For much of India’s democratic history, the woman voter was overlooked—spoken for but not listened to. That has changed. Today, women vote in greater numbers than ever before, often making independent decisions that defy conventional political wisdom. From the welfare state to identity politics, from kitchen economics to public protest, the woman voter now shapes outcomes at every level of the Indian electoral landscape.
In this timely and deeply reported book, journalist and political analyst Ruhi Tewari travels across states and communities to understand how Indian women vote—and why. Blending fieldwork, data, and political insight, the book traces the rise of the woman voter from silent participant to decisive force. It asks hard questions: Do women vote as women? Does gender even matter in elections? Does caste or religion override gender at the ballot box? Can development trump identity? What happens when a welfare scheme becomes a political contract?
This is a portrait of Indian democracy through a different lens—one that sees women not as passive beneficiaries of politics, but as its most ambitious stakeholders.
‘What Women Want’ is Ruhi’s debut book and draws from her field work and experience of nearly two decades. It is the first ever book in India to explore this now topical but extremely complex question.
