KOCHI: Girls. Like Beyonce puts it. As we gear up to celebrate another International Women’s Day, the world continues to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic. While 2021 has given us new hope with vaccines being developed at record pace, it would be prudent to acknowledge the sacrifices woman frontline workers have made on par with their male counterparts thereby proving once again they are anything but the weaker sex. This year’s theme, ‘Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world’, signals an opportunity to finally end discrimination of women and girls and herald a ‘new normal’ that is truly trailblazing. TNIE’s Anu Kuruvilla, Likhitha P Nair and Steni Simon talk to six women who refused to slow down in the harrowing year gone by.
The doctor’s da Vinci code
For Dr Anupama R, every day is a new challenge. She is the clinical professor and head of Gynaecologic Oncology Division, Surgical Oncology, at Amrita Advanced Centre for Robotic Surgery. As one of the few doctors in Kerala who has pioneered the application of robotic surgery in gynaecology, Dr Anupama has completed over 800 successful surgeries, a number very few experts can claim.
“I have had my interest in oncology since the beginning of my career. But back in the day, every procedure would mean a lot of effort on the part of the surgeon as well as the patient. The stomach was cut up and the patient had to bear a lot of pain,” says Dr Anupama. It was in 2011 that Anupama came across a demonstration of ‘da Vinci Surgical System’ in Delhi. Named after the Italian painter, the robotic surgical system was developed by the American company Intuitive Surgical in the early 2000s. However, it took its time to reach India. Anupama was intrigued by the technology and decided to pursue it. She underwent training in robotic surgery at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. And when the technology reached Kerala, Dr Anupama was among the few experts in the state qualified to operate it.
“I have been using the da Vinci system from around 2015. Cases of gynaecological cancer are increasing in young patients. We have children who are just 14 years of age coming in with conditions like endometriosis which was seen only in women aged 25 and above. In such cases, it is not just about curing the cancer. It is about saving their quality of life. These kids can’t have their stomachs cut open and live with body image issues. Robotic surgery has made a breakthrough in ensuring that,” adds Dr Anupama. Dr Anupama passed MBBS from Government Medical College, Kottayam. She trains many physicians in robotic surgery across India, and handles a team of post-graduate students at Amrita too. “I probably read more than my daughter who is in school.”
Angel of mercy
Mary Esthappan clearly remembers the fateful day in 1998 when she met the person who became the catalyst that led to the founding of Bethlehem Abhayabhavan. Today, 23 years later, the Angel of Bethlehem, as she is called, is a satisfied soul having taken care of over 1,000 destitute.“Before Abhayabhavan, I was a homemaker bringing up three children,” said Mary who was honoured with the Akkamma Cherian Vanitha Ratnam award by the state government in 2018.
Everything in her life changed the day she met Peter, an 80-year-old destitute, at Potta near Kochi. “I had gone to the retreat centre with my children and was returning home.” On the way to the bus stand, Mary’s children wanted something to eat, so they went to a nearby eatery. “While I was waiting for the food parcel, I heard a pathetic cry. On turning around, I saw a very old haggard person with matted hair and a beard. From his actions, I understood that he was hungry,” added Mary.
But the shopkeeper and passersby were shooing him away. “When I urged the shopkeeper to give him some food, he refused rudely,” said Mary who didn’t think twice before taking the food parcel meant for her children and giving it to the man. “I questioned the purpose of attending the retreat when I can’t put to practice the things I have learnt there.” So while leaving, Mary asked the man whether he would like to go with them.
“He readily agreed. He told me his name was Peter.” Mary along with her children and Peter, set out on their journey home at Kuruppumpady. “But, where would I accommodate him? That was one of the main concerns.” She found a solution in the abandoned building where she had earlier raised chickens. This was the first Abhayabhavan. “When I decided to take Peter in, the neighbours and kin were far from welcoming. People would tease me. However, I never paid heed to the taunts,” said Mary whose deed soon became a topic of discussion.
“Soon more people began coming in to seek refuge. Along with the destitute, many people came forward offering financial help,” said Mary whose Bethlehem Abhayabhavan in Perumbavoor now accommodates 400 inmates all of whom have been rescued from the streets. “Many inmates have been discharged after getting cured of their mental issues,” she said. On Monday, March 8, Mary will be honoured with the Bhoomika award at a function to be held in Kochi.
The future is eco-female
Despite the progress the human race has made, women continue to be exploited. Besides being muzzled, they are also forced to use products that are hazarduous to their health in the long run. All these factors led Kavya Menon to identify as an eco-feminist. But who is an eco-feminist you ask?
“Ecofeminism is a movement that sees a connection between the exploitation and degradation of the natural world and the subordination and oppression of women.”
It brings together elements of the feminist and green movements, while at the same time offering a challenge to both. “I am an environmental engineer from IIT Madras and have been exposed to many situations that highlighted the issues faced by women. All these triggered questions in my mind about women being forced to use unhealthy products. Why not let her choose?” says Kavya.
“Broadly, the work I do can be put under the umbrella of reproduction and sexual health rights along with environmental sustainability.” Kavya’s work mainly focuses on sustainable menstruation, menstrual awareness health , sexual education and therapy. She runs an NGO in Chennai along with sustainable menstrual collectives in Kerala.“I am part of the Green The Red movement in the country. Our focus has been on promoting menstrual health and hygiene.
