Through concise and yet evocative presentations, the seminar bridged centuries of women’s histories, demonstrating how personal narratives influence social change.
Published Jan 11, 2026 | 3:52 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 11, 2026 | 5:01 PM
A seminar on “Women’s Autobiographies and Biographies – A Critical Perspective,” was organised by the Department of Telugu at Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University in Hyderabad.
Synopsis: The two-day international seminar on “Women’s Autobiographies and Biographies – A Critical Perspective,” organised by the Department of Telugu at Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University in Hyderabad, reflected on women’s lived experiences. The seminar bridged centuries of women’s histories, demonstrating how personal narratives influence social change.
The two-day international seminar on “Women’s Autobiographies and Biographies – A Critical Perspective,” organised by the Department of Telugu at Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University in Hyderabad on 6 and 7 January, reflected on women’s lived experiences.
The sessions unfolded as a continuum of voices of forgotten pioneers, freedom fighters, political leaders, cultural icons, marginalised identities, and contemporary achievers, each revealing struggle, resistance, and self-assertion.
Through concise and yet evocative presentations, the seminar bridged centuries of women’s histories, demonstrating how personal narratives influence social change. Together, the deliberations reaffirmed that women’s life writings are not merely records of individual lives but essential chronicles of societal transformation and enduring resilience.
The seminar offered participants a valuable opportunity to learn about the lives of many extraordinary women. Organising a conference that highlights the inspiring lives of women through their autobiographies and biographies is truly commendable.
Taking up the task of rediscovering the lives of women who have faded into obscurity, understanding their contributions to society through autobiographical and biographical narratives, is a significant and meaningful initiative. Considering that the university was established very recently, special appreciation is due to Vice-Chancellor Prof Surya Dhananjay for successfully organising such impactful academic gatherings.
This programme also instilled confidence that the university will continue to awaken and inspire future generations through many such initiatives.
The keynote speaker at the inaugural session, Prof Katyayani Vidmahe, lucidly explained the inherent differences between the two genres. Beyond this, she encouraged students to research long-forgotten Telugu women writers and noted that she herself brought many such writers into public recognition.
Listening to Katyayani Vidmahe — an eminent writer and former Head of the Telugu Department at Kakatiya University — is always an education in itself. One feels like listening endlessly, spellbound.
Over the course of five sessions spread across two days, participants gained insight into the lives of women writers from the national movement period to contemporary times, and were inspired by women who excelled in diverse fields.
What stood out most was the vivid portrayal of the hardships endured by women, from Savitribai Phule — born in the third decade of the 19th century — to Malavath Poorna of recent times. Their struggles to serve society and family, to support others, and to assert their own identities came alive before our eyes.
The event made the viewers feel that these women were seated right before us, narrating their own life stories. The experience proved deeply inspiring for the audience.
The speakers succeeded remarkably in introducing the autobiographies and biographies of nearly 50 women within just 10–15 minutes each. They did not merely present information but narrated the stories with such involvement that it felt as though they had internalised the lives of these women.
From as early as the 1820s, women faced immense hardships in their pursuit of education. They transformed their lives through education, influenced those around them and made an impact on society at large. Education became a means to uphold self-respect within their families.
Their writings and the biographies written about them narrate countless moving experiences. What amazes us most is how they stood firmly against the hostile social environment of their times.
How can we ever adequately repay our debt to those first-generation women who laid the foundation for the society we live in today?
Beginning with Savitribai Phule (born 1830), Anandibai Joshi (1865), Ponaka Kanakamma (1892), Ramabai Ambedkar (1898), and many women of the 20th century, the seminar traced how they carried forward this legacy in their respective fields and passed it on to future generations.
The participation of women in the national movement throughout the 20th century marked a major transformation. A more profound shift was seen in the 1940s when women participated in the Telangana Armed Struggle, even taking up arms.
Considering that, even today, many women hesitate to step outside without seeking permission from their husbands or sons, it is astonishing to reflect on how women of that era accomplished so much.
Women like TN Sadalakshmi, Eshwaribai, and Mallu Swarajyam made their mark in politics. Sadalakshmi — born into a sanitation worker’s family and rose as a political leader — and Mallu Swarajyam — who thundered in the state Assembly with her communist convictions — and several similar others can be seen as individual forces.
In the cultural sphere, the autobiographies of Savithri, Chindula Ellamma and Bhanumathi Ramakrishna revealed many unknown facets of their lives. A common thread among them was a deep urge to contribute to society, finding fulfilment through philanthropy and the arts.
The autobiography of Revathi, a transgender person, highlighted the harsh realities faced by transgender persons and emphasised the urgent need to integrate them into society with dignity and equality.
Listening to the autobiography of Nalini Jameela, a sex worker, was a deeply unsettling experience. The pain, tears, social discrimination, and circumstances that shaped her life do not allow the listener to remain indifferent. Yet, her autobiography stands as a challenge to society and a call for change.
We may think we know Phoolan Devi, but listening to her biography raises profound questions — how could she accomplish so much within just 20 years of life? Her hardships, her struggle for her family, and her fight for a small piece of land explain the circumstances that led her to become a bandit.
It is no small matter that an uneducated, innocent rural woman could once strike fear across the nation.
The autobiography of Jyothi Reddy reveals how a woman from among us endured immense struggles and shaped her life on her own terms. Her personal presence at the seminar and her interaction with students filled them with enthusiasm and inspiration.
It was particularly heartening to see the youngest among all — Malavath Poorna — being given a platform. How much determination must a tribal girl have had to scale Mount Everest? Born in a remote hamlet with no basic facilities, her journey to the Himalayas is a source of immense pride.
As this was an international seminar, participants also learned about the lives of Winnie Mandela, Helen Keller, and Malala Yousafzai. While Nelson Mandela spent 33 years in prison, Winnie Mandela single-handedly managed the party, the movement, and the family amid enormous hardships.
Though separated physically, they were never apart emotionally. Yet, political circumstances forced them to divorce within two years of Mandela’s release.
Winnie Mandela stands as a powerful example of women’s integrity, dedication, and commitment. History also records many women who chose to leave their husbands but never abandoned the movements they believed in.
Helen Keller and Malala are already well known. Malala’s voice, proclaiming before the United Nations that “the pen is mightier than the gun” and calling for peace instead of war, continues to resonate.
Mary Tyler’s prison life prompted reflection on the condition of Indian prisons and the urgent need for reform, especially as conditions appear worse today than in the past.
A particularly lesser-known yet extraordinary life discussed was that of Neera Arya. As an associate of Subhas Chandra Bose, she endured brutal torture and even killed her British Army soldier husband for the freedom struggle. Escaping thereafter, she lived anonymously for 40 years as a flower seller in Hyderabad’s Old City and died in extreme poverty.
Her role as a spy in Bose’s army remained unknown until the end. A couple who discovered her story shared it in this seminar, recounting how they struggled to even drape the national flag over her body in death. Such deeply stirring experiences were many.
The organisers announced that biographies of several other women, which could not be presented during the seminar, would be published in book form. That publication deserves a warm welcome.
Through the seminar, the Women’s University beautifully conveyed that history is about understanding our predecessors and passing their legacy on to future generations.
Let us wholeheartedly welcome this effort that gives life to Gurajada’s words: “The modern woman will rewrite Indian history.”
(Views are personal.)
