“Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh is set to become the first woman fighter pilot of India to fly the Rafale combat aircraft. Shivangi Singh, who hails from Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, was commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the year 2017 as part of the second batch of women fighter pilots.”
As one reads the above news piece, a sense of both wonder & pride grips you.
Yes! We have come a long way………
The change is there. It is felt and seen. Even though, there is so much more to be done. The change from the submissive, insecure, dependant, uneducated, captive, unambitious to an unyielding, secure, independent, educated, free & ambitious woman of today is visible & in experience.
Key Achievers:
- Kiran Mazumdar Shaw – Chairperson of Biocon
- Geeta Goyal – an impact investor
- Dutee Chand – an Asian Games medalist who came out as India’s first gay athlete
- Karuna Nandy – a Supreme Court Advocate known for framing India’s anti-rape bill
- Monika Shergill – Director, International Originals, Netflix India
- Manasi Joshi – a para badminton athlete who won her first gold at BWF para badminton World Championship in Switzerland,
- Ashwani Iyer Tiwari – a passionate filmmaker
Not only do these enigmatic ladies reflect the change but also symbolise an in-depth conviction to do what they do with panache.
Surely there is no denying the fact that women in India have made a considerable progress in the last fifty years. India can be reasonably proud of the success achieved by her women in every sphere of human activity.
Major Achievements:
- They have formed a vision of equality with men
- They no longer consider themselves as silent spectators in the vibrant world situation
- They believe in action & role contribution
- They ensure their individualities & explore their potential
- They yearn to break away from the worn out traditions, warped social thinking & double standards of morality
Is it all good?
Despite these achievements, there is so much more that needs to be done.
A little more than 48% of rural population in India is female. Lack of formal jobs, coupled with shrinking availability of agricultural work has led to declining numbers of women in the rural workforce.
In urban areas the women work force is half of that of their rural counterparts
A vital deduction is that the different experiences and needs of women around access to water, sanitation, safe transportation and streets, health, education and care facilities must be considered for this to rise.
Till date:
- Women hold only 15% of the board seats.
- Only 6% of board chairs are women.
The status of women in India still is in a sorry state. They suffer from discrimination, harassment & humiliation. The patriarchal society stifles growth of women to a large extent or else we would not have campaigns for “saving the girl child”. So very importantly, the basic attitude towards women & their role in society needs a drastic change for them to grow, flourish & be a vital instrumental in the