Along with it, we work towards promoting environmental-friendly products like reusable cloth pads and menstrual cups.” .“I conduct awareness training irrespective of region, gender or area. I have conducted classes even in medical colleges. It might come as a surprise to you. But medical students also aren’t aware of menstrual issues,” adds Kavya. Another method she uses to help women with menstrual problems is Aviva. “This is a dance form from Hungary and has helped treat various menstrual issues.”
As part of her mission, Kavya conducted a drive from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram and addressed over 20,000 people, many of whom expressed interest in becoming trainers. In 2020, she conducted an online movie festival on menstrual issues. “For the past two years, I have been organising a cloth pad project in the coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram,” says Kavya who will be launching an NGO christened Karma.
Shift to thrift
Towards the end of the lockdown, when Gopika Vijay was clearing out her cupboard, she realised that she had so many clothes she doesn’t even wear anymore. “All of us have that problem. Festive clothes are worn once or twice and tucked away into the corner of our cupboards to never see the light of day again,” she quips. That is when the idea struck her, to start an online platform that gives and takes pre-owned clothes. The 23-year-old who hails from Cherai, is a marketing graduate working as a sales executive for a company in Bengaluru. Her two-month-old venture, Green Wardrobe, collects and ships used clothes across the country.
Gopika has been interested in sustainable fashion since she was young. “I used to read up on waste generated by fashion, and sustainable ways to avoid it. During the lockdown, many such thrift stores sprung up in cities like Mumbai and Chennai,” she says. When she launched Green Wardrobe, Gopika received a number of messages from people saying have been waiting for something similar to come up in Kerala.
City residents either drop off their used clothes at Gopika’s house or she collects them. Those residing outside the district courier them to her. “Quality is definitely a concern for many. There is stigma around used clothes that many people are yet to overcome. I get many enquiries on my page from potential buyers about this,” she says.
To ensure the quality of pre-used clothes brought to her, Gopika requests for pictures and videos before she agrees to collect them. “I ask them how old a garment is, if it is faded or if the stitches have come undone. Only if the clothes pass the quality check, I agree to collect them. If I still end up receiving a piece no one would want to buy, I send it back.
But I haven’t had to do that so far. People seem to be responsible enough,” she says. Green Wardrobe operates as a thrift store and also accepts donations. “Donated clothes are given away. At the thrift store, I pay the sellers when the clothes are sold. I keep 30 per cent as commission, and I pay the seller 70 per cent of the price,” she says. Though the clothes are sourced from Kerala, Gopika now ships clothes to other states in south India.
Find Green Wardrobe on Instagram @gw_thriftstore
A ticket to thesis
Kavitha Nair, a conductor with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has proved that grit and determination can take you a long way. Her research on poet and critic K Satchidanandan’s work has secured her a doctorate in Malayalam literature from the University of Kerala.Kavitha enrolled as a PhD scholar in 2012. However, she couldn’t continue her research owing to personal reasons and joined the KSRTC in 2015.
“Although I qualified for UGC NET lectureship in 2012, I couldn’t take up teaching as I aspired to do. But, I never gave up my ambition,” says Kavitha, who has been working as a bus conductor at Palode depot in Thiruvananthapuram for the past six years. Before taking up the job, Kavitha was an active member at the Nanniyode grama panchayat.
The research was undertaken with the guidance of Dr B Balanandan who supported Kavitha through the completion of her doctorate. “I worked hard after my work hours and also utilised my free time to study. All this happened because of the support of my family and colleagues,” says Kavitha.
Kavitha’s husband, Dharmarajan S S who is a Malayalam professor at a government dollege in Kattappana, Idukki, also helped her with preparing for the examinations and research. “Since I have a three-day week at work, I attended classes on the remaining days. Balancing work and studies was quite tough but my colleagues at the depot encouraged me to complete the research by filling in for me.” Now a proud PhD degree holder, Kavitha plans to continue her current job as a bus conductor and gradually move to teaching which has been her dream.
Race to the top
Gopika Nandu, an IT employee from Thiruvananthapuram is also a triathlete and knows exactly how to manage her work life along with her passion in sports. The 24-year-old has proved her mettle in many national events and her achievements speak of her talent. Gopika who owns the title of being the youngest female super randonneur in the country is currently preparing for the World Ironman event to be held in Kazakhstan in August this year.
Her desire to pursue something challenging led her to join the Trivandrum Runners Club. “It was in 2014 that I first participated in a 10km marathon held in the city and was able to complete it in about one hour and fifteen minutes. Around that time I came to know about randonneuring triathlons held in different parts of the country,” says Gopika.
Randonneuring is a long distance endurance sport where cyclists attempt brevets, which include bicycle rides of 200km and more. Gopika’s first brevet was a 200km bicycle ride held in Thiruvananthapuram in 2017 organised by the Trivandrum Bikers Club. Aiming for the title of super randonneur, Gopika later participated in a series of rides.
According to her, unlike other sporting events, the Ironman is the one of the toughest endurance events and needs a lot of practice. The triathlon will also be her maiden international attempt. “I have begun my preparations for the World Ironman. The competition requires the participants to complete in a swim of 3.8km, a bicycle ride of 190km and a run of 42km. I am a cyclist and runner and began swimming only three years ago. Since the competition includes swimming in the sea, I am training myself for the same,” adds Gopika.
She is one of the very few long-distance cyclists from the city who has created her niche in sports apart from balancing her professional career. “Although I had planned to participate in the World Ironman held in Denmark last year, the pandemic upset my plans. If I win this title in Kazakhstan, I would become the second Indian to do so after Kaustubh Radkar.”