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Historical narratives usually show men as the architects of the Constitution, despite the fact that the Constituent Assembly included 15 women from diverse backgrounds.  

Women Played Significant Role In Shaping The Constitution

The 299-member Constituent Assembly had a 15 women from various backgrounds who had faced patriarchy, caste oppression, child marriage, and  widowhood. 

Their experiences shaped their discussions, arguments, and positions on issues such as reservations, minority rights, and legislative finances. During the debate over the Hindu Code Bill, members such as Durgabai Deshmukh and Hansa Kumari argued strongly for a Uniform Civil Code, which they believed would ensure greater equality for women.

Dakshayani Velayudhan and Begum Aziaz Rasul opposed reservations and separate electorates for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. They believed that reservations would only widen the unbridgeable divide between minorities and the majority.

They prioritized economic, social, and political equality for all members of society. Despite receiving derogatory remarks from several Constituency Assembly members, these women spoke out and played an important role in shaping India's sovereign and secular republic.

Annie Mascarene

She expressed that centralization of power was necessary for a democracy to function properly, however, she also warned that excessive centralisation could harm democratic institutions. She underlined the importance of striking a balance between effective governance and the protection of democratic values.

She stated that the Constituent Assembly's task was not only to establish principles for the immediate future, but also to lay the groundwork for future generations of democracy.

Hansa Jivraj Mehta

She was a strong opponent of women's reservations. She claimed that women should not be given reserved seats or separate electorates. Instead, she emphasized the importance of social, economic, and political justice for women, advocating for merit-based equality over quotas.

Dakshayani Velayudhan

She was born into the Pulaya community (in Kerala) and has faced severe discrimination and actively participated in anti-caste movements.

She believed that the Constituent Assembly not only established a new framework for the country but also a new way of life for the people. She highlighted the Assembly's role in establishing a just and equitable society.

She was a strong supporter of Article 17 of the Constitution, which abolished untouchability, and worked to ensure that this principle was included in the Constitution.

 Amrit Kaur

She was a princess by birth and played an important role in the freedom struggle, most notably joining Gandhi in the Civil Disobedience movement in 1930.  

She supported universal adult franchise but opposed women's reservations. She believed that true equality for women could only be achieved if they entered the legislature through ordinary elections rather than reserved seats.

She and Hansa Mehta both advocated for the Uniform Civil Code. She also proposed replacing "free practice of religion" with "freedom of religious worship" in the draft Constitution to emphasize secularism.

She became India's first woman health minister. She also established famous institutions, such as the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which made significant contributions to the progress of healthcare in India.

Ammu Swaminathan

Despite being born into an upper-caste family, she fought to end caste discrimination and was an active participant in social and political movements.

In 1917, Ammu Swaminathan and Annie Besant co-founded the Women's India Association to address the social and economic issues faced by women workers. 

Ammu Swaminathan supported the adult franchise in the Constituent Assembly and advocated for the abolition of untouchability, which were consistent with the principles of social equality and justice.

She had personally experienced the evil of child marriage, she advocated for the Child Marriage Restraint Act, the Age of Consent Act, and various Hindu Code Bills aimed at reforming Hindu religious laws to protect women's rights.

Durgabai Deshmukh

She advocated for judicial matters in the Constituent Assembly and proposed lowering the age requirement to serve on the Council of Ministers from 35 to 30 years to increase youth representation in government.

Begum Aizaz Rasul

She was the only Muslim female member of the Constituent Assembly. She advocated for minority rights in a secular state and strongly opposed reservations and separate electorates based on communal lines.

She was opposed to reservations and separate electorates based on communal lines, claiming that "reservation is a self-destructive weapon which separates minorities from the majority for all time."

Vijaya Laxmi Pandit

She was the first woman cabinet minister during the British era. She was also among the first leaders to call for an Indian Constituent Assembly to draft a constitution.

In the Assembly, she emphasized the responsibilities of a free India to its citizens and other countries. 

In 1953, she became the first woman to serve as President of the United Nations General Assembly.

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Source: 

Indian Express