Print, Reform, and Resistance: Tamil Women and Political Consciousness in Colonial South India

Abstract

This study examines the rise of political consciousness among Tamil women in  colonial South India (late 19th century–1947). It highlights the role of vernacular print media like Stri Dharma and Kudi Arasu in shaping gender debates and public engagement. Socio-religious reformers such as Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, and Sister Subbalakshmi championed women’s education, widow remarriage, and the abolition of oppressive practices. The Self-Respect Movement offered radical spaces for non-Brahmin women’s participation. Tamil women also played active roles in the nationalist struggle, notably during the 1930 Salt Satyagraha. Drawing on archives, periodicals, and biographies, the study shows how women negotiated tradition while redefining their identities. This intersection of gender, caste, and colonial modernity forged a distinct South Indian feminist awakening.