Kali for Women, established in 1984 as India's inaugural feminist publishing house, was co-founded by Urvashi Butalia to elevate knowledge concerning women in the Third World. Born in Ambala in 1952, Butalia has cultivated a career spanning journalism, historical research, and academic publishing, focused primarily on gender, communalism, and the oral histories of the Partition of India.
Academic Foundation
Butalia pursued extensive studies in literature and South Asian affairs. She completed a BA at Miranda House in 1971 followed by a master's degree from the University of Delhi in 1973. Later, she attended the University of London, earning a master's in South Asian studies in 1977. Her multilingual background includes proficiency in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, French, and Italian.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Publishing and Editorial Work
Her professional path began at Oxford University Press in Delhi before she spent a year at Zed Books in London starting in 1982. Upon returning to India, she partnered with Ritu Menon to create Kali for Women. Following the conclusion of their partnership in 2003, Butalia launched Zubaan Books, a private firm dedicated to publishing academic and fictional works by and about women in South Asia.
Documenting Partition and Social Issues
Her 1998 book, The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India, utilized over seventy interviews to analyze the tragedy of the Partition from a gendered perspective. This research earned the Oral History Book Association Award and the Nikkei Asia Prize. Butalia also writes extensively on fundamentalism, media, and women's rights, contributing to outlets like The Guardian, Outlook, and Tehelka.
Awards and Professional Appointments
Butalia holds a position as a reader at the College of Vocational Studies at the University of Delhi and serves as a visiting faculty member at Ashoka University. Her contributions to literature and education were recognized in 2011 with the Padma Shri. In 2017, she received the Goethe Medal for her role in international cultural exchange and competence in the German language.
Fast facts
- Born: 1952, Ambala
- Citizenship: India
- Education: Miranda House, University of Delhi, University of London
- Co-founder: Kali for Women (1984)
- Founder: Zubaan Books (2003)
- Notable Work: The Other Side of Silence (1998)
- Padma Shri Recipient: 2011
- Goethe Medal Recipient: 2017
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of Zubaan Books?
It is an independent publishing house that produces fiction and academic books focused on, for, and about women in South Asia.
Which major award did Butalia receive from the German government?
She was awarded the Goethe Medal in 2017 for her role in international cultural exchange.
Achievements
- Goethe Medal — 2017
