HYDERABAD: Marking international women’s day on March 8, the Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Seniors, will be awarding 24 women from 13 fields for their contributions in their respective fields.
From 75-year-old Vidyavati, the first woman vice chancellor of Kakatiya University, Warangal, to 56-year-old Kumbala Lakshmi, sarpanch of Ibrahimnagar, Siddipet, who strived hard to make her village 100 per cent cashless, the Telangana State government will be applauding the life and work of these women.
“This is a sign of encouragement for me to work harder and examine ways in which we can make our village the best. It was the collective efforts of all the villagers to make it 100 per cent cashless. From the kirana shop to auto drivers, everyone has a bank account and can make cashless transactions,” shared an elated Lakshmi, sarpanch of Ibrahimnagar, with Express.
While she worked to educate people in her village, Vidyavati, former VC of Kakatiya University, Warangal, believes in only one rule - every girl child should be educated and she has been working towards it.
“Last week I was hospitalised, but this announcement has given me a new energy. I am glad that the government has considered me without any recommendation,” said Vidyavati.
Anisetty Rajitha, a noted revolutionary writer from Warangal, shared that though there is no special feeling of happiness, the award is like a ‘vitamin tablet’.
The Department of Culture needs to be acknowledged for its efforts in changing the state of art and culture in the state, said Vanaja Uday, noted Kuchipudi dancer and head of department, Telugu University, who is also one of the awardees.
“The government is working towards encouraging all kinds of performing artistes, from traditional dance forms to folk artistes. However, the young artistes should learn to be more persistent and not get disheartened quickly, as they are the ones who will take dance our culture forward,” she pointed.
A deaf and mute person herself, Ujjaini Janaki, from Hyderabad, and founder of People With Hearing Impaired Network has been working relentlessly since 2007 to empower the lives of deaf and mute people. Her interpreter for 10 years, Babu, shared that Janaki is extremely glad to have received the award. “More women need to be acknowledged and this will encourage more women to take up social service activities,” she said.
Other awardees
Other awardees include, Tirunagari Devakidevi from Mahabubnagar for active participation in Telangana Movement during 1969 & its second phase, Gayathri from Wanaparthy, a visually challenged person working as the headmistress at ZPHS, Wanaparthy, Kurma Laxmi Bai, from Adilabad district for her untiring struggle to get back her lands, Duddeda Sugunamma, from Janagama for having produced the highest yield of produce per acre with innovative farming techniques, Nagamani Dosapahad from Nalgonda, for her work as a farmer, Manemma from Uppal for active participation in Telangana Movement, Dhatrika Swapna, a student from Osmania University, who was shot during the Telangana movement, Moola Vijaya Reddy, from Peddapalli for her active participation during the Telangana Movement, Prameela Mancheryala, an eminent Lawyer, Shajahana from Khammam for her work on women’s issues, Anjani Reddy from Zaheerabad, an eminent painter, Payal Kotgareekar from Nizamabad, a musician, Chaitanya from Nalgonda and Swarna from Karimnagar for her songs during Telangana movement, Priyadarshini from Warangal for winning a Gold Medal in Weight Lifting in the Commonwealth Games, Madapati Satyavathi from Hyderabad for being the first news reader in radio, Katta Kavitha Chittyala from Nalgonda, an eminent Journalist and writer in print media and G Malliswari from Warangal for being the first video journalist.