Women should change mindset, says Sunita Krishnan

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 9:

Women should change their mindset towards woman and girl child, said noted social activist Padma Shri Sunita Krishnan on the occasion of International Women’s Day celebration at KIIT University yesterday here.

Woman’s body is not a sex object. Women should change the attitude and mindset of men towards women in this respect, said Krishnan, who is also Chief Functionary & Co-Founder of Prajwal.

Speaking on the occasion, she said, “International Women’s Day is not about women, it is about men who don’t have respect for women”.

Kathak maestro & former bureaucrat Padma Shri Sovana Narayan, who attended the function, said, “Even though, woman is worshipped as shakti (power) in Indian tradition, majority mindset is that she is abalaa (powerless) and durbala (weak)”.

“In our tradition, Ardhanarishvara (composite form of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati) is also worshipped. It proves man and woman have equal rights in the society and woman is as capable as man in every sphere”, she explained.

Women are the mentors of the future generation and they should assert their choice in every sphere, Narayan said. “Women should become the agent of change and play a role in sensitizing the society”, she said.

“America believes woman is the engine of growth and it is committed to advance the rise of women globally. America has taken many steps to eliminate gender biased violence”, said Gabriel Hons-Olivier, Chief Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate, Hyderabad.

Trafficking of women is the most heinous crime, along with arms and drugs trafficking, stated Arda Ulutas, Consul General of Turkey in Hyderabad.

Turkey has taken many steps to prevent women trafficking. Turkey has also taken many steps to give women equal rights and opportunities in every sphere, he added.

Today women have shown that their capability and competence are equal to men in every sector, said Alka Tomar, Indian wrestler and Arjuna awardee. She narrated her own story, how she became a world-class sportswoman in wrestling, a male-dominated sport.

Noted filmmaker Leena Yadav said, women should be honest and true. “We are responsible of our own problem and we should solve our problems ourselves”, she added.

“We always give importance to women empowerment and as a result 40% of employees in KIIT and 60% in KISS are women. Similarly, 40% students of KIIT and 60% of KISS are girls.” said KIIT and KISS Founder Achyuta Samanta.