MARGINALIZING THE MARGINALIZED WOMEN AND LAND RIGHTS IN KAMLA MARKANDAY’S NECTAR IN A SIEVE (Pages 116-122) by Dr. Pragti Sobti in THE ENGLISH INDIA / ISSN: 2321-1172 (Online); 2347-2634 (Print)

The question of women’s right over land is not new in history of South Asian countries, including India. Land which serves as a major source of livelihood in agrarian nations is mostly tilled by women, but owned by men, depriving women the economic security and empowerment. One of the prominent reason which leads to the pitiable plight of women in Indian society lies in the fact that our society is chiefly patriarchal and it gives the right to property and the right to take important decisions to males in the family. It is believed that gender gap prevalent in control and ownership of immovable property (land) leads to the gender gap in social status and economic well being. The article attempts explore the issue of gender and land rights in Indian English Fiction, emphasizing on Kamla Markanday’s novel Nectar in a Sieve.he question of women’s right over land is not new in history of South Asian countries, including India. Land which serves as a major source of livelihood in agrarian nations is mostly tilled by women, but owned by men, depriving women the economic security and empowerment. One of the prominent reason which leads to the pitiable plight of women in Indian society lies in the fact that our society is chiefly patriarchal and it gives the right to property and the right to take important decisions to males in the family. It is believed that gender gap prevalent in control and ownership of immovable property (land) leads to the gender gap in social status and economic well being. The article attempts explore the issue of gender and land rights in Indian English Fiction, emphasizing on Kamla Markanday’s novel Nectar in a Sieve.Keywords: women’s right, agrarian nations, economic security and empowerment, Indian society, gender gap, immovable property etc.