A day without a woman: A reflection on women achievers

An Indian woman and a child in a brick factory on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Wednesday, March 8, 2017. March 8 marks International Women's Day. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

NEW DELHI: Women consist of 50% of the world’s population, yet on the front of gender parity there is a lot of work still left. This year women are coming together in solidarity to mark International Women’s Day for a more equitable future, but there are some notable female pioneers in this journey of gender equality that we must recognize. There is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on only one wing: Swami Vivekananda Indira Gandhi, the first female prime minister of India as well as the longest serving Prime Minister, she was India’s ‘Iron Lady’. Known popularly for her unorthodox stringent methods, she was also a woman who had many successful endeavors when it came to fortifying our nation and defending our borders. The war for the freedom of Bangladesh from Pakistan was brought to fruition by the support of Indira Gandhi. As our prime minister she made some rapid progress in the development of our nation. Indira Gandhi strengthened the economy of our nation by centralizing banks, and introduced equal work equal pay for men and women. There was a time when the Chief Minister of the capital of India Sheila Dixit, had the youth of Delhi chanting her name in enthusiastic jest, supporting her governance. She served an uninterrupted 15-year-rule in Delhi and oversaw rapid infrastructure development in the capital, with the creation of flyovers and tracks of the Delhi Metro. A female leader who believed in the execution of work, with a no-nonsense attitude. Sri Devi was a formidable actress in the 90’s, a female actor who could single handedly dominate the silver screen and grab the attention of men and women alike. She was a fierce actress whose persona over shone the presence of her male counterparts. Ekta Kapoor the queen of producing and directing daily series pertaining the clashes between ‘saas-bahu’, has broken all records by catering to women, the longest running series was created by her. We are living in a progressive society where our law allows the women of our nation to live a life of privilege. Many laws and policies of our nation are for the benefit of women, ensuring the upliftment and empowerment of women. 33% reservation by Rajiv Gandhi in Panchayats and for Parliament seats. With astounding achievements in finance, thought to be a male-dominated field, with leading female role-models. Arundhati Bhattacharya as the youngest and first female chairperson of SBI, Chanda Kocchar as CEO and MD of ICICI Bank, Shikha Sharma as CEO and MD of Kotak Mahindra Bank. The movement for women’s equality and the belief that she can be traced pre-independence, especially during the Indian Rebellion. Rani Laxmibai, the Queen of Jhansi and the leading figure of the resistance fortified her city in defense from the British, and also provided military training to women. She may have lost a battle, but she is a beacon of the gender war. After the release and success of the movie ‘Hidden Figures’ showing the lives of three colored women working in NASA, we have our own ‘Hidden Figures’ by the names of Anatta Sonney, Subhu Varier, and B Codanayaguy scientists at ISRO who played a significant role in the recent launch of 104 satellites besides the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), whose acronym is also a tribute to mothers – MOM. Society is synchronizing with the pulse of the nation and the globe, where women are not thought of as a commodity but as individuals that are strong, smart, and capable of self-care and the care of others. She has priorities, and her own dreams and ambitions. This women’s day encourages us women to appreciate our womanhood, our achievements, and to look back with pride at the journey we have made together. (The author is an educationist, social activist, Industralist)