Say 'No' to discrimination - Bengaluru PRCI-YCC celebrate Daughters’ Day

#Shakti4Beti draws wide applause

BENGALURU: Celebrating Daughter’s Day on Sunday with the theme #Shakti4Beti in memory of Kalpana Chawla the Indo- American NASA astronaut who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster, PRCI-YCC felicitated six young women achievers awarded scholarship to a girl student from economically backward section.

Social activist Dr. AkkaiPadmashali, fitness expert Wanita Ashok, playback singer Supriya Lohit, police constable Archana, Pragati TV, head of operations, Shilpashree, and head of marketing & exports, Peenya Industrial Gases Pvt. Ltd Laksmi Pillay, were presented awards for being women achievers.

Awardees Dr.Akkai Padamashali & Supriya Lohit

Scholarships were awarded to Hirshita who scored 93.12% in SSLC and financial assistance was extended to Nishanka B.R., a Press Club office helper.

The event was organized by  Public Relations Council  of India (PRCI) and Young Communicators Club (YCC), who have been holding this event for the past seven years. 

This year, PRCI and YCC launched a movement called ‘Swabhiman’ to empower the girl child. Swabhiman is a non-violent movement to empower women through Public Relations.

Well-known poet and Lyricist Dr Doddarange Gowda, a Padmashree awaredee, Dr. N.S Leela, the driving force behind Agastya Foundation Connecting the Dot an Organisation taking science to rural India and forging new educational methods aiming to bring about a change in the pattern of education, spoke.

PRCI-Bengaluru also launched its house journal VAAGMI. 

Dr Gowda, a Padmashree awaredee, said society should not discriminate women. Both male and female are interdependent. It is sad to see the discrimination rising even at high levels in the society. He likened woman to a doctor of the family as she take care of the family’s health. Her presence is seen in every walk of life – from the sky to the earth, he said.

Skit by Cauvery Kanya Gurukulam students

Dr. N.S Leela asked the society to stop thinking that a woman is dependent. The voice of women power is reaching its new heights. We require these type of events and programmes to make the presence of womanhood felt, she said and appreciated the awardees belonging to different fields.

Dr. Akkai is a male-to-female Transwoman, social activist. Her journey is one of courage and determination. From begging on the streets and participating in sex work for two square meals a day, she is now an activist that has inspired many.

Padmashali has filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India against Section 377 stating that the colonial law is in violation of the constitutional rights as well as the 2014 National Legal Service Authority judgment. She was invited by the International Bar Association to speak about the legal rights of sexual minorities, in a conference held at Tokyo in October 2014. She is the first transgender person to receive an honorary doctorate from the Indian Virtual University for Peace and Education.

Constable, Karnataka State Police posted at Electronic City Police Station, Bengaluru, Archana showed exemplary humane concern by breastfeeding an abandoned child on May 30th, 2018. The newborn was found by a rag-picker at a construction site, stuffed in a plastic bag with his umbilical cord twisted around his neck. This simple act by a young mother of a three-month old baby demonstrated her courage, strength and hope for all of us.

Team PRCI-YCC Bengaluru

Mr MB Jayaram, Chairman Emeritus and Chief Mentor of PRCI expressed gratitude to all guests for participating in the event. He also mentioned that daughters are our pride to our nation and equal opportunities have to be given to them. Empowering the girl child would bring a positive change to the society.

Dr LataT S, Chairperson PRCI Bangalore  explained that through the Young Communicators Club (YCC), the youth wing of PRCI, the organisation holds seminars, conferences, workshops and internships. 

A skit by 17 girl students from Cauvery Kanya Gurukulam of Srirangapatna and a play SEE ME AS WE by Acharya Institute of Graduation Students were the other highlights of the event.

#Shakti4Beti campaign was launched in 2016, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare 1 July as Daughter’s Day in memory of astronaut Kalpana Chawla. This campaign falls in line with the Union government’s campaign ‘BetiBachaoBetiPadhao’ to communicate the issue of security of the girl child. PRCI has been trying to create awareness about such an empowerment of girls and women.