Neera Desai - Revision history

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	\| caption = Neera Desai		\| caption = Neera Desai
	\| birth_name =		\| birth_name =
	\| birth_date = {{Birth ~~year~~\|1925}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date text\|1925}}
	\| birth_place =		\| birth_place =
	\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|df=yes\|2009\|06\|25\|1925\|01\|01}}		\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|df=yes\|2009\|06\|25\|1925\|01\|01}}
	\| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]		\| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
	~~\| nationality = [[India]]~~
	\| other_names =		\| other_names =
	\| occupation = Academic		\| occupation = Academic
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	\| thesis_url= http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/58547}}		\| thesis_url= http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/58547}}
	}}		}}
	'''Neera Desai''' (1925 — 25 June 2009) was one of the leaders of [[Women's Studies]] in [[India]] and was noted for her contributions as a professor, researcher, academician, political activist, and social worker.<ref name=IAWS1>{{cite web\|title=Neera Desai (1925 – 2009)\|url=http://www.iaws.org/neera-desai-1925-2009/\|publisher=Indian Association for Women's Studies \| accessdate=15 November 2018}}</ref> She founded the first of its kind Research Centre for ~~Women’s~~ Studies and the Centre for Rural Development in 1974. She joined the [[SNDT Women's University]] in 1954 and was a part of various governing bodies as a professor and the Head of Department of Sociology (post-graduate).<ref>{{cite journal\|title=Neera Desai (1925-2009): Pioneer of Women's Studies in India\|journal=Economic and Political Weekly\|date=5 June 2015\|volume=50\|issue=23\|url=http://www.epw.in/journal/2009/28/commentary/neera-desai-1925-2009-pioneer-womens-studies-india.html}}</ref>		'''Neera Desai''' (1925 — 25 June 2009) was one of the leaders of [[Women's Studies]] in [[India]] and was noted for her contributions as a professor, researcher, academician, political activist, and social worker.<ref name=IAWS1>{{cite web\|title=Neera Desai (1925 – 2009)\|url=http://www.iaws.org/neera-desai-1925-2009/\|publisher=Indian Association for Women's Studies \| accessdate=15 November 2018}}</ref> She founded the first of its kind Research Centre for Women's Studies and the Centre for Rural Development in 1974. She joined the [[SNDT Women's University]] in 1954 and was a part of various governing bodies as a professor and the Head of Department of Sociology (post-graduate).<ref>{{cite journal\|title=Neera Desai (1925-2009): Pioneer of Women's Studies in India\|journal=Economic and Political Weekly\|date=5 June 2015\|volume=50\|issue=23\|url=http://www.epw.in/journal/2009/28/commentary/neera-desai-1925-2009-pioneer-womens-studies-india.html}}</ref>

