<p>Mina Swaminathan’s creative engagement with educational practice and policy reveals the critical interlinkages between disciplines and social contexts. This book provides a glimpse into different facets of&nbsp; those linkages.</p> <p><strong>—Sumi Krishna,</strong> former President, Indian Association for Women’s Studies</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>A unique collection of research papers which links the themes of gender and early childhood, at the heart of human development concerns. The insightful observationsin the volume are of enormous value for students and researchers, as well as policy makers and planners.</p> <p><strong>—R. Govinda,</strong> former Vice Chancellor, National University for Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>This book celebrates the life of Mina Swaminathan, educator, theatre activist, and fierce advocate for social justice in women’s lives. It centres on two major strands in her work—the role of child care in emancipation of both women and men, and the power of drama to promote social and cultural change.</p> <p><strong>—Kathy Sylva,</strong> Professor, Department of Education, University of Oxford</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Mina Swaminathan, teacher and activist, long-time friend and comrade, has played a dynamic role in bringing issues of young children and women into the forefront of the development debate at all levels, from the grassroots to the halls of academia and policy-makers. She is a crusader of immense energy and creativity.</p> <p><strong>—Devika Singh,</strong> Chairperson, Mobile Crèches, Delhi</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I am glad that the papers in this fascinating book capture not only Mina’s unique qualities and unparalleled contributions, but even more, express their tribute in the form of excellent papers from each contributor in their respective domains. I am grateful to the authors for their papers which are both scholarly and sensitive.<br /> [Excerpt from the Foreword to this volume].</p> <p><strong>—M.S. Swaminathan,</strong> Emeritus Chairman and Chief Mentor, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation,Chennai</p>

<p><strong>Nitya Rao</strong> is Professor of Gender and Development at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom. She has worked extensively in the field of women’s rights, employment and education for close to three decades. Located mainly in South Asia, her research interests include exploring the gendered changes in land and&nbsp; agrarian relations, migration and livelihoods, education, intra-household relations and identities. She has published extensively on these themes. Her book on the theme of land as a resource in the struggle over gendered identities entitled: Good Women Do Not Inherit Land: Politics of Land and Gender in India was published in 2008, with a second paperback edition in 2012.</p> <p><em>Contributors to the volume:</em><br /> Indu Agnihotri, Hanne M de Bruin, A. Mangai, Archana Mehendale, Amit Mitra, Jolly Rohatagi, Adarsh Sharma, Rekha Sharma Sen, Rajalakshmi Sriram and Mina Swaminathan.</p>