International Women’s Day celebrated

Rourkela: A host of functions marked International Women’s Day celebration across Sundargarh district. Meetings, seminars, debates, competitions and cultural programmes were organized to mark the Day on which there was a clarion call for concerted efforts for women empowerment, apart from protecting their rights and dignity in society.

Addressing a function organized by district administration at the Bikash Bhawan ground in Sundargarh town, Collector Rupa Roshan Sahu said women should come forward and play a greater role for growth of society. She exhorted the women members of all families to ensure that girl child gets proper education.

She also highlighted the government initiatives towards empowerment of women and stressed on collective efforts to ensure women get equal social and economic status.

In Rourkela, ‘Janani’, a journal dedicated to women celebrated International Women’s Day at Bhanja Bhawan auditorium. It was jointly organized by Bharat Majdur Sangha, Maa Ghara Foundation Trust, Sanjeevani and 92.7 Big FM on the theme ‘Protect Women, Protect Nation’.

Rutupurna Mohanty, Managing Trustee of Maa Ghara Foundation Trust and editor of the ‘Janani’ underscored the need for empowering women to curb the growing menace of corruption in the country.

Radhakanta Mishra, an activist, condemned atrocities on women.

On the occasion the 2^nd edition of the magazine was released by the guests on the dais. Banalata Jena, Sharmila Ganthayat, Sunita Gupta, Jayashree Pahadsingh, Itishree Rout, Lina Behera, Padmini Das, Anjali Patel and Parama Pujari were felicitated with ‘Maa Ghara Samman’ on the occasion.

A similar function was organized by the woman wing of BJD at Telephone Bhawan ground here in the evening where former professor of NIT-Rourkela Pramila Panda, former principal of S K DAV Women’s College Jyotsna Patnaik and BJD Mahila Morcha president Minati Debata spoke.

The Rourkela Intellectual Women Forum also organized a function. The occasion was marked by activation of toll-free helpline No. – 1091 for the Mahila Police Station here.