Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare on Friday said women play a pivotal role in growth of a healthy society. Status of women has improved significantly and there is a greater visibility of success of women now than it was some years back, he added. He was speaking at the inauguration of the International Women’s Day function organised by the KIIT University here.
Speaking on the occasion, eminent Odissi exponent Sonal Mansingh said God exists where women are worshipped. Mother is a creator. So, she is also a form of God, she said. Actor Pooja Bedi said there should be harsher punishment for men for harassing women. Women should be aware of the laws that protect them, she added.
Columnist Dolly Thakore stated that statistics point otherwise. A woman faces molestation or rape every half-an-hour and death every one and an half-an-hour, she pointed out.
Founder of KIIT and KISS Achyuta Samanta and president Saswati Bal also spoke, while Vice-Chancellor Prof PP Mathur proposed the vote of thanks. The inaugural ceremony was followed by two panel discussions on ‘Gender equality - Leitmotif of a civilised society’.