	==Early life==		==Early life and education==
	Desai was born in 1925 to a Gujarati family that was involved in and supported the [[Indian Independence Movement]].{{Citation needed\|date=July 2020}} Desai herself joined the freedom movement at an early age as a schoolgirl when she became a part of the Vanar Sena (Monkey Brigade), founded by [[Indira Gandhi]] which helped the underground circulation of political messages and banned publications.<ref>{{cite ~~web~~\|title=Indira Gandhi: Biography, Family, Early days in Politics, Criticisms & Awards\|url=http://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/government-politics/indira-gandhi.html\|~~website~~=~~www.mapsofindia.com~~}}</ref> Neera did her primary education at the Fellowship School, a co-educational institution which was founded on Theosophist ideology. She joined [[Elphinstone College]] in 1942, but soon gave up formal education to take part in the freedom movement after [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s initiation of the [[Quit India Resolution]]. Neera married [[Akshay Ramanlal Desai]], a fellow sociologist, in 1947.<ref name="Foremothers">{{cite journal\|last1=Forbes\|first1=Geraldine\|last2=Thakkar\|first2=Usha\|title=Foremothers: Neera Desai (b. 1925)\|journal=Gender & History\|date=1 August 2005\|volume=17\|issue=2\|pages=492–501\|doi=10.1111/j.0953-5233.2006.00390.x\|language=en\|issn=1468-0424}}</ref> Eventually completing her studies, Desai concluded her postgraduate studies shortly post Indian independence. Her M.A. thesis focused on Women in Modern India (analysis of women in the Bhakti Movement), which was later published in 1957.<ref>{{cite web\|title=Indian Association for Women's Studies (IAWS) • Special Issue • December 2009, Volume II, No.5~~}}</ref>~~		Desai was born in 1925 to a [[Gujarati people\|Gujarati]] family that was involved in and supported the [[Indian Independence Movement]].{{Citation needed\|date=July 2020}} Desai herself joined the freedom movement at an early age as a schoolgirl when she became a part of the Vanar Sena (Monkey Brigade), founded by [[Indira Gandhi]] which helped the underground circulation of political messages and banned publications.<ref>{{cite news\|title=Indira Gandhi: Biography, Family, Early days in Politics, Criticisms & Awards\|url=http://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/government-politics/indira-gandhi.html\|newspaper=Who-Is-Who\|date=3 February 2018 }}</ref> Neera did her primary education at the Fellowship School, a co-educational institution which was founded on Theosophist ideology. She joined [[Elphinstone College]] in 1942, but soon gave up formal education to take part in the freedom movement after [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s initiation of the [[Quit India Resolution]]. Neera married [[Akshay Ramanlal Desai]], a fellow sociologist, in 1947.<ref name="Foremothers">{{cite journal\|last1=Forbes\|first1=Geraldine\|last2=Thakkar\|first2=Usha\|title=Foremothers: Neera Desai (b. 1925)\|journal=Gender & History\|date=1 August 2005\|volume=17\|issue=2\|pages=492–501\|doi=10.1111/j.0953-5233.2006.00390.x\|s2cid=145019470 \|language=en\|issn=1468-0424}}</ref> Eventually completing her studies, Desai concluded her postgraduate studies shortly post Indian independence. Her M.A. thesis focused on Women in Modern India (analysis of women in the Bhakti Movement), which was later published in 1957.<ref>{{cite web\|title=Indian Association for Women's Studies (IAWS) • Special Issue • December 2009, Volume II, No.5}}</ref>

	Desai died on 25 June 2009 in Mumbai.<ref name="Patel2009">{{cite journal\|last=Patel\|first=Vibhuti\|title=Neera Desai (1925-2009): Pioneer of Women's Studies in India\|journal=Economic and Political Weekly\|volume=44\|issue=28\|date=11 July 2009\|url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2009/28/commentary/neera-desai-1925-2009-pioneer-womens-studies-india.html\|page=11\|eissn=2349-8846\|issn=0012-9976 }}{{Subscription required}}</ref>

	==Professional timeline==		==Professional timeline==
	~~Desai’s~~ professional works focused on improving gender studies, bringing in practical experience into academic life through many policy recommendations, harboring and propagating an understanding the links of the civil society and educational curriculum. Listed below is short and by no way complete timeline of some of the positions she held during her career.<ref name=IAWS1 />		Desai's professional works focused on improving [[gender studies]], bringing in practical experience into academic life through many policy recommendations, harboring and propagating an understanding the links of the civil society and educational curriculum. Listed below is short and by no way complete timeline of some of the positions she held during her career.<ref name=IAWS1 />
	* 1954 - Joined SNDT		* 1954 – Joined SNDT
	* 1965 - Completed her PhD in Sociology		* 1965 – Completed her PhD in Sociology
	* 1972 - Appointed as a member of the Social Task Force of the Committee on the Status of Women in India		* 1972 – Appointed as a member of the Social Task Force of the Committee on the Status of Women in India
	* 1975 - Founded the Research Unit for ~~Women’s~~ Studies		* 1975 – Founded the Research Unit for Women's Studies
	* 1982 - Was one of the founding members of Indian Association for ~~Women’s~~ Studies (IAWS)		* 1982 – Was one of the founding members of Indian Association for Women's Studies (IAWS)
	* 1987 - Became a member of the National Commission on Self Employed Women and Women in the Informal Sector		* 1987 – Became a member of the National Commission on Self Employed Women and Women in the Informal Sector
	* 1988 - Became one of the founding members of SPARROW (Sound and Picture Archives for Research on Women)		* 1988 – Became one of the founding members of SPARROW (Sound and Picture Archives for Research on Women)

