The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Sex ratio cause for concern: Governor

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 04, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Sex ratio cause for concern: Governor

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, OCT. 3. The Governor, P.S. Ramamohan Rao, has commended Kasturbha Nilayam, a voluntary organisation, for its social service in Chennai and urged it to fan out to districts and address the imbalance in sex ratio, infanticide and foeticide.

Participating in a meeting here yesterday to mark the organisation's golden jubilee, the Governor said Kasturbha Nilayam, after a "useful and constructive existence" for 50 years, should renew its commitment to social causes and induct more youngsters. It should reinvent itself by "finding new causes to pursue to the advantage of the country."

Women's empowerment was a continuing cause, notwithstanding that "this part of Asia" had many women Prime Ministers and Presidents. Mr. Rao said sex ratio was increasingly becoming adverse, especially among the relatively educated and the affluent sections. The organisation should form branches in districts to achieve its objectives, said the Governor, who released the golden jubilee souvenir.

Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy, a founder-member and dean and director of the Padma Seshadri group of schools, recalled the growth of Kasturbha Nilayam. Shanti Raghavan, Kasturbha Nilayam president, said it was formed in 1953 by a group of service-minded women and was engaged in social activities. Jayashree Narayanan, Joint Secretary, said the organisation encouraged its members to keep alive their interest in arts, crafts and music. It conducted classes in painting, cookery and tailoring. Kasturbha Nilayam sponsored students in Standards VI-XII, paying their fees and providing them with books and uniforms. Akshaya, its book bank project, enabled college students to borrow books and use them for three years.

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