Bhubaneswar: The social, economic, cultural and political achievements by women and the fight for equal rights are no longer unknown to anyone. Although there are millions of women across the world who are denied basic rights and opportunities and who fight every day for a slice of freedom, there are many who challenge patriarchal prejudices and are paving the path of equality for future generations. Following the footsteps of the revered Founder, Prof Achyuta Samanta, honouring this spirit of womanhood and saluting their achievements, KiiT International School, commemorated the occasion of International Women’s Day with a gala celebration, ‘Womaniya’.
The event hosted a panel discussion which had a string of achievers that included, renowned Odissi Danseuse, Guru Smt. Aruna Mohanty, Olympian sprinter and National Champion, Smt. Dutee Chand, Co-Founder and CEO of Nexus Power,Smt. Nikita Baliarsingh, Youngest Corporator elected to Surat Municipal Corporation, Smt. Payal Patel, noted Entrepreneur, Smt. Vineeta Subudhi, & Celebrated Chess player, Indian Woman Grandmaster, Smt. Kiran Manisha Mohanty along with Dr. Mona Lisa Bal, Chairperson, KiiT International School also partook in the discussions and shared her views on breaking the norms.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mona Lisa Bal, Chairperson, KiiT International School said, “Every day should be a celebration of women. It should be a celebration of ordinary women doing extraordinary work, a celebration of equality in all aspects. It is high time that women get their due for their contribution to society and treated at par with men, if we want to be prosper as a country.Basic rights and opportunities should not have a gender demarcation. This learning should begin at home at the earliest age possible. If equality prevails at our homes, the next generation will grow up knowing this as normal. Schooling and education also play an important role in this and schools must enrich the young impressionable minds about equality. It should not be a forced learning but something that should be naturally nurtured and inculcated as a way of living. Gender roles and gender biases need to make their way out of our society.”
Womaniya recognizes that the need of any hour is the collective advocacy for women’s rights and to bridge the gaps created by a male-dominated society. It aims to commence a dialogue and to channel the narrative towards relevant issues faced by women in different spheres of life and career. It seeks to create a more egalitarian space that can give birth to a mutually beneficial ecosystem. The event kick-started with a performance from KiiT International School’s topper Alumni and Indian Idol JuniorSeason 2 winner, Ananya Sritam Nanda, and proceeded to the panel discussion.The eminent achievers in the panel reiterated their stories and how they shattered the norms to accomplish their dreams. Some topics that were touched upon during the discussion included “Navigating through an inherently male-dominated society”, “Gender disparity and how to overcome it” and other relevant female-centric themes.The panel discussion was followed byan act by stand-up comedian Sribatsa Pathy and the event wrapped up with a felicitation of the distinguished achievers.
KiiT International School is focused on providing holistic education for their students. They aim to groom their students in a way where they can enter the world and take on tough challenges in their life. The institute is constantly setting new standards with its innovative pedagogy, attention to education for all and exposing their students towards various aspects so that they create a difference not only in their lives but also in the society and contribute towards the progress of the country.
