BENGALURU: Celebrating Daughter’s Day, #Shakti4Beti on Sunday, in memory of Kalpana Chawla — the Indo-American NASA astronaut who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster — six young women achievers were felicitated, a young woman worker was provided financial assistance and a girl student from economically backward section was given a scholarship.
Social activist Akkai Padmashali, fitness expert Wanita Ashok, playback singer Supriya Lohit, police constable Archana, head of operations, PragatiTV Shilpashree, and head of marketing & exports, Peenya Industrial Gases Pvt Ltd Lakshmi Pillay, were presented awards for being women achievers.
The scholarship was awarded to Hirshita who scored 93.12% in SSLC and financial assistance was extended to Nishanka B R, Press Club office helper.
The event was organised by Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) and Young Communicators Club (YCC), who have been holding this event for the past seven years. This year PRCI and YCC launched a movement called ‘Swabhiman’ to empower the girl child. Swabhiman is a non-violent movement to empower women through Public Relations.
The event was attended by well-known Indian poet and lyricist Dr Doddarange Gowda, Padmashree awardee 2018, Dr N S Leela, the driving force behind Agastya Foundation, Connecting the Dot — an organisation taking science to rural India, and forging new educational methods aiming to bring a change in the pattern of education, Kripa Alva, Chairperson of Karnataka State Commission for protection of Child rights, and an entrepreneur-turned-politician.
#Shakti4Beti campaign was launched in 2016, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare 1 July as Daughters’ Day in memory of astronaut Kalpana Chawla. This campaign falls in line with the Union government’s campaign ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ to communicate the issue of security of the girl child.