	==Notable works==		==Notable works==
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	* Neera Desai, ''Woman in Modern India'' (1957; repr. Bombay: Vora & Co, 1977)		* Neera Desai, ''Woman in Modern India'' (1957; repr. Bombay: Vora & Co, 1977)
	* Neera Desai, ''The Making of a Feminist'', Indian Journal of Gender Studies 2 (1995)		* Neera Desai, ''The Making of a Feminist'', Indian Journal of Gender Studies 2 (1995)
	* Neera Desai, ''Traversing through Gendered Spaces: Insights from ~~Women’s~~ Narratives'', in Sujata Patel and Krishna Raj (eds), Thinking Social Science in India: Essays in Honour of Alice Thorner (New Delhi: Sage, 2002). Another version was published in Gujarati in 1997.		* Neera Desai, ''Traversing through Gendered Spaces: Insights from Women's Narratives'', in Sujata Patel and Krishna Raj (eds), Thinking Social Science in India: Essays in Honour of Alice Thorner (New Delhi: Sage, 2002). Another version was published in Gujarati in 1997.
	* N. Desai and S. Gogate, ‘''Teaching of Sociology through the Regional Language''’		* N. Desai and S. Gogate, '''Teaching of Sociology through the Regional Language'''
	* Neera Desai, ''Women and the Bhakti Movement'', in Kumkum Sangari and Sudesh Vaid (eds), Women and Culture (Bombay: Research Centre for ~~Women’s~~ Studies, SNDT ~~Women’s~~ University, 1994).		* Neera Desai, ''Women and the Bhakti Movement'', in Kumkum Sangari and Sudesh Vaid (eds), Women and Culture (Bombay: Research Centre for Women's Studies, SNDT Women's University, 1994).

			== Death ==
			Desai died on 25 June 2009 in [[Mumbai]].<ref name="Patel2009">{{cite journal \|last=Patel \|first=Vibhuti \|date=11 July 2009 \|title=Neera Desai (1925-2009): Pioneer of Women's Studies in India \|url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2009/28/commentary/neera-desai-1925-2009-pioneer-womens-studies-india.html \|journal=Economic and Political Weekly \|volume=44 \|issue=28 \|page=11 \|issn=0012-9976 \|eissn=2349-8846}}{{Subscription required}}</ref>

	==References==		==References==
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	[[Category:Indian women sociologists]]		[[Category:Indian women sociologists]]
	[[Category:Educators from Maharashtra]]		[[Category:Educators from Maharashtra]]
	[[Category:Women educators from Maharashtra]]		[[Category:Women educators from Maharashtra]]
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Neera Desai
| image = Neera Desai photograph.jpg
| alt = Indian woman
| caption = Neera Desai
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1925}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2009|06|25|1925|01|01}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
| nationality = [[India]]
| other_names =
| occupation = Academic
| years_active =
| known_for = Women's Studies frontrunner, <br/>academician, social activist.
| notable_works =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Akshay Ramanlal Desai]]|1947}}
| children = [[Mihir Desai]]
| module={{Infobox academic
| child = yes
| doctoral_advisor = I. P. Desai
| thesis_title=Gujarati Society in Nineteenth Century: an Analysis of Social Change
| thesis_year=1965
| thesis_url= http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/58547}}
}}
'''Neera Desai''' (1925 — 25 June 2009) was one of the leaders of [[Women's Studies]] in [[India]] and was noted for her contributions as a professor, researcher, academician, political activist, and social worker.<ref name=IAWS1>{{cite web|title=Neera Desai (1925 – 2009)|url=http://www.iaws.org/neera-desai-1925-2009/|publisher=Indian Association for Women's Studies | accessdate=15 November 2018}}</ref> She founded the first of its kind Research Centre for Women’s Studies and the Centre for Rural Development in 1974. She joined the [[SNDT Women's University]] in 1954 and was a part of various governing bodies as a professor and the Head of Department of Sociology (post-graduate).<ref>{{cite journal|title=Neera Desai (1925-2009): Pioneer of Women's Studies in India|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|date=5 June 2015|volume=50|issue=23|url=http://www.epw.in/journal/2009/28/commentary/neera-desai-1925-2009-pioneer-womens-studies-india.html}}</ref>

