BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

RAY, PROF. (SHRIMATI) BHARATI

M.A., Ph.D. C.P.I.(M) (West Bengal); d. of late Byomkesh Sen Gupta, I.A.S. and Shrimati Kalyani Sen Gupta; b. at . New Delhi, July 26, 1934; ed. at (i) Presidency College, Calcutta and (ii) Calcutta University; m. Shri Sukhendu Ray, March 7, 1958; 1 s. and 2 d.

Educationist; Professor of History; Pro Vice-Chancellor, Calcutta University, 1988-95; Vice-Chairperson, West Bengal State Council of Higher Education, 1995-96; Founder Director, Women's Studies Research Centre, Calcutta University, 1988-98; worked for the women's movement since the 1980's; worked with Literacy Mission in West Bengal since 1990; served in Lok Adalat,1995; Member, (i) West Bengal Commission for Women, 1992-96, (ii) Indian Historical Records Commission, 1990-95, (iii) All India Council for Technical Education, Eastern Region, 1992-93, (iv) Executive Council Indian Institute of Mass Communication Society, Government of India, 1992-94, (v) Advisory Committee of the Central Board for Workers' Education, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, 1992, (vi) U.G.C. Standing Committee on Women's Studies, 1990-92 and since 1995, (vii) Indian Institute of Historical Studies, (viii) Indian Association of Women's Studies, (ix) Society for Preservation of Historical Monuments, (x) All India Women's Conference, (xi) Industry-Academia Cell, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, 1995, (xii) Bureau of Indian Standards, (xiii) Court of Visva Bharati, (xiv) Committee on Human Resource Development, (xv) Zonal Railway Users' Consultative Committee for South-Eastern Railway, (xvi) Informal Consultative Committee for South Eastern Railway Zone (xvii) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, (xviii) Indian Delegation at CPA Conference, Mauritius, 1997, (xix) Indian Delegation to General Assembly of U.N.O.,1997, (xx) Commonwealth Observer Group for the General Elections in Guyana, 1997 and (xxi) Delegate to the International Conference on Peace, Brighton, 1998; elected to the Rajya Sabha in April, 1996.

Travels abroad: U.K., U.S.A., Bangladesh, France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Denmark, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cuba, Vietnam, Mauritius, Guyana and Australia.

Accomplishments in arts and science: Awarded (i) Gold medals and Silver medals and merit scholarships, Calcutta University, (ii) Ladies Study Group (Indian Chamber of Commerce) Award for outstanding research contribution, 1988, (iii) International Visitor Invitation by U.S. Embassy, 1988, (iv) Senior Travel Fellowship offered by the Association of Commonwealth Universities, 1989, (v) Shiromoni Vikas Award, 1990, (vi) John Comenius Medal from Czech Republic, 1992, (vii) Visiting Fellowship, 1993 and Visiting Professoship, 1995, Maison des Sciences de L' Homme, Paris and (viii) Rockefeller Foundation Residency at Bellagio Center for Conference and Research,1997; Chaired/participated in numerous national and international conferences .

Publications: (i) Hyderabad and British Paramountcy (Oxford University Press, 1988), (ii) Women's Struggle: A History of A.I.W.C. (Delhi, Manohar, 1990), joint publication with Aparna Basu, (iii) (ed.) Sekaler Narisiksha: Bamabodhini Patrika (Calcutta University Press, 1990), (iv) Detecting Disadvantages: A Pilot Study of Scheduled Caste Women in Two Districts of West Bengal (Calcutta University Press, 1994), (v) (ed.) From the Seams of History: Essays on Indian Women (Oxford University Press, 1995), (vi) From Independence Towards Freedom: Indian Women, 1947-97 (O.U.P., forthcoming) and (vii) Women and Politics: France, India and Russia (Forthcoming).

Special interest: (i) Education - formal and informal, (ii) Women's cause and women's studies, (iii) Media and communications and (iv) Industry-academia collaboration.

Favourite pastime and recreation: Reading and writing.

Permanent address: 6B, Sonali Apartments, 8/2A, Alipore Park Road, Calcutta - 700 027.