S4E161: How Ancient Kerala Gave Women More Freedom Than Modern India | Preetha Leela Chockalingam
What if the kingdom that gave women the most freedom existed centuries ago, right here in India? Preetha Leela Chockalingam, author of the Girls of India series (Penguin Random House), joins Sangeeta Relan to talk about the matrilineal Kerala that history forgot, the ancient queens and ordinary girls who held power long before the modern world caught up, and why she is determined to bring those stories back to life. From her debut as an eight-year-old plagiarising Enid Blyton to writing historical fiction for children and adults, Preetha is on a mission, one kingdom at a time. If you have ever wondered what India looked like when women truly thrived, this episode is your answer.
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About the Author: Sangeeta Relan
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I’m Sangeeta Relan—an educator, writer, podcaster, researcher, and the founder of AboutHer. With over 30 years of experience teaching at the university level, I’ve also journeyed through life as a corporate wife, a mother, and now, a storyteller.
