The women who shun the spotlight in spite of deserving it the most

The women who shun the spotlight in spite of deserving it the most

MUNISH DHIMAN  15th Mar 2014

Anuradha Sharma ave we truly realised the relevance of International Women's Day? What is this day all about? Is it like any other "day", celebrated with aplomb across the country by way of hosting grand parties — a long day of sugar-coated rhetoric on women's liberation and empowerment? So last week on Women's Day,Guardian20 spoke with a wide cross-section of city women who strive every day to help others, their stories often unceremoniously occupying the everyday of womanhood. After working with the HDFC bank for 30 years, Neena Singh left her job to work with psychologically challenged individuals. She says, "After relinquishing the job, I randomly started visiting Nari Niketan, Snehalaya, Ashray and juvenile homes and would prepare reports on the working of these charity portals and mused over the ways and means to improve their better functioning. Gradually, the change I had visualised started emerging. Things started taking place as per my recommendations and I was happy on that account." As the president of the Rotary Club, she took the initiative to educate women in slum areas under the programme Roshani and also installed a women literacy cell. Meera Sharma, an associate professor at GGDSD, strongly feels that a lot more needs to be done for the women in our society, besides imparting quality education to the youth. After college, she devotes her quality time for the NGO Aavahan which she started with more than 1,000 volunteers. Most of the volunteers associated with her are young people. She says, "It is very important to encourage the youth to respect women. If we can change them for the better, the society will follow suit. Following the right approach and right outlook towards social causes and the betterment of the society, which are of paramount importance these days." The NGO organises workshops, seminars and interactions, which are conducted from time to time for people, especially women, belonging to the economically weaker section of the society to educate them, enhance their communication skills and to focus on food and nutrition, health and hygiene, money matters and handling stress. { Last week on Women’s Day, Guardian20 spoke with a wide cross section of women from the Tri-City, who relentlessly try to help others, each and every day of their lives. Sharma says, "To a certain extent, women themselves are responsible for their own state of affairs. Most still follow orthodox doctrines and hence are not able to move ahead with time." Neena Singh (in white) Sangeeta Gupta is a theatre personality and the director of the Roopak Kala which produces plays centred on the problems faced by women. Gupta says, "I have been doing theatre for a long time now. People never raise their voice against evils and most of the women prefer silence over rebellion. So I decided to push these women, mainly in villages, to raise their voice for their rights." Anuradha Sharma, an assistant professor of Chemistry at Post Graduate College Sector 11, Chandigarh comes from a family of educationists. In 2003 she initiated Hamari Kaksha programme from the backyard of her house to educate children. Today, the organisation has four branches, consisting of 25 teachers and several volunteers who come to educate more than 650 students between the five to 15 age group. "After years of teaching," she says, "I have learnt that we can never change the generation if we are not able to reach our roots. After realising that mothers are an integral part of any family and society, I, along with Sarita Tewari, secretary of the organization, started the Sakshar Maa'programme. " http://www.sunday-guardian.com/young-restless/the-women-who-shun-the-spotlight-in-spite-of-deserving-it-the-most