Madhu Purnima Kishwar is currently Maulana Azad National Professor, ICSSR.
She is also the founder editor of Manushi- A Journal about Women &Society, which was started in 1978. The Journal endeavored to promote informed activism through research-based writing and critiques on various issues in a manner that integrates women’s rights and concerns in each and every aspect of our national life and has steadfastly avoided the “ladies compartment” approach to women’s issues. The print edition of Manushi gave way to online edition in 2008. In 1993 she also founded Manushi Sangathan—a Forum for Democratic Reforms aimed at making governance more accountable and transparent, especially with regard to the rights of vulnerable groups.
Both Kishwar’s professional academic work at CSDS as well as for MANUSHI are aimed at finding effective solutions for the economic, political and social problems confronting us in India today through patient study, non-partisan approach, live interaction with the concerned people and informed activism. Her aversion towards ‘ism’ and ideologies and authoritarian measures for social and economic reforms are quite well known. For her, truth, non-violence and compassion are the most reliable criteria to judge the worth of any idea or action. Another litmus test she considers important for evaluating the rightness or otherwise of ideas and interventions is whether or not they actually expand the horizons of freedom for the people and give due respect to their notions of good life.
