Government offices, social organisations, and educational institutions celebrated International Women’s Day with fanfare on Friday with a host of programmes.
In a gathering to mark the day organised by the Forum of Women In Public Sector (WIPS), S. Prabhakar, executive director, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) Tiruchi complex, said that women employees must take up the responsibility of creating awareness about their rights among the less privileged. “Each and every empowered woman must take a pledge to help at least one underprivileged girl child to get educated and become independent,” he said. He later gave away prizes to the winners of competitions.
The day’s proceedings included a talk on ‘wonder women’ by P. Jeyanthi, psychiatric medicine consultant. Notebooks were presented to students of Sarada Middle School.
In Nagapattinam, at a function organised by the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department, Collector Johny Tom Varghese flagged off a mobile awareness drive about women’s rights by the department and released balloons along with girl students.
Sanitary napkin vending machines were inaugurated at the Government Medical College Hospital, Government Arts College for Women, and Nagapattinam Collectorate premises on Friday.
A total of 100 sewing machines were gifted to beneficiaries by Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment Department and identity cards were distributed to Nagapattinam Corporation sanitation workers.
Social organisations
Tiruchi-based Sharon Charity Organisation conferred vocational excellence awards on R. Jayalakshmi, Manikandam Block Education Officer, S. Subasree, joint managing director, Subham Freight Carriers and S. Uma, teacher, Panchayat Union Primary School, Edamalaipatti Pudur.
Non-profit organisation VOICE Trust hosted a celebration for 300 women from the villages of C.R. Palayam, Siruganur, Tirupattur, Maniyankurichi, and Reddimangudi, supported by Tiruchi-Samayapuram Shine Lions Club.
Social worker R. Indumathi of Education Without Borders and Karthika Kavinkumar, secretary, Tamil Nadu Children’s Writers and Artists Association, spoke.
Institutions
In Thanjavur, the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management – Tiruchi (NIFTEM-T) organised a free training programme for aspiring women entrepreneurs to celebrate the day.
Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, addressed the gathering through video conference, about the key role played by women in the sector. The Minister launched Half Time Teaching Assistantship (HTTA) for postgraduate students and Half Time Research Assistantship (HTRA) for doctoral students of NIFTEM-T. These fellowships will provide financial support to students enrolling M.Tech and Ph.D degrees at NIFTEM-T.
The Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology (PMIST) marked the 105th birth anniversary of E.V.R. Maniammai along with Women’s Day celebrations.
Various literary events, including poetry and oratory contests, were held to mark Maniammai’s birth anniversary. Thirty students participated in a blood donation programme at Thanjavur Medical College in memory of the leader.
