The role of Indian women has evolved over different periods of time in the following ways.

Rig vedic period :-

• Rig Vedic Women in India enjoyed high status in society and their condition was good.
• Even the women were provided opportunity to attain high intellectual and spiritual standard.
• There was no sati system or early marriage.
• They enjoyed freedom and even they enjoyed freedom in selecting their male partner. 
• Widows  were  permitted  to  remarry.
• Women were given complete freedom in family matters.
• They were given education at a equal footing to men.

Later vedic period:-

• But from enjoying free and esteemed positions in the Rig-Vedic society, women started being discriminated against since the Later-Vedic period in education and other rights and facilities. Child marriage, widow burning, the purdah and polygamy further worsened the women’s position. 

Women in Buddhist period:-

• The  status  of women  improved  a  little during  the  Buddhist  period  though  there  was no tremendous change. Some of the rigidities and restrictions imposed by the caste system were relaxed. 
• Buddha  preached equality  and  he  tried to  improve the  cultural,  educational  andreligious statuses of women.
• During the benevolent rule of the famous Buddhist kings such as Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, Sri Harsha and others, women regained a part of their lost freedom and status due to the relatively broadminded Buddhist philosophy.
• Women were not only confined to domestic work but also they could resort to an educational career if they so desired.
• In the religious field women came to occupy a distinctly superior place. Women  were permitted  to become “Sanyasis”. Many  women took a leading  role in Buddhist  monastic-life,  women had  their  sangha called  the Bhikshuni Sangha,  which  was guided by the same rules and regulations as these of the monks.
• Their political and economic status however remained unchanged.

Status of women in the Medieval India:

• The  Medieval  period  proved  to  be  highly disappointing for the Indian women, for their status further deteriorated during this period.
• When  foreign conquerors  invaded  India  they brought  with them  their  own culture. For them women were the sole property of her father, brother or husband and she does not have any will of her own. This type of thinking also crept into the minds of Indian people and they also began to treat their own women like this. 
• They  were not  allowed to  move freely  and this lead  to  the  further deterioration of their status.
• These problems related with women resulted in changed mindset of people. Now they began to consider a girl as misery and a burden, which has to be shielded rom the eyes of intruders and needs extra care.
• All this gave rise to some new evils such as Child Marriage, Sati, Jauhar and restriction on girl education

Better status of women in Southern India comparatively Northen India

• The status of women in Southern India was better than the North India. While in Northern India there were not many women administrators, in Southern India we can find some names that made women of that time proud.
• Priyaketaladevi, queen of Chalukya Vikramaditya ruled three villages. Another woman named Jakkiabbe used to rule seventy villages. In South India women  had  representation  in  each  and  every  field.

Position of woman during east India Company: 

• During the period of East India Company, many social reformers such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar chandara Vidyasagar and Jyotiba Phule had struggled for the improvement of status of woman in Indian society.
• Peary Charan Sarkar had firstly started girl’s school in India in 1847 at Calcutta.
• Under this period Raja Ram Mohan Roy with some support from British had succeeded to abolish sati system from India.
• Women played significant role in freedom movement as well.

Independent India:-

• Women in India now participate in all activities such as education, politics, media, art and culture, service sectors, science and technology, etc.
• The Constitution of India guarantees to all Indian women equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State (Article15(1)), equality of opportunity (Article 16), equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)). In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in favour of women and children (Article 15(3)),renounces practices derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51(A) (e)), and also allows for provisions to be made by the State for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief, (Article 42).

Modern Indian Women

• The status of women in modern India is a sort of a paradox. If on one hand she is at the peak of ladder of success, on the other hand she is mutely suffering the violence afflicted on her by her own family members.
• As compared with past women in modern times have achieved a lot but in reality they have to still travel a long way. The women have  left  the secured  domain  of  their home  and have become part of the corporate culture.
• Position and status of today’s Woman in India is considerably changed in 
  modern Indian Society. Indian Laws are being made without discrimination against woman, as a result Indian woman are enjoying high position in our society.
• But in India still the sex ratio of India shows that the Indian society is still prejudiced against female, sexual violence ,safety issues still concern them.