Book about farmer suicides, women farmers in spotlight at World Book Fair in Delhi

New Delhi: A book about farmer suicides and women farmers in rural distress was discussed at the World Book Fair here on Friday.

Published by Oxford University Press, the book 'Widows of Vidharbha by Dr Kota Neelima speaks about the agrarian crisis through ground research spanning several years.

Speaking at the event at Oxford University Press Stall at Bharat Mandapam, Neelima said, "Women farmers live in invisibility, which is imposed by the state and society. This book tells the stories of women living in this darkness."

Responding to a question, Neelima, who is a Congress leader, said, "Methodology of understanding the life of women farmers in farmer suicide households is important. The drafts of my book were peer-reviewed by the farm widows themselves." The book sheds light on the struggles of widows left behind after farmer suicides in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region.

Through their narratives, the book highlights the broader issues of agrarian distress, farmer suicides and the hardships rural women face in India.