Quiet dissent, loud marches, and digital rebellions—women in India have challenged power in myriad ways. Women’s Empowerment in India: From Rights to Agency (2024, Routledge) charts the compelling journey, spotlighting not only prominent movements but also the everyday acts of resistance that often go unnoticed in popular discourse. The volume is co-authored and co-edited by Anjoo Upadhyaya, Åshild Kolås, and Eileen Connolly. 

From the fiery anti-rape protests of 1970s Mumbai that spurred legal reforms, to Rajasthan’s veiled women stepping out to demand wage transparency through the Right to Information movement, and Orissa’s grassroots campaigns against exploitation in urban slums, the book uncovers struggles as building blocks in the national context. For instance, the Hindu Code Bill campaign remains a pivotal moment, where women’s organisations united to confront entrenched patriarchal family laws. Their relentless advocacy spurred reforms in the 1950s, reshaping norms around marriage, inheritance, and women’s rights. The campaign also cemented the link between grassroots activism and legislative change in post-Independence India.