HYDERABAD: The New Indian Express (TNIE) on Thursday organised a programme titled ‘Wings of Change’ ahead of the International Women’s Day on March 8 at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technology, also known as IIIT-Basara, on Thursday.
Elaborating on the role of women in society, Dr Pavani, associate dean of the university, emphasised that the women of rural India need to be educated so that the country can develop. Women in every walk of life are troubled by gender inequality, discrimination and sexual harassment, she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nandita Sethi, managing director of The Entrepreneur Zone, said that women should go beyond the ‘PPP’ (powder, papad and pickle) model and take on entrepreneurship in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Stating that there will never be a level playing ground and the challenges for women range from psychosocial, economic and cultural, she said that all challenges need to be converted to opportunities and women need to contribute more to the organised sector where their contributions get recorded in the GDP of the country.
Narmada, director of Nova Space, said that women in the field of engineering face formidable hurdles such as gender bias and discrimination, while a lack of representation limits access to mentors. Empowerment through advocacy, mentorship, and inclusive policies is crucial for female engineers to achieve their full potential, she added.
G Srujana, special officer of the university, elaborated on how women are leading society. She further discussed achievements women have to their name and the way to achieve more. TNIE, with inspirational women in key leadership positions, emphasised the importance of women’s day through the programme.