Gandhi's contribution to the emancipation of women/ Aloo J. Dastur and Usha H. Mehta.

The status of women in society is a measuring rod and a true index of its civilisation and cultural attainment. The Indian woman with her long lineage has left her mark on different periods of our history. To write about the Indian woman is somewhat difficult as her position has differed from period to period, in differ, ent parts of the country and in all spheres - social, economic and political. Mahatma Gandhi is perhaps the last in the long line of social reformers, who fought and unceasingly worked for the uplift of women. • Gandhi's great regard for women was born of his deep sense of justice . . With a view to studying the impact of Gandhi's personality and his views on the emancipation of Indian women, Aloo J. Dastur and Usha H. Mehta studied the speeches and writings of Gandhi and also interviewed prominent personalities in India and abroad who knew him intimately, those who came under his magnetic spell and critics of Gandhi and Gandhian thought.The authors also present Gandhi's views on marriage, child and widow marriage, dowry system, purdah, divorce and birth control.