10 Facts About Lotika Sarkar

Lotika Sarkar was a noted Indian feminist, social worker, educator and lawyer, who was a pioneer in the field of women's studies and women's rights in India.

Lotika Sarkar was a founding member of Centre for Women's Development Studies, Delhi, established in 1980, and Indian Association for Women Studies, established in 1982.

Lotika Sarkar was the first Indian woman to graduate from Cambridge University, and later in 1951 she became the first woman to receive a PhD degree in law from the university.

In 1953, when Lotika Sarkar started teaching at the law faculty, University of Delhi, she was the first female lecturer in the faculty.

Lotika Sarkar taught here till 1983, teaching eminent jurist and lawyers, and finally became the Head of the law faculty, and the university don.

Lotika Sarkar was a founding member of Indian Association for Women's Studies, established in 1982.

Lotika Sarkar met Chanchal Sarkar in 1951, while he too was studying at Cambridge, they married in 1957.

Chanchal Lotika Sarkar went on to become an eminent journalist, assistant editor of The Statesman and founding director of the Press Institute of India in 1963; he died on 10 October 2005 in Delhi.

Lotika Sarkar continued to live thereafter at their Hauz Khas, Delhi residence, which she was disposed of January 2009 by the tenants, which led to a media furore Several leading intellectuals, jurists, academics, journalists, activists and over a dozen national groups and institutions came forward in her support demanding speedy justice, some even met the President, before the house was restored to her by the courts in November 2009.

Lotika Sarkar died in New Delhi on 23 February 2013, at the age of 90.