Gloria Steinem, face of US feminism, once lived in Delhi Miranda House hostel: How India was where the icon began to understand feminism

Gloria Steinem, the writer, journalist and activist who became one of the most recognisable faces of the American women’s movement, has died at 92. Her foundation announced her death on Instagram, without specifying the cause.

For more than five decades, Steinem was a powerful voice for women’s rights and social equality. With her trademark streaked hair, centre-parted hairstyle and large aviator glasses, she became an instantly recognisable figure of the feminist movement.

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But long before she became a household name, a fellowship brought the 22-year-old Steinem to India, a journey that would leave a lasting impression on her understanding of feminism.

Gloria Steinem’s India journey began with a fellowship

After graduating from Smith College, Steinem received the Chester Bowles Asian Fellowship, which gave her the opportunity to spend a year in India.

At the time, the journey offered her more than a chance to step away from the life she knew. India had long interested her because of its history and culture, and the fellowship gave her an opportunity to experience the country closely.

Steinem spent about a year living at the Miranda House hostel in Delhi, according to the college principal. From there, she travelled to Calcutta, southern India and Bombay.

Her time in India also introduced her to grassroots organising among followers of Mahatma Gandhi.

How India shaped Gloria Steinem’s understanding of feminism

Steinem later acknowledged that India played an important role in shaping her understanding of feminism, even before she knew the word.

Asked in 2014 by Rajya Sabha TV whether India had made her a feminist, she replied: “Yes, I didn’t know what feminism was.”

She was particularly struck by the role women had played in India’s Independence movement and by their struggles against oppressive practices.

Women such as Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay introduced Steinem to a history of female activism that she said she had not encountered in the US.

The experience helped her begin connecting questions of women’s rights, social justice and equality in a way that would remain important throughout her life.

Steinem’s memories of Miranda House

Miranda House in Delhi remained an important part of Steinem’s memories of India. During a visit around 2014 with economist Devaki Jain, Steinem spoke about her time at the college hostel and how it helped her build friendships with women. The experience also influenced her engagement with social justice and equality.

Her connection with India continued long after her fellowship year. “I was here 18 years ago for almost two years. I came to like India very much and to feel influenced by India very much,” she reportedly told India Today in 1976.

Gloria Steinem and her years in India

Steinem wrote about her experiences in India after travelling across different parts of the country. She also supplemented her income while living there through modelling.

According to some accounts, her modelling work included advertisements featuring saris.

Her experiences were not simply those of a young foreign visitor exploring another country. Through her interactions with women, her exposure to India’s Independence movement and her experience of grassroots organising, Steinem encountered ideas about equality and activism that stayed with her.

From India to the American women’s movement

Steinem eventually became one of the most visible symbols and influential voices of the American women’s movement. She was also a co-founder of Ms. Magazine and remained a fierce advocate for feminist causes for more than five decades.

Yet, in looking back at the journey that helped shape her thinking, India occupied a distinctive place.

At 22, Steinem arrived in India through a fellowship. She left with experiences, friendships and ideas that would remain part of her understanding of social justice and feminism for decades.


Inputs from TOI