SRIKAKULAM: The District Women and Child Welfare Department celebrated the International Women’s Day in a grand manner at Dr.BR Ambedkar Auditorium here Sunday. Minister K Achchan Naidu, ZP chairperson Ch Dhanalakshmi, district collector Lakshmi Narasimham, political leaders and officials inaugurated the celebrations by lighting a lamp. While noted danseuse Timmaraju Neeraja and her troupe performed a welcome dance, Vasudeva Rao rendered the ‘Nene Srikakulam’ song as a devotional hymn.
Chief guest Achchan Naidu exhorted women to perform their respective duties themselves instead of delegating other women to represent them at functions and meetings. On the occasion, he revealed that the government was mulling to introduce self-defence training for girls right from school-level. The minister said the government was making efforts to make women equal stakeholders in all development works. Only thing is that the women should come forward to receive it, he added.
On the occasion, MP K Rammohan Naidu asked women to be stakeholders on social problems. The country would develop only when girls were educated and gender discrimination was eliminated. The collector said that the women should grow in stature and husbands should not act proxy to elected women representatives.
The minister felicitated and presented mementos to Dhanalakshmi, Srikakulam MLA Gunda Lakshmidevi, noted Yoga trainer L Lakshmi, world-class boxer B Likhita and women representatives for rendering yeoman services.