Gail Omvedt
Gail Omvedt (2 August 1941 – 25 August 2021) was an American-born Indian sociologist and human rights activist. She was a prolific writer and published numerous books on the anti-caste movement, Dalit politics, and women's struggles in India. Omvedt was involved in Dalit and anti-caste movements, environmental, farmers' and women's movements, especially with rural women.
Gail Omvedt | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 August 1941 Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States |
| Died | 25 August 2021 (aged 80) Kasegaon, Sangli District, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | Writer, essayist, activist |
| Nationality |
|
| Alma mater | Carleton College University of California, Berkeley |
| Period | 1970–2021 |
| Notable works |
|
| Notable awards | Dr. Ambedkar Chetna Award, Manavwadi Rachna Manch Punjab, August 2003, Savitribai Phule Puraskar, Padmashri Kavivarya Narayan Surve Sarvajanik Vacanalay, Nashik, 2002 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Prachi Patankar (daughter) |
| Relatives | Indumati Babuji Patankar (mother-in-law) |
Omvedt's dissertation was titled Cultural Revolt in a Colonial Society: The Non-Brahman Movement in Western India, 1873-1930.
Omvedt's academic writing includes numerous books and articles on class, caste and gender issues. Besides undertaking many research projects, she was a consultant for FAO, UNDP and NOVIB and served as a Dr Ambedkar Chair Professor at NISWASS in Orissa, a professor of sociology at the University of Pune and an Asian guest professor at the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, Copenhagen. She was a senior fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and research director of the Krantivir Babuji Patankar Sanstha.