==Early life==
Desai was born in 1925 to a Gujarati family that was involved in and supported the [[Indian Independence Movement]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2020}} Desai herself joined the freedom movement at an early age as a schoolgirl when she became a part of the Vanar Sena (Monkey Brigade), founded by [[Indira Gandhi]] which helped the underground circulation of political messages and banned publications.<ref>{{cite web|title=Indira Gandhi: Biography, Family, Early days in Politics, Criticisms & Awards|url=http://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/government-politics/indira-gandhi.html|website=www.mapsofindia.com}}</ref> Neera did her primary education at the Fellowship School, a co-educational institution which was founded on Theosophist ideology. She joined [[Elphinstone College]] in 1942, but soon gave up formal education to take part in the freedom movement after [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s initiation of the [[Quit India Resolution]]. Neera married [[Akshay Ramanlal Desai]], a fellow sociologist, in 1947.<ref name="Foremothers">{{cite journal|last1=Forbes|first1=Geraldine|last2=Thakkar|first2=Usha|title=Foremothers: Neera Desai (b. 1925)|journal=Gender & History|date=1 August 2005|volume=17|issue=2|pages=492–501|doi=10.1111/j.0953-5233.2006.00390.x|language=en|issn=1468-0424}}</ref> Eventually completing her studies, Desai concluded her postgraduate studies shortly post Indian independence. Her M.A. thesis focused on Women in Modern India (analysis of women in the Bhakti Movement), which was later published in 1957.<ref>{{cite web|title=Indian Association for Women's Studies (IAWS) • Special Issue • December 2009, Volume II, No.5}}</ref>

Desai died on 25 June 2009 in Mumbai.<ref name="Patel2009">{{cite journal|last=Patel|first=Vibhuti|title=Neera Desai (1925-2009): Pioneer of Women's Studies in India|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=44|issue=28|date=11 July 2009|url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2009/28/commentary/neera-desai-1925-2009-pioneer-womens-studies-india.html|page=11|eissn=2349-8846|issn=0012-9976 }}{{Subscription required}}</ref>

==Professional timeline==
Desai’s professional works focused on improving gender studies, bringing in practical experience into academic life through many policy recommendations, harboring and propagating an understanding the links of the civil society and educational curriculum. Listed below is short and by no way complete timeline of some of the positions she held during her career.<ref name=IAWS1 />
* 1954 - Joined SNDT
* 1965 - Completed her PhD in Sociology
* 1972 - Appointed as a member of the Social Task Force of the Committee on the Status of Women in India
* 1975 - Founded the Research Unit for Women’s Studies
* 1982 - Was one of the founding members of Indian Association for Women’s Studies (IAWS)
* 1987 - Became a member of the National Commission on Self Employed Women and Women in the Informal Sector
* 1988 - Became one of the founding members of SPARROW (Sound and Picture Archives for Research on Women)

==Notable works==
Desai has written in both English and Gujarati at the intersection of [[sociology]], [[history]], and [[women's studies]].<ref name = "Foremothers"/> Her books include:
* Neera Desai, ''Woman in Modern India'' (1957; repr. Bombay: Vora & Co, 1977)
* Neera Desai, ''The Making of a Feminist'', Indian Journal of Gender Studies 2 (1995)
* Neera Desai, ''Traversing through Gendered Spaces: Insights from Women’s Narratives'', in Sujata Patel and Krishna Raj (eds), Thinking Social Science in India: Essays in Honour of Alice Thorner (New Delhi: Sage, 2002). Another version was published in Gujarati in 1997.
* N. Desai and S. Gogate, ‘''Teaching of Sociology through the Regional Language''’
* Neera Desai, ''Women and the Bhakti Movement'', in Kumkum Sangari and Sudesh Vaid (eds), Women and Culture (Bombay: Research Centre for Women’s Studies, SNDT Women’s University, 1994).

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai, Neera}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian feminist writers]]
[[Category:Indian feminists]]
[[Category:Indian sociologists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Women writers from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:Indian women educational theorists]]
[[Category:Indian women sociologists]]
[[Category:Educators from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Women educators from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:20th-century women educators]]