An approximately 45-minute drive from the airport would take you to the Vardhman College of Engineering, on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Vardhman provides technical education to over 5000 students and boasted of the highest Gender ratio of 60:40 among all the colleges/universities that we have traveled to so far. In fact, we were apprised that some of the courses like that of computer science attracted a 50:50 ratio. In Kerala, earlier, we had noticed a higher ratio of girls in specific courses like Civil Engineering. In our conversation with the Principal Dr. JVR Ravindra and the HOD of electrical engineering Dr. Asif, while discussing gender parity in engineering courses, they shared their observations on Kerala, where a lot of the girls were absorbed by the Gulf Construction companies. Considered a valuable asset as the girls made very diligent and sincere workers in comparison to their male counterparts.

We reached a day before the session scheduled for 18th November and in quick succession of the session in Bangalore, Karnataka on 15th earlier in the week. Our first trip to Hyderabad beckoned us to visit at least some of its iconic sites. Of all the places we chose the Salar Jung, museum. Hiring a guide we walked down the dusty (quite literally) shelves of world history as recreated by the personal collection of artifacts of Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan or popularly known as Salar Jung III.

The next day we reached a jam-packed hall to conduct the session with students of all genders in rapt attention. A 60-minute interactive workshop embellished with extensive research data, and videos are wrapped with the steps to be taken that have been documented with IPS Chhaya Sharma, in case of sexual violence. A customary selfie post the workshops is a testimony to our interaction and the impact it makes on the fertile minds of the youth despite the intense session. As an immediately actionable suggestion, we also encourage the institutes to invest in counselors not just as a cursory requirement but to measure and monitor the well-being of the students all through their course. At Gitam university in Andhra Pradesh, the students have access to online counseling all year round through Yourdost. We were told that the university has taken the subscription on behalf of the students and counselors are in touch with the faculty in case an intervention is required.

We flew back to Delhi the same evening, though not before some shopping at the Karachi Bakery (The tutti Frutti biscuits are worth the hype). Vanshika continues to coordinate and streamline all logistics involved including identifying and scheduling the sessions with the different state universities. She is inspiring in her own right, besides interning with JOSH TALKS she also tops her class at Delhi University where she pursues her Master’s Degree in Sociology.

We still had another session to go before the year ended. Only we didn’t realize it would be on the 10th year since Nirbhaya on 16th December. Now that’s a story for the next blog!

If you would like to have us conduct this 90-minute session in your college or company just drop us a mail with the details of the institution and the preferred dates at suparnaa@simplysuparnaa.com.

Links for further study

To read about the Kerala Chapter click here>>

To read about the Karnataka Chapter click here>>

To read about the Vizag Chapter click here>>

To read about the Chennai, Chapter click here>>

To read about the Prayagraj Chapter click here>>

To read about Assam Chapter click here>>

To read about Kolkatta Chapter click here>>

To read about the Kanpur Chapter click here>>

To read about the Purnea Bihar Chapter click here>>

To read about the Pune experience click here>>

To know more about the online session experience read here >>

PS: if you stand for what is right – team SABERA (Annual Awards and Summit by the  Simply Suparnaa © Media Network) you must watch the annual event recognizing the GOOD work across India.

The post Stand up for what’s Right I Hyderabad Chapter appeared first on Woman Endangered.

Shakti continues to be our guiding force, it was but natural for us to pay our obeisance to her in Kamakhya as soon as we landed in Guwahati. Being a Shakti (energy) devout, it was my long-standing desire to visit Kamakhya Devi which was fulfilled thanks to the sessions that are taking us across the remotest corners of the country.

Grateful for the opportunity to both JOSH TALKS and TVS Radar, for conducting these sessions. Vanshika (Interning with JOSH TALKS is a bright student of sociology and diligently manages all coordination for this project) and I are grasping the sights, sounds and cuisines of the beauty that our country holds across its length and breadth. The cherry on this particular trip was the view of the majestic Himalayan peak of Mount Everest on the flight!

Boko is a tribal belt in Assam, a couple of hours on road from Guwahati. The road winds through virgin forests, sparse native dwellings and paddy fields. The Brahmaputra flows in its full glory along these roads and our cab driver further entertained us with Assamese popular songs.

