Abstract- This research paper explores how feminist thought has developed in Indian English fiction especially through the novels of Shashi Deshpande. Her stories show how women in Indian society move from silence and dependence toward awareness and self-confidence. Deshpande does not show women as rebels but as ordinary individuals who begin to understand their own strength and identity. Through novels like That Long Silence, The Dark Holds No Terrors, and Roots and Shadows, she highlights the emotional struggles of women who face social pressure, gender inequality and the challenges of balancing family and personal freedom. Her writing presents feminism not as a fight against men but as a journey of inner growth, equalityand understanding. This study shows that Deshpande’s works have helped shape modern feminist thinking in Indian English literature by giving women a clear and honest voice.

Keywords:Feminism, Patriarchy, Feminine Consciousness, Psychological Realism, Identity, Silence, Marriage, Selfhood.