SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN CONTEMPORARY HINDI NOVELS 1990 TO THE PRESENT

Abstract

This paper presents an in-depth critical examination of the dynamic and multidimensional nature of social consciousness in contemporary Hindi novels written from 1990 to the present. During this transitional era—marked by economic liberalization, globalization, consumerist market dynamics, and digital technology—the social consciousness within the Hindi novel has transcended the traditional confines of class struggle, evolving instead into discourses centered on identity. Focusing on the thematic concerns of *Paydan* (2002) by former women’s football captain Sona Chaudhary, this study provides a nuanced analysis of the human rights of female athletes, gender-based harassment in the workplace, and the layers of institutional oppression. Concurrently, the paper highlights the ideological resistance of marginalized communities through an exploration of representative novels by authors such as Maitreyi Pushpa, Jaiprakash Kardam, Virendra Jain, Prabha Khaitan, Kamleshwar, Alka Saraogi, Bhagwandas Morwal, Ajay Navaria, Ranendra, Sanjeev, Chitra Mudgal, Bhagwant Anmol, Geetanjali Shree, Alpana Mishra, and Manisha Kulshreshtha. This research establishes that the contemporary Hindi novel is not merely a mechanical reflection of reality; rather, it serves as a vital ideological intervention aimed at the restoration of the civil and human rights of the deprived and exploited classes.