Haryana State Commission for Women has planned to put together untold stories of women of different fields- education, sports, information technology, business, politics, industry, social activity among others who have performed exceptionally well in the country and abroad.
These women have taken giant strides, breaking barriers and setting new benchmarks over the past few decades. Their stories will be documented as part of a research initiative of the Commission, which will bring out a coffee table book on 100 phenomenal women, both known and unknown, said Women’s Commission acting- chairperson Preeti Bhardwaj Dalal while talking to ‘The Pioneer’ over the phone.
She said that the purpose of the initiative is simple. There is a significant contribution of many women in the development of society but that has not been recognised properly in the absence of written work. In this situation, the future generations won’t be able to recognise their contribution. “The Commission will write a letter to all deputy commissioners and district magistrates to collect names of such phenomenal women for the same purpose,” Dalal added.
The chairperson said that women in the State have taken giant strides, breaking barriers and setting new benchmarks over the past many years. From business to politics, academic, technology and industry, they have successfully shattered all stereotypes, and glass ceilings, she said, adding that the sporting arena, too, has seen champions emerging from various corners of State. From fighting gender discrimination to financial restraints, these women have overcome physical and mental obstacles to build not just a name, but a legacy for themselves.
Haryana has given us the best of wrestling icons and Sakshi Malik is one of them. Malik who grew up in Rohtak which has a skewed gender ratio, was not allowed to pursue wrestling at the beginning. However, Malik, determined to achieve her goal, stepped into an akhada and wrestled with the boys of her village. Bagging India’s first medal at the Rio Olympics 2016, Malik has since been bringing glory to the nation. She showed the World that women no longer stand behind men in the arena of wrestling.
Dalal said, “We are committed to safeguards the dignity and rights of the women as the Commission’s preliminary function is to investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws.”
The chairperson said that the Commission is collaborating with Chaudhary Bansi Lal University Bjiwani in the project and will collaborate with one or two more universities so that a proper research can be undertaken at the ground level. “We have met Chaudhary Bansi Lal University Vice-Chancellor RK Mittal to explore possibilities of a collaboration for the research work,” she added.
Dalal said, “Our research team will not be limited to just a few decades but we would like to look for those women too who have performed well during the freedom struggle of the country. We will also look for best women village sarpanches, block pramukh, district pramukh, social workers among others who have ensured development in their localities.”
Meanwhile, the performance of many women from the State has already been recognised widely. The Women’s Commission chief cites examples of three sisters – Keshni Anand Arora, Meenakshi Anand Chaudhary and Urvashi Gulati – from the State who reached the post of Chief Secretary to contribute in the field of administration. Arora is the current Chief Secretary of Haryana. Dalal also recalls politician Sushma Swaraj who had become the youngest-ever minister in Haryana’s Janata Party government in 1977 after being elected to the Assembly at the age of 25 and later became Union External Affairs Minister.
Freedom fighter and politician Sucheta Kripalani who was born in Ambala was India’s first woman Chief Minister, serving as the head of the Uttar Pradesh government from 1963 to 1967. She had exemplary leadership qualities. On her name, Sucheta Kriplani Hospital has been set up in Delhi.
Our young generation should know the great personalities and freedom fighters’ sacrifices to attain the independence from the British Raj and take it as an inspiration.
The 48-year-old Deepa Malik was diagnosed with a spinal tumour in 1999 and went through three surgeries after that. With 183 stitches in her shoulder blades for a period of 14 years, Malik was left paralysed from the waist down. Paralysis, however, wasn’t strong enough to stop her. She then decided to become a swimmer, athlete, biker and adventure junkie.
In 2016, she was one of India’s Paralympians at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Other women achievers include wrestler Phogat sisters, hockey player Rani Rampal, educationist Sajida Zaidi, poetess and singer Zohrabai Ambalewali, astronaut Kalpana Chawla, actress Manushi Chillar, first woman member of Haryana Vidhan Sabha Chandrawati and business woman Kiran Chopra. But now the commission-appointed team will also look for unknown women achievers. For example, there is an Anganwari worker, Jagmati Malik, from Rakhi Khas village of Hisar district who has fought for over 50,000 fellow workers and helpers of anganwadis during the past two decades.
There are others like Santosh Dahiya, a professor of Kurukshetra University, who is campaigning against purdah and female foeticide in Haryana. Dahiya has adopted a village, Mujadpur, of Hisar district in 2015 when she came to know that the village child sex ratio is just 273.
