Gloria Steinem's Two Years in India Described as Formative for Her Feminism

According to a report by The Guardian, feminist activist Gloria Steinem has described her two-year stay in India, which began when her plane landed in Bombay in 1957, as a formative period that 'made me who I am.'

The Guardian reports that Steinem was 22 years old at the time, having completed a degree in government from Smith College. She traveled to India on a Chester Bowles fellowship, according to the source.

Steinem reportedly characterized the experience as a 'pivotal, life-dividing event,' according to statements cited by The Guardian, suggesting the period of studying and traveling in the country significantly influenced her subsequent approach to feminism and activism.

The Guardian's report is part of broader coverage examining Steinem's life, including a companion piece titled 'A life in quotes' and a visual retrospective titled 'A life in pictures,' both referenced alongside the article on her time in India.