Dharma, Artha, and Modernity: IKS Reading of Chetan Bhagat’s Women

Abstract

The Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) understand human life as an integrated pursuit of Dharma (ethical responsibility), Artha (material prosperity), Kama (desire), and Moksa (liberation). In contemporary Indian English fiction, Chetan Bhagat depicts women protagonists who pursue modern ambitions while negotiating socio-cultural restrictions. Using Dharma and Artha as its IKS framework, this paper studies the moral decisions, economic agency, and engagement with tradition and modernity visible in Bhagat's women characters. Ananya (2 States), Riya (Half Girlfriend), Priyanka (One Night @ the Call Center), and Zara (Revolution 2020) embody changing forms of womanhood shaped by education, employment, emotional independence, and ethical conflict. Although Bhagat's narratives occasionally reinforce gender stereotypes, they also represent women as active decision-makers who reconcile personal aspiration with moral obligation. The paper maintains that his female protagonists offer a contemporary reworking of Dharma and Artha within modern Indian society.