Rani Jethmalani, Founder of Women’s Action Research & Legal Action for Women (Warlaw) and JSAWS Collaborator
Rani Jethmalani, Supreme Court lawyer and daughter of former Union law minister Ram Jethmalani, social activist, and my friend, passed away on December 31, 2011. She established in Delhi the NGO Women’s Action Research & Legal Action for Women (Warlaw), examining factors responsible for inferior status of women; providing access to general justice; enabling women in India make laws effective; promoting the concept of human rights and aware about the rights of women in remote areas. Warlaw provided dowry victims with free legal assistance.
She also collaborated with our Journal of South Asia Women Studies, delivering a paper at the 2002 International Symposium - Understanding Indian Women: Love, History and Studies.
She also wrote a book, Kali’s Yug: empowerment, law, and dowry deaths.
A very remarkable personal fact is that long ago she, Hindu, adopted a Muslim child and gave him an excellent education. He is now an attorney like his mother and his grand-father.
These are a few Indian articles dedicated to her: The Times of India, The Hindu, Hindustan Times, India Today, The Economic Times, Parda Phash, The Day After (India). We all miss her.