Human Rights), was not allowed to be launched at the Kolkata Book Fair last year. The authorities said the book was “controversial,” but did not spell out what was controversial, Ms. Tista Bagchi said. It was later released at a small event.
More recently, she spoke out in support of students and against Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Abhijit Chakrabarti for calling the police to break up an agitation on the campus last September. She was part of the five-member team of emeritus professors that met West Bengal Governor and University Chancellor Keshari Nath Tripathi and demanded that a more “able” Vice-Chancellor be appointed.