We were pleasantly greeted by a large banner announcing our session at the Jawaharlal Nehru college premises and were promptly escorted to the Dean, Mr Tapan Dutta’s office by the student coordinators. Here we also exchanged notes with the head of the Gender equity cell and the Vice Principal. While they shared the unique challenges of the state including witch hunting (!), I increasingly became aware of the different dialects and felt uncertain if the students would be able to grasp all that we had come to share. My apprehensions grew stronger as we were apprised that the majority of students were from the different tribes of the region including Rabha, Karbi, Garo, Hajhong, Bodo and Damaso just to name a few.

I was requested to go slow and speak predominantly in Hindi (am sure I breathed a sigh of relief at this point) as the students were well versed in Hindi, English and Assamese.

300 students from undergraduate and postgraduate courses attended with an equal number of attendees from both genders. The principal’s endeavour is to include other genders in the near future as well.

While the internet played truant so did the AV equipment but speaking from the heart didn’t require much beyond an honest intent to connect in spite of all stumbling blocks. The testimony to these sessions is the interaction of students. The faculty are often amazed at the honesty with which the students ask questions and share extremely personal anecdotes. So was the case that morning in Boko. We managed to create a safe space for students like Abantika to ask a question that had never been satisfactorily addressed by anyone in the past. Not even by her mother.

After a traditional Assamese thali in the canteen with the faculty, which comprised of the staple rice, Moong daal, and different vegetables (we had requested a vegetarian meal), it was time to head to the airport. Vanshika and I bid adieu to the college taking with us a host of gifts including the traditional Jappi, a headgear worn by farmers in the field, a stole woven by the Rabha tribe and Gamuchha with traditional motifs (similar to the one in Bihar). It was time for us to head home after another fulfilling session.

These sessions are a part of the marketing initiative of TVS Radar that JOSH TALKS is helping conduct through the help of their network with educational institutes across states that are the target segment for TVS.

If you would like to have us conduct this 90-minute session in your college or company just drop us a mail with the details of the institution and the prefered dates at suparnaa@simplysuparnaa.com.

Links for further study

To read about the Kanpur Chapter click here>>

To read about the Purnea, Bihar Chapter click here>>

To read about the Pune experience click here>>

To know more about the online session experience read here >>

PS: if you stand for what is right – team SABERA (Annual Awards and Summit by the  Simply Suparnaa © Media Network) jury is looking for you Register here>>

To support our initiative Woman Endangered contribute here.

The post Standup for what’s Right I Combat violence against women I Assam Chapter appeared first on Woman Endangered.

I had the chance to hear some of the survivor stories in person that were interwoven through the cultural program organised at the BC Pal Auditorium in Chitranjan Park by NGO Shakti Shalini on the evening of the 27th, recently. The survivors are mostly between their early twenties or thirties. Some shared their saga through a creative storytelling format or dance drama (with the help of the pandies’ theatre group ), others through their poem or artwork. It was an emotionally charged event both for the performers as well as the audience. The underlying common thread was a breach of individual dignity which played itself out either through an extreme act of violence or a continuous abuse in relationships.

THE FOUNDING STORY
In the 1980s, Satyarani Chadha and Shahjahan Begum, two women found their daughters subjected to death by burning by their respective in-laws on the pretext of insufficient dowry. The violent loss of their daughters galvanized them to tell their story to everyone: the media, the courtroom, and the public. They committed to joining, hands and dedicating their lives to fighting gender/ sexual violence, especially domestic and dowry violence. In 1987 they established Shakti Shalini and it became a pioneer of grassroots gender equality work in India.

In 1975, the United Nations General Assembly adopted 1975-1985 as the decade for women. The global context of a feminist wave across the 1970s and 80s channelised international support and commendation toward the organisation. This was the context in which Shakti Shalini was born.

Through its early years, Shakti Shalini played a pioneering role in campaigning for anti-dowry and domestic violence laws currently prevailing on the land and it established the first shelter home for women in distress in Delhi. Through its journey full of challenges and breakthroughs alike, Shakti Shalini has strived to support countless individuals in navigating violence and discrimination toward a life of safety, freedom, and dignity.

Shakti Shalini’s Helpline numbers for Gender/Sexual violence survivors are as follows

011-24373737

Whatsapp or call 7838957810

Whatsapp or call 9654462722

Post Script

We are on a mission to Stand up for what is Right. Travelling across conducting the session on Combating Violence against Women with the youth of the country. The sessions are being facilitated by TVS Radar as their marketing outreach and are being organised by JOSH TALKS with Suparnaa Chadda as the speaker conducting these sessions.

