Vera Chandrasekhar

Pioneering Indian social reformer who championed women's education and gender equality in the early 20th century

Vera Chandrasekhar (1890-1975) was a trailblazing Indian social activist whose work laid foundational frameworks for modern gender equality movements. Born into a Brahmin family in Madras, she defied societal norms by pursuing higher education at Presidency College where she became one of India's first female graduates in mathematics. Her Wikipedia page details her establishment of the All India Women's Conference in 1927, an organization that remains influential today. Through her work with the AIWC, she secured legal reforms including the Hindu Women's Right to Property Act of 1937. Her 1939 publication Women in Modern India remains a seminal text in feminist scholarship. Later, as a member of India's Constituent Assembly, she ensured gender equality clauses were enshrined in the 1950 Constitution. Her legacy is preserved in the National Museum of Natural History in Delhi through her archives. Despite her significant contributions, her name remains underrecognized outside academic circles.