She also recommended several impactful books to her students, including 'There There' by Tommy Orange and 'The God of Small Things' by Arundhati Roy.

During the National Library Week Celebrations in Chennai, Maya Sharma Sriram and students from MOP Vaishnav College emphasized the importance of women's voices in literature.

Maya highlighted the reasons for reading, such as building empathy and gaining new perspectives, supported by a 2013 study showing that reading enhances emotional understanding.

She cautioned against the 'danger of a single story,' referencing Chimamanda Adichie's viewpoint on how limited narratives can reinforce stereotypes.

Maya quoted Virginia Woolf's powerful statement from 1929, 'A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction,' which remains relevant for women writers today.

She pointed out the ongoing struggles of women writers, who historically often had to resort to pseudonyms to publish their work.

Maya highlighted notable Indian women writers like Ismat Chughtai, Sujatha Gidla, and Amrita Pritam, who have significantly impacted literature.

In contemporary literature, women writers such as Samantha Harvey and Han Kang have gained recognition, with Harvey winning the Booker Prize and Kang being the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Maya's own journey as a writer began with her first novel, 'Bitch Goddess for Dummies,' published in 2021, which features strong female characters and explores themes of interpersonal relationships.

Her inspiration to write stemmed from reading Louisa May Alcott's work at age seven, particularly connecting with the character Jo March.

Since Woolf's era, women have gained significant rights, including the right to vote and greater freedom of expression through writing, although challenges remain.

Maya encourages aspiring writers to diversify their reading choices to enhance their literary understanding and creativity.