Tag: WOMEN’S DAY

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‘SHE IS’ Highlights Women’s Everyday Struggles

She walks amongst harsh reality of life with her ambition on one hand and on the other her family, but she does a balance act. Whenever she is down, a line from the inspirational song written by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s Jodi Tor Dak Shune Keu Na Ashe Tome Ekla Chalo Re… reports Vinod Raghavan

SHE IS – Mother, Sister, Daughter, Wife and Friend portrayed by well known model-actor Piya Pawani in the short film directed by Anirban Ray as a mark of respect to all womenfolk on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The 10-minute film portrays Piya in a pivotal role highlighting her daily chores, which she takes it up with ease inspite of ups and downs in her life.

Her family with her husband played by Kabeer Yousuf, son by Rehan and the mother-in-law by veteran actor Azra Aleem. Piya playing the role of a multi tasking lady, handles her office pressure with ease and a smile.

Inspite of her hard work, the trophy which she was awarded is snatched by her male colleague portrayed by Anirban Ray. She pleads to the world it’s her hard work for which she has been rewarded, but the shrewd colleague snatches and shamelessly claims as his achievement, the director highlighted the ongoing scenario in the job market how people manipulates.

EVEN WOMEN TOO

It’s not only men, but women too are manipulator, is shown beautifully in the film. Piya helps an unknown lady played by Indu Baburaj, in her journey of achieving greater heights, and the same lady blocks her and pulls her down. Inspite of blocking her, a shocked Piya wishes good luck to the unknown soul and moves ahead.

In her journey balancing between work and home front, she faces lot of opposition which the director subtly used from the mythology – Ramayana, Mahabharata, Apple as eve from the Bible and Desert as Hagar, mother of Ismael from Islam religion.

Like in Ramayana, Sita had to spend in dense jungle and also had to face the Agni (fire) test. Director smartly explored beautiful locations from various parts of Oman and in Mahabarata the Pandavas and Kauravas plays  the dice game.

The jungle and the fire scenes are from the picturesque Hadash Village which is on a curvy mountain 1500 metre above sea level around 200 km from Muscat on the Barka-Nakhal road.

Piya boldly crossed the real fire which was shot thrice, as the director wanted to get more perfection and she did it with ease.

She was also stalked by a local Romeo, seeing a single women, he tried tried to bully her, but she displayed her women power skills too and crosses the hurdle and moves ahead.

After the day long travelling and shooting, the entire crew were tired. While returning back the director saw the beautiful Moon shining in the darkness , he asked the driver to stop and summoned Piya, for one more shot, the exhausted actress didn’t thought for a second and faced the camera nearly for an   hour.

In another shot at Yitti surrounded by beautiful mountains, was the tough scene as weather was bad, entire crew armed with warm jackets and covered their head with caps and scarfs, but Piya bravely faced the chilly wind and without any complain shot for hours.

Ekla Chalo

The famous Bangla song written by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and sung by Usha Uthap song Ekla Chalo… Perfectly suits her and uplifts her energy to start afresh inspite of all hurdles she comes across in her journey from family to work place, her dedication was tremendous said Anirban who was happy to see the outcome of the film.

The film was gripped by its soulful narration by Kartik P a business analyst by profession in Oman and the photography by Anirban was assisted by Vishal Raghavan.

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-Top News UAE News

UAE celebrates Emirati Women’s Day

Sheikha Fatima said Emirati women have always been a cornerstone of the country’s present and future, and all relevant achievements on the ground are the fruits of the hard work that involved their participation, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

Women in the UAE have always played a crucial role in UAE’s journey, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has said expressing his gratitude on Emirati Women’s Day on Sunday.

“On Emirati Women’s Day, we extend our gratitude to the women of the UAE for their exceptional achievements in a wide range of fields and unflinching dedication to the progress of our society and country,” Sheikh Mohamed wrote on twitter.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said: “On Emirati Women’s Day, we celebrate the mother of the Emirates and role models for Emirati women, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.”

Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), has stressed that women are the cornerstone of the country’s process of building and empowerment, and are the icons of its national achievements.

She told state media WAM that the model of Emirati women’s empowerment established by the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has been reinforced by leading national achievements and supported by the UAE’s leadership.

“Emirati women have always been a cornerstone of the country’s present and future, and all relevant achievements on the ground are the fruits of the hard work that involved their participation.”

“The UAE has completed 50 years of hard work and success. The country’s journey began in the desert and reached out to space.”

“As we start the next 50 years of our journey, we call on all females in the country to be proud of our accomplishments and build on them, as well as continue the development process to shape a bright future.”

“Emirati women have proved they are worthy of their responsibilities and the leadership’s trust and support,” she added.

The Ministry of Community Development has organised a dialogue session and other activities on Sunday.

The dialogue session was attended by Moza Al Akraf Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Development, and a number of the ministry’s staff.

The session hosted a group of renowned Emirati women who spoke about how their professional roles integrate with the authentic values that the ministry seeks to consolidate among Emirati families and society based on the ministry’s vision of supporting a stable family and a cohesive community.

During the session, Amal Al Sahlawi, Emirati writer and poet, spoke about her writings, poems, her role in disseminating UAE’s deep-rooted values, and the point of view of contemporary women poetically and intellectually.

Alia Al Shamlan, Director and Founder of Furjan Dubai Initiative, spoke about her initiative and role in reviving values, promoting them among members of the Emirati community, and bracing the spirit of communication between neighbours and residents of the neighbourhood known as “Fereej” in Emirati dialect.

Sustainable social impact

Several female Emirati volunteers who are part of programmes and initiatives of the Authority of Social Contribution (Ma’an) stressed that Emirati Women’s Day is an occasion to celebrate the inspiring achievements of Emirati women and their role in creating a sustainable social impact that enhances the country’s stature.

“In light of the ongoing support of the UAE’s leadership for Emirati women, under the framework of a forward-looking vision aimed at empowering them, Emirati women have utilised all opportunities provided to them in various areas, and have engaged in the process of sustainable development,” Salama Al Amimi, Director-General of Ma’an said.

Excellence in sports

Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union (GWU) and President of the UAE Women Sports Federation, said that Emirati women have ushered in a new era of empowerment and excellence in sports.

“The date, 28th August, is a pivotal milestone in the journey of Emirati women, as it witnessed the appointment of Sheikha Fatima as president of the GWU, which was established on 27th August, 1975, after she made remarkable achievements, driven by a progressive vision, and became an inspiring leader who contributed to the journey of women’s empowerment on cultural, economic, developmental, technological and sporting fronts,” she said.

 “Over 47 years, she fashioned out of Emirati women icons who inspire women around the world. Emirati women have occupied high positions in the local and global arenas, leveraging the leadership’s support and the UAE’s female empowerment strategy to the fullest,” she said.

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Int’l Women’s Day celebrated at Parliament House

The speakers underscored a diverse range of aspects, linking mental health to psychiatry, social stigma, yoga, physical movement and performing arts…reports Asian Lite News

International Women’s Day was celebrated at the House of Commons of the British Parliament recently. Aligning with this year’s theme #BreaktheBias, the program highlighted the challenges and solutions to mental health problems. 

The event was hosted by Virendra Sharma MP and organised by Sushma Bhanot, a businesswoman and co-director of Coolherbals, who has spent 20 years supporting thousands of women suffering poor mental, physical and financial health in Essex and beyond.

Host Virendra Sharma MP and organiser Sushma Bhanot MBE

The speakers underscored a diverse range of aspects, linking mental health to psychiatry, social stigma, yoga, physical movement and performing arts.

Heather Mason, Founder of The Minded Institute, spoke on Yoga and Mental Health. After Dr. Ragini Bahry, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and clinical lead at the Priory North London spoke, award-winning author, spoken word artist and writer Jaspreet Kaur spoke on the stigma attached to mental health in South Asian communities and read excerpts from her debut book Brown Girl Like Me. Dr Ravina Bhanot, an NHS Doctor specialised in Women’s Health and Founder of FemTech company Zonas spoke about how hormones can affect mental health. Simona Neata mental health struggles among new moms and how to cope.

