Trailblazers in the Lok Sabha: The Untold Stories of Muslim Women

Muslim women in India have been historically under-represented in the political landscape, particularly in the Lok Sabha. A revelatory new book, 'Missing from the House: Muslim Women in the Lok Sabha,' authored by Rasheed Kidwai and Ambar Kumar Ghosh, delves into the lives of the 18 Muslim women who have managed to break into this male-dominated arena since independence.

The book sheds light on the backgrounds and challenges faced by these women, a mix of royalty, actresses, and political family members. It explores how dynastic politics, while criticized for hampering democratic deepening, unexpectedly offered a pathway for 13 of these women who come from political families, highlighting the complex interplay of tradition and modernization.

With its in-depth profiles, the book also critiques the broader systemic failures, particularly in India's southern states, where despite higher educational and socio-economic standards, no Muslim woman has been elected to the Lok Sabha. As contributor Shashi Tharoor points out, this grim portrayal of political representation challenges India's boastful label as the 'Mother of Democracy.'

(With inputs from agencies.)