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.

St.Claret hosts new YCC unit

New YCC takes off

BENGALURU, July 19: A new of PRCI’s Young Communicators’ Club (YCC) was born at t St.Claret College, Bangalore today.

M.B JAYARAM – Founder, Chairman-Emeritus & Chief Mentor - PRCI, Geetha Shankar – Director, Governing Council-PRCI & National Chairperson –YCC , Maya Chandra – Chairperson – YCC Karnataka    and Prashanth - Secretary - YCC Karnataka were present.

The event was led by Rev.Fr Dr.Sabu George, Principal and Rev.Fr Vineeth George, Vice-Principal - St.Claret College. In all, 80 students of Journalism & Mass Communication becale YCC members at the event.

Jayaram also launched the College's YouTube Channel - BOOKMARK, and spoke to the students on the need to focus on their careers.

Geetha Shankar highlighted the need for a fiery passion and commitment among the students to succeed in life. Maya Chandra briefed the audience about YCC and its objectives.

Manasa Gowda - Assistant Professor of Mass Communication & Journalism, St.Claret College took over as the YCC Faculty Coordinator and Jayasurya as the YCC student coordinator.

Bengaluru rocks with Daughters' Day event

Click on this video link for a stunning short film

BENGALURU: The Annual Daughter’s Day 2017 event organized by PRCI-YCC Bangalore was an evening of celebration, recognition, pride and honour.

An eclectic blend of high profile guests, young women achievers, entertainers and an enthusiastic audience of students and invitees made sure that this event held at RV Teacher’s College Auditorium, Bangalore, was a benchmark one.

The event started off with a dance by PETALS – a Sri Lankan student dance group from Acharya College, Bangalore, followed by a divine invocation.

Dr. BK Ravi – Chairman - Bangalore Chapter-PRCI and Registrar, Bangalore University, welcomed while Maya Chandra, Chairperson-YCC, Karnataka, spoke about the concept of Daughter’s Day being celebrated in memory of Indo-US astronaut Kalpana Chawla.

The various speakers complemented PRCI for choosing the theme - “Shikshit Beti. Shaksham Bharat”.

Winners all smiles with VIP guests and PRCI-YCC office bearers

Dr.Venkat Rao, Vice-Chancellor National Law School University, Bangalore, spoke on the super power of women, and said that if there any disappointment in his life it is the fact that he does not a daughter though he has two dons.

Dr.Sabiha Bhumigouda, Vice-Chancellor-Akkamahadevi Women’s University, Vijayapura  (Karnataka’s only all women University) appreciated  the design concept of the woman’s hands with mehendi on the backdrop for the event that depicted all the things that women manage and succeed. She expressed that women are leading the way to a brighter India, and events like these are essential to catalyze and motivate them further.

Ms.Roopa MV, Scientist-ISRO in her Keynote Speech discussed the role of women scientists at ISRO and gave exciting insights into ISRO’s work. This was an apt tribute to the work of Kalpana Chawla, who has inspired us at PRCI-YCC to organize Daughter’s Day every year.

VR Satyanarayana, a life coach spoke on the need to be spirited and focused.

This year’s  theme of “Shikshit Beti. Shaksham Bharat” was literally brought to life, meaningfully on stage and on screen.

A scholarship was presented by Mr.Kusumakar Shetty to  Vinitha – daughter of a domestic help who is studying 9^th standard, and wants to study further.

The real life story of Anwar Pasha and Farida was emotionally captured in a short film, produced and directed by Maya Chandra – Head-YCC Karnataka.

This story brought out the odds and communal objections that these parents are undergoing just to educate their only daughter Simran – who has a dream of becoming a teacher.

PRCI-YCC presented the Daughters’ Day awards to a galaxy of young women achievers from diverse walks of life :

• Vasanthakumari – an organic farmer and activist
• Tejaswini Rajesh – a television serial artiste
• Savitha Parbat – Metro Train operator
• Rashmi Belur – Journalist
• Anjali KR – Artiste and dancer
• Shruti Mohan – digital media specialist and social activist
• Varijashree Venugopal – Musician - singer, flutist and composer
• Lavanya – swimming prodigy
• Puja Acharya – prodigy shadow play performer
• Divya Banda Pogaru – Art-based Learning

 

Let's sing for the girl child!

Samadhaan – an NGO performed a powerful silent street play that depicted the trauma of suicides among the youth, and how timely intervention can prevent such incidents. The play stressed on the need for women to have self-confidence and self-belief in spite of  hardships in life.  

The evening concluded with a scintillating shadow play performance by our prodigy awardee – Puja Acharya and golden oldies sung by popular playback singers.

The event was supported by Rashtreeya Shikshana Samithi Trust (RSST) and powered by Business Tycoon Academy and Udupi Ruchi, a local instant food brand.

#shakti4beti reaches The City of Gardens

By Sumathi Rao

BANGALORE, July 24, 2016 –Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) – celebrated Daughters’ Day in memory of Kalpana Chawla, the Indo-American astronaut and the first woman of Indian origin to enter space.

For this year’s Daughters’ Day, PRCI  launched #shakti4beti to focus on the burning issue of  the Girl Child,taking the government’s campaign “Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao”further with "Beti Suraksha".

The highlight of the programme was a Street Play by Hashmi theatre Group on various issues faced by the Girl child, ranging from female feticide to gender discrimination and societal challenges.

Stree Play: A street play focuses on #shakti4beti

Speaking on the occasion  Dr Mallika Ghanti ,Vice Chancellor Kannada University Hampi, brought out the differences in perceptions about the girl child in rural and urban  settings, also highlighting the fact that rural folk culture had a healthy respect  for women. She observed that it was surprising to find discrimination in urban  India among educated people.

She suggested we go back to our roots and stressed that it was important for women to find strength in themselves.

Dr Srinivas Prasad CEO Philips  who was the Guest of Honour urged women and girls to be bold and make the  right choices and have confidence in themselves.

Later, a a panel discussion was held on Because I am a Girl focused  on how girls can reach their full  potential, and live free from violence and discrimination, and have equal economic opportunities. In other words they should be able to learn, Lead, decide and thrive.

PRCI  awarded women acheivers on the occasion. Dr Jayalakshmi ,Vedic Sceintist, and

Scholar, Ms Neela Journalist Prajavani, Dr Deepa Shenoy, Computer Specialist Dr 

Sangeetha  and Ashwini Angadi( both visually challenged achievers) were felicitated for their contributions to society.

Powered by Concept PR, #shakti4beti is a nationwide campaign with several corporates too taking interest in empowering the girl child.