Shashi Deshpande- A Spokesperson for Indian Women

Pages:201-206
Sharmila (Department of English, CMJ University, Shillong, Meghalaya)

Indian women writers emerged after Independence and they have made a signification contribution. Kamala Markendaya, Anita Desai, Nayantara Sehgal, Shashi Deshpande, Namita Gokhale, Gita Mehta and Arundhati Roy are but a few names of women who have distinguished themselves with their innovative style, depiction of social realities, advocacy of the emancipation of women and portrayal of feminine sensibilities. Some of them, like Anita Desai and Shashi Deshpande, delve deep into the psyche of their characters to reveal various dimensions of their personalities. The Indian woman I have selected for study – Shashi Deshpande is in a way, spokesperson for the new Indian woman. She may not be avowed feminist writers, but they are certainly interested in women’s experiences. Though Shashi Deshpande resents being labelled a feminist writer, she agrees that she explores the ‘problems of being a woman.’ In her interview with Geetha Gangadhran, Deshpande categorically states: