First of all, let’s applaud the fact that the national policy for women is up for some progressive change after 16 long years. That, in itself, is a big leap for Indian women and a giant leap for India. And who better than the one and only Sushma Swaraj to inculcate that change within the system?

Reuters

According to government officials, Swaraj is said to have proposed in her policy, that all men learn Home Sciences and all women be made to learn the Martial Arts, as a means to facilitate true gender parity within the typical Indian household. According to her, men should be encouraged to pursue home sciences in college as a means to hone their culinary skills so as to help and contribute to a domestic settlement. In the same bid, she proposed that women be motivated to opt for physical education as well, with a stress on martial arts. These suggestions were made by Swaraj who is the Minister of External Affairs, on Thursday, during the Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting—that consists of 11 members, including commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman, IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu, WCD minister Maneka Gandhi among others—held to review the national policy for women. The new policy is set to address various current and emerging challenges that women face, especially in terms of issues relating to health, education and employment. 

When the news of Swaraj’s progressive suggestions began to make headlines, her husband, Swaraj Kaushal, took to Twitter to share the news, along with a witty one liner that literally took the cake! 

...........bad times ahead. https://t.co/K33Y8Nitof

The couple together are one of the foremost examples of relationship equality in a country like India. And we see where the Minister of External Affairs gets her grit from, given that she successfully juggles a very successful and public political career, alongside a personal and private life that is devoted to her marriage, kids and a balance of all. 

If Swaraj’s proposals are to be met and implemented, we can positively say that there are good times ahead for Indian women.