Our 2024 bestseller “Behold the Leviathan: The Unusual Rise of Modern” celebrates the rise of Indian women who in many walks of life are leaving their male counterparts far behind. In a conservative society, we expect to see this female ascendancy trigger a male backlash as a beleaguered patriarchy seeks to hold women back. An example on such behaviour was on display recently in the temple town of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. The Statesman reports:
“The scene was ordinary enough ~ a group of contestants preparing for a local beauty pageant ~ until a man stormed in to berate them for wearing skirts and “Western” clothes. What followed was extraordinary. Instead of shrinking back, Ms Sharma questioned his right to police her choices. Her retort was sharp, logical, and fearless: if the sale of such clothes was not against the law, why should wearing them be? And if morality was truly the concern, why ignore far greater social ills like alcoholism and drug abuse? This was not a protest staged for the cameras. It was a spontaneous act of resistance, born out of instinct and conviction. Ms Sharma was defending her right to participate in a world that still sets boundaries for women and punishes them when they cross those invisible lines. That she went on to win the crown the next day only amplified the symbolism ~ courage rewarded with recognition, defiance transformed into dignity….
…the backlash Ms Sharma faced reveals how selectively this supposed morality is applied – rarely to men, often to women, and almost always to those who dare to be seen. The hypocrisy is glaring: a “Mr” contest featuring bare-chested participants would invite applause, not outrage. In many ways, this incident captures the tension between India’s cultural confidence and its lingering insecurities. Our society has learned to celebrate women’s achievements only when they fit within accepted frames ~ as professionals, mothers, or icons of beauty who still appear “modest.”
But when a young woman asserts the right to be herself, unapologetically, it unsettles the moral gatekeepers. Ms Muskan Sharma’s victory, therefore, is not just a personal milestone. It is a quiet, yet emphatic, declaration that small towns in India are ready to challenge outdated notions of honour and shame.”
If you want to read our other published material, please visit https://marcellus.in/blog/
Note: The above material is neither investment research, nor financial advice. Marcellus does not seek payment for or business from this publication in any shape or form. The information provided is intended for educational purposes only. Marcellus Investment Managers is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and is also an FME (Non-Retail) with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) as a provider of Portfolio Management Services. Additionally, Marcellus is also registered with US Securities and Exchange Commission (“US SEC”) as an Investment Advisor.
