Ritika Kumari, Research Scholar, Department of English, BHU

Ancient Promises (2000), Jaishree Misra’s debut novel, is a semi-autobiographical work that centres around a child with special needs named Riya. Through the novel, the author wants to promote inclusivity, understanding and equality for people with disabilities. Janu, the protagonist, is trapped in an unhappy and empty marriage at a very young age. To give her marriage a second chance, she plans to extend her family and gives birth to Riya, a baby girl with learning disability. The novel is her journey towards empowerment and self-advocacy. By breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes, she not just transforms her own life but also of Riya. The novel is a shift from perceiving disability as repaying the debt of the past life to becoming a source of inspiration. The paper attempts to investigate how societal and cultural attitude towards perceiving people with disabilities as ‘special’ or ‘disable’ can affect their self-esteem significantly. Therefore, through the selected novel, it strives to uplift individuals with disabilities and foster a sense of normalcy, helping them feel integrated and appreciated in all aspects of life.

Keywords: disability, normalcy, semi-autobiographical, inclusivity.