Jaspreet Kaur speaking at the Women’s Day event

University Educator and award-winning dancer Ragasudha Vinjamuri spoke on the role of music and dance in mental health and how Dance Movement Therapy and Music Therapy are helpful in Complementary and Alternative Medicine in addressing trauma, anxiety, stress, exhaustion, aggression, and sleep disorders. She then presented a short dance. Counselor, trainer Ramesh Kumari Talwar outlined the report on the mental health needs of Asian Women in the Borough of Greenwich/Greenwich MIND. Reiki Master Bali Bhalla spoke on how colours and Reiki help mental wellbeing.

Former Senior Project Manager at the Department of Education, founder of Super Cool Friends and co-founder of the Great British Chai Party Kiran Bhanaut spoke on loneliness, mental wellbeing, and social isolation in the elderly.  The event concluded with fitness instructor and D-Style founder Angelique giving inputs on wellbeing, Founder and Chairman of volunteer organisation Go Dharmic adding a faith element and Neela Sedhani adding a poetry element. Sushma, who was awarded an MBE for her services to wellbeing in the community says “I wanted to highlight the fact that mental wellbeing is very important and wanted to offer practical solutions and answers. The day concluded with many action points to improve mental wellbeing in the community and nationally”.

Dr Raveena Bhanot speaking at the Womens Day event
Simona Neata at Womens Day event
Ragasudha Vinjamuri presenting at Womens Day event
Ramesh Kumari Talwar speaking at the Womens Day event
Kiran Bhanaut speaking at the Womens Day event
Bali Bhalla speaking at the Womens Day event
Angelique at the Womens Day event
Hemal Randerwala speaking at the Womens Day event

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Indian mission in Riyadh hosts wives, relatives of diplomats on women’s day

Indian mission in Riyadh hosts wives, relatives of diplomats on women’s day

The event was widely attended by wives and relatives of foreign diplomats based in the Saudi capital…reports Asian Lite News

Indian Embassy in Riyadh hosted International Women’s Day celebrations organised by the Wives of Heads of Mission (WHOM), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a colourful display of cultural performances, art exhibition and international bazaar.

The event was widely attended by wives and relatives of foreign diplomats based in the Saudi capital.

Indian mission in Riyadh hosts wives, relatives of diplomats on women’s day

Farha Sayeed, President of the Wives of Heads of Mission Association, also the wife of the Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, said: “Gender equality is an issue of both human dignity and respect and greater global prosperity. Sustainable development goals are not achievable if half of the world’s population remains excluded,” the Arab News quoted Farha Sayeed, President of the Wives of Heads of Mission Association, as saying.

Farha Sayeed, who is also the wife of the Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed lauded the Saudi leadership for its strong political resolve to empower women, raise the level of their economic participation, and build on their capacities and knowledge, according to the report.

The event’s colorful cultural program included a show of costumes from Japan, India, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, and a song and dance performance involving artists from France, India, Sri Lanka, and Guinea, it was reported.

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WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL: Her stories of emancipation

From diverse backgrounds, different generations, they have risen through sheer grit, determination, bolstered with passion, and are, today, names to look up to, to hold out as examples to the next generation of young women and girls, giving them courage to reach out to their dreams…reports Asian Lite News

They changed India with their valiant ways; others were valiant achievers, rebels, warriors and activists who changed the wave of complacent human existence.

Some were celebrated; others vilified; some were casually neglected and yet their stories live on.

Two books from Rupa Publications bring alive their stories this International Women’s Day and are a reminder that the human will can never be suppressed, no matter what the odds.

“Rising: 30 Women Who Changed India” is an ode to the inspiring women who changed India with their valiant ways and is a must read for aspiring #BossWomen and little girls who seek to change and lead the world.


