Understanding the Quest for Identity of the Women with Disabilities in Post-independence India: A Study of the Selected Women Life Narratives

Abstract

“Nothing about us, without us”- is the mantra of disability discourse which reminds us that disability studies is inseparable from life and embodied experience. 21st century witnessed emergence of disability life narratives which has its own way of expressing one’s societal pressures and particular struggles characterised by trials and triumphs, medical and cerebral recuperation, part of assistive technologies and connections in life. Malini Chib, Preeti Monga, Naseema Hurzuk, Shivani Gupta laid bare their hearts in the memoirs which exposed their rigours in life due to disability, gender struggles in their life, restrictions at home in attaining education which also represents the wretched condition of women with disabilities in post-independence India. I intend to explore how Malini Chib and Naseema Hurzuk raised their voices against the stereotyped ableist ideology which was already existed among Hindus and Muslims. This paper will discuss how these authors positioned herself in relation to hegemonic notion of normalcy. In post-independence India, women with disabilities are doubly marginalized and sometimes triply marginalized if they belong to any minority family. This paper will examine how these authors tried to empower the disabled and questions the socially constructed definition of ‘normalcy’. This paper will also analyse how these memoirs served as the counter narrative to the dominant discourses to destabilise any claim to the normative fixed center.