Noida dowry tragedy underlines why women must build assets in their own name

The recent Greater Noida dowry tragedy, where a young woman was allegedly burnt alive amid financial harassment, has shaken the public conscience. Though the case it still under investigation, it’s a reminder that while laws may exist to protect women, true security comes only when women actively build and safeguard assets in their own names.

Because financial freedom is not just about money, it’s about choice. It’s the power to walk away from an unsafe marriage, to support children and parents, or to chase personal dreams without the fear of losing everything. A personal bank account, an investment held independently, or a property title with her name on it is more than paperwork—it is proof of identity, dignity, and survival.

“Working women should prioritise asset creation in their individual names by maintaining personal accounts, making investments independently, and ensuring unequivocal documentation of ownership—especially in immovable property and financial instruments,” says Shweta Tungare, Co-Founder, Law Tarazoo. “Where joint ownership is desired, explicit records of financial contribution are essential for establishing rights decisively.”

For women caught in unsafe or abusive situations, this preparedness can be lifesaving. “When it comes to building assets, women should ideally invest from their own bank accounts with themselves listed as the first holder. The husband can be a nominee or a second holder. This helps in establishing a clear ownership of investments,” adds Sapna Narang, Managing Partner, Capital League.

Ownership, Narang explains, isn’t just about whose name appears first, it’s also about contribution and proof. If a husband is listed as the primary owner of a property but the wife is paying half the EMIs or household costs, she must create a paper trail. Payments from her own account, reflected in her income tax returns, can establish her claim in the future. “Even if assets are jointly held with the husband as the first holder, proper documentation in tax filings can help reflect her rightful share,” she says.

Parents, too, play a vital role in shaping a daughter’s financial independence. Narang urges families to rethink their traditions: “They should transfer gifts whether during marriage or festivals directly into their daughter’s account so she can invest in her own name. The basics, such as operating a bank account, holding a debit card in her own name, and making investments independently, can provide much-needed financial security.”

Yet despite the safeguards, many women remain unaware of the rights the law already gives them. The concept of stridhan, for instance, recognised under Hindu law and reinforced by the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, grants women absolute ownership over gifts received before, during, and after marriage. “Spouses or in-laws cannot take this without committing a criminal breach of trust under Section 316 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,” notes Priya Dhankhar, Counsel at SKV Law Offices.

Dhankhar also points to the Married Women’s Property Act of 1874, which protects a woman’s assets from her husband’s debts unless she has explicitly guaranteed them. Courts, too, increasingly consider lifestyle standards and income inequality—not just employment status—when deciding maintenance. Even working women, therefore, may be entitled to maintenance or alimony if a clear income disparity exists.

Tushar Kumar, Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, highlights another layer of protection: “Statutory entitlements to maintenance under Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and under personal laws, extend even to women without sufficient independent income. The Domestic Violence Act, 2005, further grants rights to residence and interim monetary reliefs. Courts now also recognize unpaid domestic labour as a substantive contribution to the family’s economic foundation.”

But what about rights over a husband’s or in-laws’ property? This remains one of the most misunderstood areas. A wife does not automatically gain co-ownership of her husband’s self-acquired property during marriage. Ownership belongs to the name on the title. However, under succession law, she is a Class I heir and entitled to an equal share in the property—ancestral or self-acquired—if the husband dies intestate. Over her in-laws’ property, though, she has no direct claim during their lifetime, unless granted through a will or gift.

“What remains non-negotiable is her absolute dominion over her stridhan, which is her individual property in perpetuity,” Kumar stresses.

The truth is stark. Money in your own name is not just wealth, it is power, dignity, and the freedom to walk away when survival demands it. As Kumar says, “The discipline of building an independent asset base, backed by unassailable documentary title, is the surest guarantee of financial security and autonomy.”

The Greater Noida tragedy has sparked outrage. But unless it also sparks a shift in how women approach their finances, how parents prepare their daughters, and how society values women’s financial rights, the lessons will be lost. Laws can protect on paper, but real freedom comes when women put their names on the bank account, the mutual fund, and the property deed. Because in the end, the only security no one can take away is the one that carries your own signature.