The book looks at what shaped them, the challenges they faced, the influences they had, the choices they made and how they negotiated around or broke the boundaries that sought to confine them, either through society or circumstance.

From diverse backgrounds, different generations, they have risen through sheer grit, determination, bolstered with passion, and are, today, names to look up to, to hold out as examples to the next generation of young women and girls, giving them courage to reach out to their dreams.

From politics to sport, from the creative and performing arts to cinema and television, from business leaders to scientists, legal luminaries and more, this book features the stories of these much celebrated, fabulous women: Sushma Swaraj, Sheila Dikshit, Fathima Beevi, Mahasweta Devi, Amrita Sher-Gil, Amrita Pritam, Sonal Mansingh, Lata Mangeshkar, Anita Desai, M.S. Subbulakshmi, Harita Kaur Deol, Madhuri Dixit, Bachendri Pal, Rekha, Chhavi Rajawat, Karnam Malleswari, Shailaja Teacher, Hima Das, Naina Lal Kidwai, Shakuntala Devi, P.T. Usha, P.V. Sindhu, Ekta Kapoor, Kiran Bedi, Mary Kom, Menaka Guruswamy, Tessy Thomas, Aparna Sen, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Gayatri Devi, among others.

Kiran Manral is a writer, author and novelist based in Mumbai. Her fiction titles include “The Reluctant Detective”, “Once Upon a Crush”, “All Aboard!” “Saving Maya”, “Missing: Presumed Dead”, “The Face at the Window”, “The Kitty Party Murder” and “More Things in Heaven and Earth”. In the non-fiction category, her works include “Karmic Kids”, “True Love Stories”, “A Boy’s Guide to Growing Up”, “13 Steps to Bloody Good Parenting”, “Raising Kids with Hope and Wonder in Times of a Pandemic and Climate Change”.

She has received multiple awards such as the Women Achievers Award by Young Environmentalists Association in 2013 and the International Women’s Day Award 2018 from ICUNR.

Igniting the spark of feminist consciousness, “Her Stories Indian Women Down The Ages” by Deepti Priya Mehrotra is a saga of valiant women achievers, rebels, warriors and activists who changed the wave of complacent human existence.

The book celebrates the stories of women with forgotten glory, such as: Philosopher Sulabha, philanthropist Vishakha, fearless Uppalavanna, justice maker Leima Laisna, astronomer Khona, intrepid Sultan Razia, martial artiste Unniyarcha, poet-saint Janabai, Gond Rani Durgavati, cult ural ambassador Harkha, pepper queen Abbakka, fakira Jahanara, brave Onake Obavva, Dalit rebel Nangeli and many more.

These were poets, performers, warriors, saints, philosophers, activists and more, yet we hardly remember their courage and contributions. The time has come to bring their history to the fore.

Their stories describe desperate situations, ingenious strategies and brilliant sparks of feminist consciousness.

Rather than accounts of isolated “great women”, these stories place at the centre the ordinary woman, in all her splendid diversity, multifaceted struggle and achievement. The women profiled were encouraged and supported by others in their achievements represent the aspirations of many in the past, and provide inspiration for us in the present.

Cutting across several regions of India and presented in chronological order from the second millennium BCE, to the mid-19th century India, these are the stories of women who have been thinkers, doers, movers and shakers who have subverted hierarchies, brought peace out of chaos and survived despite routine devaluation.

Deepti Priya Mehrotra is a political scientist, with cross-disciplinary interests. Her ground-breaking books include “Home Truths: Stories of Single Mothers”, “Burning Bright: Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur”, “A Passion for Freedom: The Story of Kisanin Jaggi Devi”, “Gulab Bai: The Queen of Nautanki Theatre” and “Bharatiya Mahila Andolan: Kal, Aaj aur Kal”.

Mehrotra advises civil society organizations on gender and education issues, has taught social science at Delhi University, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI), Agra and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and designed curriculum for the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). She is recipient of fellowships by Indian Council for Philosophical Research, MacArthur Foundation and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library.

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