With the aim to get them to know be inspired by women achievers in various fields, Akhil Gomantak Kshatriya Maratha Samaj, Ponda branch in collaboration with the Directorate of Art and Culture, Directorate of Women and Child Development and Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir will be organising Stree Sanman- an of-the and by-the ladies program on June 17, 2018 at Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir, Ponda.
“The whole event will be handled by ladies.This is an opportunity for the ladies to come together and to know and bond with others who are doing good work in their respective fields,” says Dr Vivek Prabhudesai, president of Akhil Gomantak Kshatriya Maratha Samaj, Ponda branch.
The idea for this event, he says, was floated during one of the meetings of the samaj which was taken up by the five active lady members of the committee. These five ladies then came together to organise the Stree Sanman programme where in they roped in 25 women volunteers to build their programme committee.
But why have such a programme focusing on women now? “Ladies have always been centre of all the major responsibilities in the house and outside too. The months of April and March become a little stressful due to various exams scheduled during that period. It gets worse with the onset of the holidays and getting everyone together is a herculean task. Once school reopens, the daily routine returns and it is more convenient for ladies to have a day for themselves on a Sunday,” states Prabhudesai.
The programme will commence with an opening ceremony which will be graced by Akalpita Raut Desai, litterateur as the chief guest and Reena Govind Gaude, businesswoman as the guest of honour. A presentation by lady officer from the Directorate of Women and Child would highlight various government schemes for women.
In the post lunch session, a special lecture on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be delivered by Dhanashree Sardesai Jambotikar from the royal family of erstwhile Jamboti. Folk dances of Goa will be presented by ladies groups from various parts of the state on the occasion.
A felicitation programme of 14 women achievers of the community will be held at the hands of the chief guest Vijayadevi Rane, former chairperson of Bal Bhavan, Panaji. The 7 women achievers include: Mangala Desai, National and State awardee for Best Teacher, Surekha Naik, National and State awardee for best teacher, Sangeeta Parab, ex-MLA and former cabinet minister, Sarika Faldessai, sessions court judge, Saee Prabhudesai, district court judge, Dr Sushma Prabhu, leading lady milk producer (West zone) National Awardee, Urja Naik Gaonkar, singer and participant of Zee Saregama Marathi, Sanika Pawar, national awardee for poetry, Samiksha Ratnakar Desai, film artist, Meghana Shetgaonkar, senior scale officer, Goa Civil Services, Ojasvi Faldessai, selected through a competitive exam to visit NASA, Nikita Malik, cricket player, Santoshi Rane Sawant, played for South zone ladies cricket team, Neelima Rane, Florence Nightingale (for nursing) national Awardee.
“Once the ladies step out of the house to establish their career, identity, the men automatically get sucked into handling the responsibilities of the house. It is a wrong mindset that men come in the path of success of women. We, men, want our ladies to move out and be self sufficient. At these points we tend to willingly take up the the household tasks not as an additional responsibility or burden, but as part of our own duties as member of the family,” adds Prabhudesai.
