Rashid Jahan (1905-1952) was a Gynecologist by profession and a writer. She was an active member of the Progressive Writers’ Association (PWA), an anti-imperialist, left leaning movement. She is well known for her short stories ‘DillikiSair’ and ‘PurdekePeeche’ which were published in Angaaray, a magazine banned by the government for hurting the sentiments of Muslim conservatives.
Rashid Jahan played in influencing writers such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Premchand, Ismat Chugtai among others to use their skills to highlight inequality and social concerns. Each of these writers and poets today are popularly known for the content of their writings as well as the form.
We salute Rashid Jahan for her radical work in bringing to public consciousness the everyday mundane existence and oppression of Muslim women and for influencing other writers to use their pen to speak out against oppression.
References for Rashid Jahan
- http://www.caravanmagazine.in/books/good-doctor#sthash.DlLxdKF9.dpuf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashid_Jahan
- Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the early twentieth century, Susie J. Tharu, Ke Lalita
- The Legend Makers Some Eminent Muslim Women of India, Gauri Srivastava
A Diary of Invaluable Muslim Women 