Women’s Day 2022: Cherishing the better halves with gratitude

Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th to recognize their achievements and contributions in society. 

March 8th has since been recognized and celebrated as International Women’s Day for women’s rights, feminism, and support for world peace activities. The United Nations started celebrating it on March 8 in 1977 after first proclaiming it in 1975 to create an international day for women to honour them and raise awareness about their contributions in society. 

The Indian culture has revered women since time immemorial and this is reflected in our Vedas too:

यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः।

यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफलाः क्रियाः।।

In English it means “Where women are honoured, divinity blossoms there, and wherever women are dishonoured, all action no matter how noble it may be, remains unfruitful.”

How Women Shaped The Human Civilization

Women have made a significant contribution to the development of human civilization. If we revisit the prehistoric era, it was women who laid down the foundations of civilization and society. 

They not only built houses but decorated them, turned simple food items into dishes and even created special cuisines for good occasions, maybe created the first forms of dancing and singing while men were away, hunting. 

They have likely invented social gatherings, helped each other in a compassionate manner. Thus, we can say that women created the next dimension of human intelligence i.e. social intelligence which went to build the diverse cultures that we have today.

Women Also Taught Us That Men Can Drive Cars Without Worries!

Do you know how a woman advertised something in the 1800s which was considered unsafe for men?

We’re talking about Bertha Benz who laid down the foundation of the modern automobile industry by going on a 194 km journey in the world’s first car.

Karl Benz invented the first automobile but he was reluctant about marketing it. A horseless wagon wasn’t a popular thing to discuss in those times. But Bertha, his wife, was confident about the car right from the beginning and she decided to take things in her hands. 

One morning she took the car out without starting the ignition and pushed it far enough to leave unnoticed. She made it to her birthplace and this proved that Karl’s invention was safe enough to drive as a woman drove it 194 kms without a man in 1888. Remember, the West didn’t acknowledge women’s rights and voting until the 19th century. Without Bertha, the advancement in mobility would have been definitely delayed and we would be living in a slightly different world.

Sheroes Of Gujarat: नारी तू नारायाणी

They have been at the forefront of various fields like education, science and technology. Be it the warrior queen Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi who fought for her people after her Husband’s demise or Shrimati Malavika Hegde who turned Coffee Cafe Day’s fortunes when she took the company in her hands after her husband’s demise, women have proved to be “the better halves” across ages. Today, I want to celebrate the contributions of two wonderful sheroes of Gujarat who made all us feel proud and grateful.

Dr. Parul Vadgama, Hod Respiratory Medicine GMC Surat is one such woman that I have personally known over years as she organised 27 blood donation camps and 40 health seminars apart from being a member of numerous committees like National IMA JDN Standing Committee and State level Climate Resilience Committee aimed at public health welfare. 

Dr. Stuti Bajaj is a sportswoman who forayed in public health welfare and earned recognition from NGOs like Shree Arbuda Residential Welfare Association (SARWA) and PAAI Kiranmay Award. She also received appreciation from All India council of India. She has served extensively during the Covid and takes regular initiatives to raise dental health awareness among kids.

It is women like them who have nourished our lives as active contributors to society. 

Thus, it is not just about recognition but also about celebrating women’s achievements in society and giving them opportunities to learn more about themselves, their strengths, and potentials that they can achieve as well as contribute towards building a better future for themselves and others.