Indore: Ordinary women with extraordinary role recognised

Indore: Like every year, International Women’s Day was celebrated with much enthusiasm, promises and pledges across city on Thursday. Every year March 8 is celebrated across the world to express love and respect to women’s contributions in every field and the theme for celebration this year was ‘Positive Visibility of Women’.

Realising that much more was needed to be done in bringing equality between men and women, while every corner of the world recognised the progress made by the fair sex through varied programmes on the day, Free Press took the opportunity to felicitate some courageous women of the city who played extraordinary role in bringing changes in society.

At a grand programme organised jointly by Shri Jain Diwakar Mahavidyalaya and Free Press at the college auditorium on Thursday, the leading English daily of central India felicitated Indore Lekhika Sangh president Dr Premlata Nahata, Shri Jain Diwakar Mahavidyalaya director Anjana Dhakad and political science professor Mata Jijabai DGD College Dr Mamta Chandrashekhar for their immense contribution in their respective fields as well as the society.

Chief guest of the programme was Devi Ahilya Vishwa Vidyalaya (DAVV) vice chancellor Dr Narendra Dhakad, who was also the proud husband of one of the awardees Anjana Dhakad. Guests were welcomed by Shri Jain Diwakar BEd college principal Dr Renu Jha and the college principal Dr Sangita Bharuka.

Addressing the gathering, noted writer Dr Nahata, who has been a reputed contributor to various newspapers and journals, said that “Good command on language plays an important role in overall personality development of students.”

Reminding that empowerment of women alone would not help, Dr Chandrashekhar said that rather, every human being should be empowered and treated with equality. “Our positive and confident approach towards a challenge changes its outcome. We should not compare ourselves with others and instead, focus more on self improvement and self-confidence,” she said.

Dr Narendra Dhakad in his speech reminded that “Women empowerment is the key to development and welfare of society and it can be attained only by improving security and providing smart education and training to women.”

Talking about ‘Smart Girl Workshop’ currently being run in the college to educate women, the DAVV VC appreciated Bhartiya Jain Sangthan (BJS) for generously contributing in organising the unique initiative and informed that “In the workshops experts train teachers to help them break the orthodox teacher-student relationship of fear and inculcate in them the culture of creating a friendship bond with students for better learning.”

BJS coordinator Virendra Nahar further informed that “Various plays and confidence-building activities are conducted in groups to develop personality of students in the workshop.”

Providing more details about the workshop, science department HoD of St Paul College of Professional Studies, Dr Pragati Jain said that “The Smart Girl programme provides life-skill education to girls of schools and colleges and also, teaches them the importance of self awareness in making right decisions. The girls learn communication skills for interpersonal relations, critical thinking for choices and handling of self esteem for stress and emotional management in the workshop.”

Earlier, Bharuka in her brief address said that along with academics the college focuses equally on overall personality development of the students.

The programme was conducted by social work department HoD Dr Rashmi Jain and vote of thanks was proposed by Prof Seema Agrawal.

Motivational talk @ SVIM

Shri Vaishnav Institute of Management (SVIM) celebrated International Women’s Day with a motivational talk organised on the college premises on Thursday. Chief guest of the programme was ASP Nivedita Naidu and the special invitee was motivational speaker from Synergy group Nitin David. The programme was presided over by institute director Dr George Thomas.

Naidu in her address motivated students to become empowered with knowledge and modern working skills to achieve success in life. David distributed 10 helmets to students and advised them to maintaing safety on road. The programme was conducted by Ruchira Muchhal and vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Priyanka Solanki. Joint registrar Dr Arvind Singh, HOD of computer science department of the college, Dr Kshama Paithankar and Dr Abhijeet Chatterjee were among others present on the occasion.

‘Students should be aware of their rights’ 

A seminar was organsied by NSS unit of Matushri Kankuben Heerachand Sanghvi Girls College on the college campus to mark the Women’s Day on Thursday. Chief guest of the programme was advocate Harshita Soni. College principal Prof Nihar Mishra in his address said that “Students should be aware of their rights which will eventually help them achieve their goals in life.” The seminar was conducted by Dr Sushma Sahi and vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Rajni Jain.

CULTURAL PROGRAMME @ BARLI DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE: International Women’s Day was celebrated at New Dewas Road situated Barli Development Institute for Rural Women on Thursday. Institute director Tahera Jadhav informed that chief guest of the programme was DAVV School of Education faculty Veena Paithankar and around 111 trainees from 78 villages of Indore, Dhar, Alirajpur, Badwani, Khargone and other areas presented various cultural and dance performances at the grand event.

Expert talk @ Choithram College of Nursing

Getting inspired by the theme for this year, Choithram College of Nursing observed Women’s Day with expert talks and cultural activities under the guidance of the college principal Dr Usha Ukande and HoD of Mental Health Nursing Blessy Antony on Thursday. Chief guest of the function was reputed senior paediatrician and social activist Dr Savita Inamdar.

Inamdar spoke on women empowerment while another guest speaker, director of prestige academy staff college DAVV, Dr Namrata Sharma shared her views on gender equality. The college along with IDSSS (Indore Diocese Social Service Society) also performed a skit in Pardesipura area to spread awareness on negative effects of substance abuse in women on individual, family, and community. Along with this, local women of the area staged dance performances to celebrate the occasion.