Renowned academician, feminist and former chairperson of West Bengal Commission for Women Jasodhara Bagchi died at a city hospital Friday following old age ailments, family sources said. She was 77.
She is survived by her husband and two daughters
Educated at President College here, Somerville College, Oxford, and New Hall, Cambridge, Bagchi began as a lecturer in English at the Lady Brabourne College, and later moved on to Jadavpur University.
Her main contribution to the university was the creation of the School of Women's Studies in 1987, and she remained the founder-director till her retirement.
Bagchi, close to the Communist Party of India-Marxist, served as the chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Women from 2002 to 2008.
A feminist writer, she edited a number of books on gender issues, and came up with a research work "The Changing Status of Women in West Bengal - 1977-200".