Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: the birthing of a feminist and her journey -- Development as if women mattered : can women build a new paradigm? -- Advances in feminist theory : an Indian perspective -- The leadership gap : a challenge to feminists -- Minds, not bodies : expanding the notion of gender in development -- Indigenising feminism -- Challenges for women in India in the new millennium -- Globalism and localism : negotiating feminist space -- Women's participation in the history of ideas and the reconstruction of knowledge -- Feminist networks, people's movements and alliances : learning from the ground -- To be or not to be : problems in locating women in public policy -- What is wrong with economics? : can the aam aurat redefine economic reasoning? -- The first challengers : the feminists of the South -- The evolution of ideas : a feminist's reflections on the partnership with the UN system -- Looking back at the South commission -- Bibliography -- Index -- About the author.