To read about the Kolkatta Chapter click here>>

To read about the Kanpur Chapter click here>>

To read about the Purnea, Bihar Chapter click here>>

To read about the Pune experience click here>>

To know more about the online session experience read here >>

PS: if you work in the focus area of gender equity – team SABERA (Annual Awards and Summit by the  Simply Suparnaa © Media Network) jury is looking for you Register here and submit criteria based information under the Initiative Category A6: लैंगिक समानता (Gender Diversity & Inclusion) 

The post Shakti Shalini Supporting Gender Violence survivors for 35 years appeared first on Woman Endangered.

The session was scheduled for the 4th of August Thursday, and we reached Kolkata airport on the 3rd evening. Being a Shakti devout, it was an opportune chance to offer obeisance to the energy that keeps me going to conduct these sessions despite all odds. Kali ghat, the cab driver assured is open till 10:30 pm. While the hotel staff shared that it shuts at 8 pm. It was 7:30 pm and I decided to take my chances and dash for her Darshan after a quick shower. How I reached and was guided is another story of faith altogether. The gates were supposed to shut by 9 pm and even though the distance was a good 2 hours from the hotel, I did manage to offer my prayers before the session scheduled for the next day.

Dream Institute of Technology is a 16-year-old dream of the Sarkar Family in West Bengal. They take pride in utilising their own resources for running the college, including the 10-acre expanse of land on which the college is established. Nestled in the by lanes of BH Road Kolkatta which is away from the main city by a couple of hours, it boasts 100 per cent placement for students offering B tech and M Tech courses. The only obvious drawback was the lack of women’s strength in the college at just about 15 odd per cent.

Vanshika continues to accompany me through these sessions and proactively coordinates and organises with the college on behalf of JOSH TALKS, such that the sessions go smoothly. Though we were supposed to start at 1:00 pm due to the distance and traffic we managed to reach by about 1:40 pm and started around 2:00 pm. It was the students’ annual sports day and despite the competitive sports excitement and delay, they sat through the whole session and proactively engaged in conversations sharing their individual persectives.

These sessions are a part of the marketing initiative of TVS Radar that JOSH TALKS is helping conduct through the help of their network with educational institutes across states that are the target segment for TVS.

If you would like to have us conduct this 90-minute session in your college or company just drop us a mail with the details of the institution and the prefered dates at suparnaa@simplysuparnaa.com.

Links for further study

To read about the Kanpur Chapter click here>>

To read about the Purnea, Bihar Chapter click here>>

To read about the Pune experience click here>>

To know more about the online session experience read here >>

PS: if you stand for what is right – team SABERA (Annual Awards and Summit by the  Simply Suparnaa © Media Network) jury is looking for you Register here>>

To support our initiative contribute here.

The post Combating Gender-based violence – Kolkata Chapter appeared first on Woman Endangered.

The session was scheduled for the 7th of June Tuesday, just after the weekend when Kanpur city had experienced violent religious riots. We arrived via what is called an ATR, replete with propellors. A small aircraft that just needed a couple of steps to board it, the kind where the steps themselves fold inside the plane. It does tend to sway through the flight giving a rush in the gut akin to a roller coaster ride. Vanshika (an intern with JOSH who has been my companion through these escapades), was already woozy with the Delhi heat, and finally threw up with the added plunges that the plane made.

The Bombardier Q400 (the fancy name for it) landed and immediately swung around to move towards the spot where we were to deboard and realise why Spice Jet put us through this ride on the small craft. Our arrival, as we deboarded was into what looked like a makeshift tent, manned by the army. The runway too was small and given the facilities, the Kanpur airport couldn’t manage a larger plane. This, in fact, was the only flight that came in from Delhi and it would be the same one that took us back the next day.

The net played truant all through the stay in Kanpur but we managed our way around in e rickshaws when the cabs couldn’t be booked. The session itself was well received by over 300 B Pharma students of the Kanpur Institute of Technology (KIT). In a packed hall after the 90-minute interactive session, there emerged two heroes.  Pooja and Kajol shared their individual stories on standing up for what’s right and combating violence against women! It takes courage to share a personal saga in front of an audience of peers! But this stands as testimony to the safe space and confidence that the session instils in young adults.’

These sessions are a part of the series conducted by JOSH TALKS on behalf of their client TVS Motor Company. Aniruddha Haldar, Senior Vice President Marketing, TVS commented on this unique marketing campaign saying ‘We felt that we needed to walk the talk and not opportunistically take a moralistic stance and give Gyan on one day, hence the entire push behind JOSH. To have the WICKED generation that respects women we need to work with the young boys!’

