The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Spotlight on contribution of women to society

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Friday, Mar 21, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Spotlight on contribution of women to society

Staff Reporter

Winners of International Women’s Day contests given prizes

— Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

Achievers to the fore: Chennai Collector R. Jaya hands over prize to a winner of one of the competitions organised in connection with International Women’s Day in Chennai on Wednesday. World carrom champion I.Ilavazhagi, Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board chairperson Salma and Queen Mary’s College Principal R. Mathiazhagan are in the picture.

CHENNAI: About 20 winners of various competitions conducted in connection with International Women’s Day were presented prizes at a function in Queen Mary’s College for Women here on Wednesday.

They were given prizes at the International Women’s Day celebrations organised by the Chennai district administration and Chennai District Kalai Mandram. The winners had proved their mettle in various competitions, such as essay and slogan writing, poetry and dance on themes focussed on women’s empowerment and women’s rights.

Chennai Collector R. Jaya said it was for the second consecutive year that such competitions were conducted. The slogan writing contest alone got 300 entries.

Besides college students, the toppers in the competitions included a school student and an elderly woman. The event aimed at creating awareness of the women’s contribution in every field, she said.

Ms. Jaya also honoured World carrom champion I. Ilavazhagi during the occasion. Four personalities spoke about the contribution of their respective fields to women’s progress.

Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board Chairperson Salma said women, including Avvaiyar and Karaikal Ammaiyar, had made their mark in Tamil literature several centuries ago.

Their writings were still relevant. On women’s role in politics, she said their participation need not necessarily mean becoming members of political parties, but take initiatives to develop political awareness.

Madras High Court advocate Ajitha elaborated on the rights available to women through various laws. While Queen Mary’s College principal R. Mathiazhagan highlighted men’s role in women’s development, professor of Anthropology at the University of Madras S. Sumathi dealt with education’s contribution in women’s empowerment. She said besides academic knowledge, education must bring in attitudinal change among women.

Cultural programmes also formed part of the celebrations.

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