Women have always borne the brunt when it comes to clashes between fragile masculinity and their independence. Words from value education books and lines of radical feminists have failed to materialize in real life. Gender equality is still a utopian idea, veiled in the subtle nuances of everyday existence.
The killing of state level tennis player Radhika Yadav, who decided to set up her own academy, is a symbol of how men can perceive their own daughters as a 'threat'. He had even asked her to stop working at the academy. Embarrassed by constant remarks from neighbours that he was living off his daughter’s income, he chose the path less (read: more) travelled by Indian men -- punishing women to exercise dominance over them.
In her recent article 'Mapping masculine anxieties and female homo-sociality in P. Sivakami’s novels', Dr. Keerthana, a PhD holder in gender theories from IIT Madras, describes such cases as 'ricochet behaviour' wherein threatened masculinity manifests itself in violent forms.
It is notable that this led to his masculinity tainting -- even destroying -- the bond between father and daughter. He was reportedly unhappy that she made reels and featured in music videos. Moreover, according to investigators, the crime was premeditated as he asked his son to go out to buy milk -- a task he usually did himself -- before allegedly firing four rounds into his daughter’s back.
According to Habiba Zafar, working as a project coordinator in an NGO for women's causes, “This tragic case is a poignant reminder that real progress is not merely about women shattering glass ceilings but it is about transforming the mentality that perceives their independence as disobedience.”
Global prevalence of patriarchy and Indian context
Globally, patriarchy remains entrenched. The Global Gender Gap Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum highlights that at the current pace, full gender parity will take 123 more years -- a grim reflection of the lack of progress. The report emphasized that globally, the second-largest gap to bridge is in ‘economic participation and opportunity.’
In India, systemic patriarchy and slow reforms hold back women and in turn the economy. Speaking at the W20, former IMF chief Christine Lagarde said it is an absolute economic no-brainer that empowering women will boost economic growth. “We have estimated that, if the number of female workers was to increase to the same level as the number of men, GDP would expand by 27 per cent in India,” she said.
The WEF report reveals that India ranked 131 out of 148 countries with a gender parity score of 64.4, indicating that the country still has miles to go. Here, internalized patriarchy remains entrenched and, while laws like PESA, Maternity Benefit Act, and Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, are beautifully conceptualised, enforcement remains a mirage. Ask women who suffer this every day.
Questions outside the tennis court
Radhika Yadav’s murder is a chilling reminder of the horrendous state of society and brings to light how women realizing their worth can be unsettling. It raises critical questions: Why does a woman’s financial independence threaten male pride? Does success for women come at the cost of their safety?
For long, women have been victims of limited autonomy, emotional abuse and rigid gender norms. According to the Centre for Honour Crime Research, based on National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 251 cases of honour killing were officially recorded in India in 2024 -- a sharp rise from 33 in 2021. Experts believe that the actual numbers are much higher as many cases go unreported.
Institutional reforms, rigid laws, sex education, and changes in societal patterns can help in reducing gender-based violence to a great extent. But these require persistent efforts by committed individuals.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr. Priyanka Tripathi, Associate Professor of Literature and Gender Studies at Indian Institute of Technology, Patna, says, “Eradicating violence against women requires sensitisation and education of all individuals from an early childhood, creation of safe spaces that encourage communication and exchange of appropriate information, gender sensitive policy making, as well as sensationalization of domestic violence and its consequences. Challenging our existing epistemological structure is equally important and can be achieved by disrupting the structures that are embedded in our daily lives, such as fairy tales, oral narratives, religious practices, use of words, distribution of responsibility within the family structure, recognition of economic inflow and so on.”
The renowned poet Amrita Pritam rightly pitched for individualism in the face of gendered expectations, a mindset which is the need of the hour. “I was not born to be a daughter, a wife, or a mother -- I was born to be myself,” she said.
Radhika lived by these thoughts bravely in her short life.