Streelekha: The Women’s Bookplace

Started in 1986, Streelekha (Women’s Writings), the first feminist bookplace in Asia, has established itself over the years as a sought after reference and resource centre in India for those who seek knowledge and information on gender related issues as also other social movements and related political theory.

Set up in 1985, as the first feminist bookshop in Asia, Streelekha grew out of the need in the women’s movement to create a space in which women’s literature, their experiences, visions, writings, poetry could get visibility. Women’s issues in India continues to be a growing area of research and concern not only of women’s groups and organisations but also of colleges and Universities. Many academic institutions have incorporated women’s studies as a separate department or as part of the curricula in Sociology. Streeleksha continues to be a sought after reference and resource centre in India for those who seek knowledge and information on gender related issues. 

Streelekha, which has continued to bring books of interest and on current issues to women’s groups and NGOs, has also attempted to deepen its relevance and reach out to it’s clientele such Colleges and Universities in India through the following initiatives:

a. reaching out to the many newly started women studies centres, colleges, women’s universities and documentation centre through establishing personal contacts with the various heads of the departments.

b. holding exhibitions in colleges and universities both in Bangalore and in the neighbouring states either every quarterly or half yearly when budgets sanctioned for purchase of books must be spent as it is the end of the academic year.

c. organising occasional book and poetry readings, bi-monthly meetings not only related to books but on issues that are of concern to the women’s movement specifically related to Women’s Studies.

d. bringing out quarterly catalogues providing information on the books available. These are sent to many colleges, women’s studies centers, ngo’s, women’s groups et al.

e. setting up a resource and documentation centre in the future which would access, collect, document material which would include documents, thematic resource papers, reports, monographs on the most crucial and contemporary issues of our times. Issues that are specific to a region and that which have come out of the work and activism of women in their countries and in different parts of the world.

f. initiating a publishing programme albeit in a small way where we propose to take up publishing of monographs on women related issues, both in English and in the regional language - Kannada. 

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