Links for further study

To read about the Purnea, Bihar Chapter click here>>

To read about the Pune experience click here>>

To know more about the online session experience read here >>

PS: if you stand for what is right – team SABERA is looking for you Register here>>

To support our initiative contribute here.

The post Stand up for what is right I Kanpur Chapter appeared first on Woman Endangered.

After conducting the session Online in Kolkatta and Kanpur, we had the opportunity to conduct the session in person first in Pune and now in Bihar. This is part of the JOSH TALK series ‘Stand up for what is Right’ that I am helping conduct with engineering students across the nation. Travelling to Bihar and despite all odds it has indeed been fulfilling in more ways than one. The fact that I had this young coy engineering student, Shamima Yasmin, come Up post the 1.5-hour workshop in a humidity packed room of over 250 students and touch our feet for the learnings shared – is one of the most humbling reasons. This is what India is all about. A beautiful country with a shared culture and ancient wisdom prevailing beyond all other differences.

Vanshika, a bright student interning with JOSH TALKS travelled with me on both occasions and her enthusiasm for the topic of violence against women as well as her effervescent temperament is infectious. We got to know each other a little better over the shared meals, road and air travel as well as the 5-hour delay in the airport on our way back! Apparently spice jet had a cyberattack on the day we had to fly back!

And yet despite the electricity outages, low net connectivity, heat, humidity and delays it was a fulfilling experience to have interacted with the 250 students of Purnea Engineering college and I am grateful to the universe for the opportunity.

Links for further study

To read about the Pune experience click here>>

To know more about the online session experience read here >>

PS: if you stand for what is right – team SABERA is looking for you Register here>>

To support our initiative contribute here.

The post Stand up for what’s Right I Bihar chapter appeared first on Woman Endangered.

After 2 online sessions with the ITI institutes in Kanpur and Calcutta. We had the opportunity to conduct a live session with engineering students of Vishvakarma Institute of Technology in Pune. Travelling from the scorching heat in Delhi to a surprisingly pleasant Pune (a western disturbance lowered the temperatures) was a respite.

Before the workshop, I had the opportunity to interact with department heads and the faculty of the institute over some delicious vada pav. It was indeed very heartening to know that all AICTE approved engineering colleges need to have 33% girls. The curriculum now includes human values, ethics and philosophy since, 2017.

The session itself was helped organised by ‘The Diva Club’ from the institute and was attended by over 300 students that sat through the hour-long session in rapt attention. Post the session groups of boys and girls engaged personally with me discussing experiences and the collective way forward. It was heartening to see some share their individual stories promising that they WILL stand up for what’s RIGHT. Not turning a blind eye in case they see a miscreant causing trouble.

Through the session, we also shared tips from IPS officer Chhaya Sharma on what to do in case of an unfortunate incident of sexual violence. The overall content covers aspects of, What constitutes violence against women?; Violence a woman may face throughout her life; Why we need to talk about this?; and What can we, do?

I was accompanied to Pune by a bright young girl from JOSH Talks who is a master’s student herself and is interning with the organisation. Vanshika, made sure the session went on without a glitch and we look forward to visiting more colleges across the length and breadth of the country soon. Rest assured, will keep you posted!

Btw- SABERA (Social and Business enterprise Responsible Awards) registrations are open and have received a super response from MNCs and homegrown entities big and small – to help us recognise the GOOD you do! Register here>>

The post Combating Violence Against Women I Pune Chapter appeared first on Woman Endangered.

To stand up for what is Right especially to raise awareness of and combat violence against women is a topic close to my heart. So when JOSH TALKS approached me to conduct a workshop with the youth of the country, I was more than happy to do so. So far 2 sessions have already been successfully conducted with the ITI institutes in Kanpur and Calcutta. These sessions are a part of the CSR initiatives of one of their (JOSH TALKS) clients. The hour-long session is encouraged to be interactive and I also share tips from IPS officer Chhaya Sharma on what to do in case of an unfortunate incident of sexual violence.

This hour-long session further covers aspects of, What constitutes violence against women?; Violence a woman may face throughout her life; Why do we need to talk about this?; and What can we, do?

In case you would like to conduct a session in your institute, office school or college do write to me at suparnaa@simplysuparnaa.com or womanendangered@gmail.com. We charge a nominal fee which further facilitates us to buy sustainable menstrual hygiene products for the marginalised.

To support our initiative contribute here.

The post Violence against Women appeared first on Woman Endangered.