Women and Peasant Resistance in Colonial Sindh: A Case Study of Mai Bakhtawar

The history of Sindh, a province in Pakistan, is marked by peasant movements that arose in response to exploitation by the landlords. These organised efforts often included participation from Sindhi women, although their contributions remain under-documented. Mai Bakhtawar, who emerged as a key figure during a peasant movement and sacrificed her life while fighting for the rights of disadvantaged peasants, is one such overlooked figure. In this context, this research paper aims to examine the reasons for her marginalisation in history while highlighting her vital contributions and exploring the impact of gender on her activism in Sindh and South Asia. A qualitative content analysis of primary and secondary sources suggests that two factors have contributed to her limited recognition in history and academia: her background as a member of a poor peasant family in rural Sindh and the socio-cultural context of being a woman in a feudal and patriarchal society.