International Women’s Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm at the CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC) and CSIR Madras Complex (CMC), Chennai, on 25 March 2024. This year's theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.

Smt. Brindha Srinivasan, Assistant News Editor, Hindu Tamil Thisai, was the chief guest of the function. Smt. Porkodi, Writer, Novelist, & Cine Dialogue Writer, was the guest of honor. Dr. N. Anandavalli, Director, CSIR-SERC and Coordinating Director, CMC, welcomed the gathering. In her opening remarks, she said that Women’s Day is celebrated to recognize the contributions of women and to create awareness on gender equality. Speaking on this year’s theme, she said that it is critical to invest in and empower women for the betterment of society and the nation. She spoke on the inexplicable gap between education and workforce participation and pointed out that women who study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are less likely to enter into STEM careers.

Smt. M. Vijayalakshmi, Senior Stenographer, CSIR-SERC, introduced the guest of honor to the audience. In her International Women's Day Lecture, Smt. Porkodi called upon women to respect and value themselves, win over challenges, focus on their strengths, and not compromise on their aims and objectives. She also said that it is important to identify our unique talents, cultivate skills, align our careers with our passions, and make a positive impact on the world.

Dr. A. Hepsiba Kiranmayee, Principal Scientist, CSIR-CEERI unit, introduced the chief guest to the audience. Smt. Brindha Srinivasan, in her International Women’s Day lecture, spoke on the societal pressure, restrictions, and limitations women face in their everyday lives and the societal mindset that treats women and men very differently. She spoke on the struggles and contributions of Savitribai Phule (one of the first female teachers in India and social reformer), Kamala Sohonie (a biochemist who became the first Indian woman to receive a PhD in a scientific discipline), Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy (the first female student to be admitted into a men's college, the first woman house surgeon in the Government Maternity and Ophthalmic Hospital, the first woman legislator in British India, etc.), Moovalur Ramamirtham (social reformer who fought for the abolition of Devadasi system) - who fought extensively to break many societal barriers that existed for generations and laid the road for women empowerment. She called upon all women to utilize the opportunities available today to prove themselves and to live for themselves. She also pointed out that mutual respect between men and women is essential to ensure gender equality and that it is necessary to teach to respect women from the family.

A report on the Women’s Day Celebration at the campus was given by Ms.Renuka Darshyamkar, Scientist, CSIR-SERC. Earlier, various team games (Musical Run, One Minute Games, and Rangoli) were organized on the eve of International Women’s Day 2024 at the CSIR campus during 6-7 Mar 2024. A large number of women actively took part in the games. Videos by male staff members of the campus who spoke about the women who inspired them were also played as a part of the program.

It was followed by a cultural programme and prize distribution for the winners of the team games. Dr. Mymoon Moghul, Senior Technical Officer, CSIR-SERC, proposed a vote of thanks.

 

 

###

 

 

(Release ID: 2016329) Visitor Counter : 178