Dr. Haseena Hashia is a distinguished academic and a formidable advocate for women’s rights, who retired as the senior-most professor in the Department of Geography at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Her career, spanning over a quarter-century, is defined by pioneering research, a vast body of publications, and a steadfast dedication to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Dr. Hashia’s academic foundation was built at Aligarh Muslim University, where she earned her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Geography. She later obtained an M.Phil. from Kashmir University and a Ph.D. in Gender Geography from Jamia Millia Islamia in 1995. Her scholarly work is concentrated in three key areas: Gender Geography, where she examines workforce demographics, gender disparity, and crimes against women; Environmental Geography, focusing on climate change and urban environmental issues; and Disaster Management. Her research has been instrumental in shaping the understanding of gender issues within geographical contexts. A testament to her mentorship is the successful guidance of 13 Ph.D. scholars, who have researched topics from environmental stress on Kashmir’s Wular Lake to e-waste management in Delhi, with several more currently under her supervision.
Her scholarly output is prolific, with over 34 research papers in national and international journals. Her books, including “Migration of Kashmiri Labour: A Spatio-Temporal Analysis” and “Muslim Women in India Since Independence,” are considered significant contributions to their respective fields. She has consistently focused on the challenges faced by women, particularly within the Muslim community, authoring influential papers like “Muslim Women- Sufferers of Ignorance” and “Educational Empowerment and Peace Building-An Analysis of Muslim Women of India.”
Beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. Hashia holds significant leadership roles. She serves as the Assistant Secretary General of the Institute of Objective Studies (IOS), a leading think tank, where she is pivotal in organising conferences on critical social issues. Furthermore, as a General Member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), she has been a crucial voice in advocating for women’s rights within the framework of Islamic jurisprudence, actively working to address the genuine problems faced by Muslim women.
Dr. Hashia’s expertise has garnered international acclaim, leading to academic engagements in Iraq, the United States, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Switzerland, and the Maldives. Her contributions have been recognised with awards like the ‘Certificate of Excellence’ from the IOS in 2014. Her influence extends to policy-making circles through her role as a Core Committee member on Muslim Women with the National Commission for Women (NCW). She has also been the Co-Principal Investigator for several major research projects funded by institutions like the Department of Science and Technology.
Though retired, Dr. Hashia remains a dynamic force in academic and social spheres. Her ongoing work with the IOS and AIMPLB ensures her continued engagement with pressing issues of women’s rights, education, and social justice. Her legacy is cemented not only through her extensive research and publications but also through the generations of scholars she has mentored and her unwavering commitment to bridging academic inquiry with impactful social activism.