Kota Neelima’s Book Widows of Vidarbha Is Gut Wrenching

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – A book addressing farmer suicides and the struggles of women farmers in rural India was a key feature at the ongoing World Book Fair.

Widows of Vidarbha, authored by journalist Kota Neelima and published by Oxford University Press, delves into the agrarian crisis in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region, offering an in-depth examination through years of ground research.

Neelima explained, “Women farmers live in invisibility, which is imposed by the State and Society. This book tells the stories of women living in this darkness.” She emphasized the importance of understanding the lives of women in farmer suicide households, saying, “The drafts of my book were peer-reviewed by the farm widows themselves. I thank Oxford University Press for giving me the time and support to conduct such exhaustive research.”

The deeply researched work highlights the struggles of widows left behind after farmer suicides, addressing broader issues of agrarian distress and rural hardship. Neelima stressed the urgency of supporting farmers’ families and raising awareness of their challenges.

Widows of Vidarbha narrates the stories of 16 farm widows who remain invisible to the state, community, and even their families. The book explores their lost dreams, diminished worldviews, and forced submission to patriarchal norms, reflecting the plight of farm widows across India.

“The ‘subject’ peer-reviewed stories reveal the truth of how widows survive amidst the intense rural distress that killed their husbands,” Neelima said.

The book, though difficult to read, brings to light the invisible lives of these women, and Neelima expressed her satisfaction that the world is now learning about those who were once unacknowledged by the state. (with ANI inputs)