The evolution of the women voter base in India’s politics

ONE ASPECT OF PARTIES’ OUTREACH TO WOMEN VOTERS WHICH HAS GARNERED ATTENTION IS THE PROLIFERATION OF ‘PRO-WOMEN’ WELFARE SCHEMES

- HT Correspondent

For much of India’s democratic history, the woman voter has either been invisible or ignored —at times she has been spoken for, but very rarely listened to.

Anew book by journalist Ruhi Tewari argues that this is no longer the case and seeks to understand why women have emerged from the political shadows.

What Women Want: Understanding the Female Voter in Modern India draws on years of journalism and field reportage to trace the rise of the woman voter from 1947 to the present day.

Tewari spoke about her book on last week's episode of Grand Tamasha, a weekly podcast on Indian politics and policy co-produced by HT and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Tewari is a journalist with nearly two decades of experience covering politics, policy and their intersection for leading Indian media organisations. She's developed a reputation for being a savvy political reporter who spends quality time in the field understanding what makes voters, politicians, and parties tick.