As India marks World Constitution Day today, November 26, it is worth remembering that it is not just the visionary document that governs the republic, but the collaborative, often under-recognised labour behind its creation.
The Constitution was the product of nearly three years of rigorous debate within the Constituent Assembly, which first met on December 9, 1946. Emerging from the upheaval of Partition, the Assembly, which comprised 299 members, undertook the unprecedented task of framing a democratic charter for India.
The Drafting Committee, set up on August 29, 1947, placed Dr B R Ambedkar at its helm. His legal acumen, reformist zeal and unflinching commitment to liberty and equality shaped the core of the document. It is for this reason that Ambedkar is rightly celebrated as the chief architect of the Constitution.
Yet the creation of the Constitution was not the achievement of a single mind. It was a collective endeavour involving committees, subcommittees and prolonged discussions, and among these contributors were 15 remarkable women whose legacy remains overshadowed.
These women included freedom fighters, lawyers, educators, social reformers and grassroots organisers, each bringing perspectives rooted in lived experience.
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, for example, consistently pressed for gender equality, health rights and the upliftment of marginalised women.
Hansa Jivraj Mehta, a reformer and educationist, was instrumental in shaping the language of fundamental rights and later altered global discourse by replacing “all men” with “all human beings” in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Dakshayani Velayudhan, the only Dalit woman in the Assembly, stood firm on issues of caste discrimination and civil liberties, arguing that social equality must be embedded in constitutional guarantees.
Durgabai Deshmukh, a veteran freedom fighter, shaped debates on social welfare, legal literacy and the rehabilitative needs of women affected by conflict and displacement.
Other women, often missing from mainstream retellings, played equally significant roles.
Renuka Ray, a lawyer and member of the National Planning Committee, advocated fiercely for women’s property rights and social security measures.
Ammu Swaminathan, a parliamentarian and social activist, spoke for political rights and greater public participation of women.
Begum Aizaz Rasul, the only Muslim woman in the Assembly, made critical interventions on minority rights and the abolition of communal electorates.
Annie Mascarene, among the first women to join the Travancore State Congress, contributed to debates on federal structure and the integration of princely states.
Leela Roy, a revolutionary and educationist, brought a strong feminist perspective, and Purnima Banerjee argued passionately for fundamental freedoms and labour rights.
Malati Choudhury, though she later resigned, left her imprint through advocacy rooted in Gandhian social justice.
Vijayalakshmi Pandit, though not deeply involved in daily drafting, lent moral leadership and later carried India’s constitutional ideals onto the global stage.
Their presence was not ornamental. Without the insight of these women, the Constitution would have lacked a vital democratic counterbalance. They ensured rights were not framed from a single social lens; they expanded the imagination of equality to include home, workplace and community.
For women of today, battling issues of representation, safety, reproductive autonomy and economic parity, the legacy of these constitution-makers is foundational. Their insistence on inclusive rights continues to empower the struggles and aspirations of millions.
As we celebrate Constitution Day, remembering these women is essential, and not just as an act of tokenism.
