10 streets in Delhi named after women – 7 in Mumbai: 27 roads out of 100 in the world named after women, beginning with queens and viceroys’ wives

Rajasthan has been infamous for its poor sex ratio. Therefore, a unique initiative has been taken in Bundi city to change the mindset of the society towards daughters. Here the names of the streets are named after the daughters. But how many such roads do you remember which are named after women? You will name a few streets. Actually, most of the roads in the country are named after male great men, whereas there are only selected roads in the name of women. Read Bhaskar Woman’s report to know about the streets named after women in Delhi and Mumbai…

Most of the streets in the country are named after men. There are still only a few roads named after women. Historian Vishnu Sharma tells that when the streets of Delhi were named during the British rule. At that time, first preference was given to names associated with the British royal family. After that, streets were named after English governor generals or viceroys and their wives. The streets of the second circle were named after those who played an important role in establishing British power in India. The third circle of roads, that is, the streets where the lower staff like clerks lived, were named after military generals. However, many names have been changed since independence till now.

Historian Dr. Rakshanda Jalil says that before independence, most of the roads were named after the Mughal rulers and representatives of the British Empire. Street names were also changed after independence. Retendon Road was named after famous painter Amrita Shergill, Curzon Road after Mahatma Gandhi’s wife Kasturba Gandhi and Willingdon Crescent after Nobel Prize winner Mother Teresa. However, the roads which were named after women at that time, were not renamed after any Indian woman. This is more or less the situation in the whole country except Delhi and Mumbai.

Women remember at work and men at reward
Dr. Rakshanda says, ‘Women have played an important role in building many buildings, tanks and setting up residential colonies in Delhi. Our society is patriarchal. Therefore, there is a need to recognize the contribution of half the population of the country, such a thought does not come to the mind of the people very quickly. When it comes to work, the names of women are remembered, but when it comes to reward, they are forgotten. Only men’s names can be remembered. After all, why such women are sidelined, who have contributed significantly in building the society.

She further says, ‘It is not that there are no women in the municipal corporation or in those bodies of the country, which do the naming of roads, cities and monuments, but the women sitting there also do their part in the name of recognizing the contribution of half the population. Closes eyes.

Names of monuments-streets tell the story of city’s values
Historian Dr. Rakshanda says that the names of streets, monuments and streets not only become the identity of the city to which they belong, but also serve to introduce the city to those coming from outside. Streets, monuments and street names are important markers of how society views itself. It documents the history of the city and tells a lively story of the values ​​of the past.

Women in power got attention
The women in whose name the roads have been built across the country have been associated with power or they have been related to a man associated with power. For example Indira Gandhi, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia, Kasturba Gandhi and Awabai Jamshedji Jija etc. Let us tell you that when Indira Gandhi took over the command of the country, Vijayaraje remained in power as well as coming from the royal family. Kasturba Gandhi was the wife of Mahatma Gandhi and Awabai Jamshedji Jija Bhai was the wife of businessman Sir Jamshedji Jijabhai.

Sunanda Bhandare’s relationship was neither with power nor with any man in power. Nevertheless, he achieved the honor of bridging the gap between men and women and getting his name stone installed. Sunanda Bhandare took the lead in working for building judicial sensitivity on issues of gender discrimination. She was successful in this too. Let us tell you that Sunanda Bhandare was the first woman Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.

Discrimination against women in street names around the world
Mapbox developer Aruna Sankaranarayanan and his team mapped London, Paris, San Francisco, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. In this it was found that the number of roads in the name of women is very less not only in India but all over the world. On an average, only 27 per cent of the roads in all these cities are in the name of women.