Debut novel brings up inheritance rights of women

The tale of a single woman's fight to be recognised as a daughter forms the main plot of Ratna Vira's first novel "A Daughter by Court".
The book, which was launched by Kiran Bedi here last evening narrates the story of a young woman who has been cut out of her inheritance and fights power, money, deceit, and treachery for her right to be recognised as a daughter.
"It's a very courageous book, I think it is a trendsetter and will make for a great film," Bedi said.
Ratna Vira has fleshed a piece of fiction on an essential part of society - the rights of a woman through the protagonist 'Aranya' who faces a tough choice of choosing to fight her powerful family in court, or lose her identity and the future of her children.

The book published by Fingerprint deals with issues of the Hindu Succession Act, and the role of the 'joint family' or the 'Hindu Undivided Family.'
Following the launch, the author along with Kiran Bedi and acclaimed film maker Sudhir Mishra of "Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi" fame participated in a discussion on the book.

Ratna Vira, who has a career in corporate pointed out the stigma of honour, which is attached to the women, which inhibits their freedom.
"It's always the 'izzat' wrapped around her little shoulder, she carries the honour. It is a two way process, by the time she turns and says that I've conformed for so long and now I need protection, there is no one there to hear it", said Vira, a single mother who lives with her daughter and son.

Kiran Bedi said, "We all are a product of our parents mindset, it depends on how they look at their daughter. Are they looking at her as their future or as somebody who is going to go away, and the investment is going to belong to someone else."
Kiran Bedi poitned out "As long as girls are considered liabilities, as long as daughters are considered as migratory birds, why would anybody invest in them?"
Sudhir Mishra who is known to experiment with different shades of woman mulled over how a woman is burdened by behaving in a certain way, socially barred from reacting the same way as a man does.

"There is no right given to the women to be wrong in quest for her ambition. She may make the same mistakes as the man; maybe walk away from a relationship. She doesn't have the right to be", Mishra said.