Women who helped draft the Indian Constitution

About Women in Constituent Assembly

The 299-member Assembly had 15 women members, including prominent figures such as Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kripalani and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit.
But it also had lesser-known women from diverse backgrounds who participated in debates on gender, caste and reservations.
Participation of Women in different Committees:
- Hansa Mehta and Amrit Kaur served on the Fundamental Rights and Minorities Sub-Committees.
- Durgabai was on the Steering and Rules Committees.

Name		Notable Contributions
Ammu Swaminathan (Kerala)		● Co-founded the Women’s India Association in 1917 with leaders like Annie Besant. ● Advocated for gender equality through the Hindu Code Bill. ● Fought for the removal of oppressive customs for widows.
Annie Mascarene (Kerala)		● Campaigned for universal adult franchise, especially for marginalized groups. ● Advocated for universal voting rights and political participation despite caste discrimination.
Begum Qudsia Aizaz Rasul (Punjab)		● Opposed separate electorates based on religion, maintaining unity among communities. ● Actively participated in debates about the political future of Muslims in a divided India. ● Helped to promote women’s hockey in India
Dakshayani Velayudhan (Kerala)		● First Dalit woman in the Constituent Assembly and Cochin Legislative Council. ● Also first Dalit woman to graduate in science ● Advocated for Dalit rights and opposed caste-based discrimination.
Renuka Ray (West Bengal)		● Represented women’s issues, particularly divorce and inheritance rights. ● Advocated for women’s equality in public policy and social justice.