These are seemingly good times for the women in India. At least for the influential ones. We have, now in power, our First Woman President and our First Woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha. There are 59 women MPs (highest since Independence) in the current Lok Sabha, among which 17 are under 40 years. The statistics make me momentarily cheer.
But then, one of the most common questions in GDs and debates comes to my mind- Are Women better Managers/Leaders than Men?
I have loathed this question ever since I heard it first because of the simple reason that neither I, nor can anyone answer it without erring at some point or the other. It is a totally subjective issue and both sides of the debate have points in abundance to discuss and they may have to end up with a no-conclusion.
The mere presence of a large number of women should not be something for us to celebrate. Their proper execution of their duty to the country should be of greater concern.
Speaking of the common women, it must be said that they have started coming out of their self-cum-society-imposed cocoon of the so-called modesty and staying behind the veil and under a man's protection. But "have started" implies that "have achieved liberty" is still a far cry.
Even in the purported Fashion+Finance Capital of India, Mumbai, where I saw women being more outgoing and free-minded, there always lurked a sense of fear at the very bottom of each of their hearts. The reason can be found by skimming the "Times Of India" on any day. There can almost never fail to be a report of some case of kidnapping or harassment or even murder of members of the fairer sex, followed by an account of how the police nabbed the culprit successfully. Nabbing the culprits and bringing them to justice is another case. Preventing the crimes is far more important. A jail term awarded to an offender will not undo the wrong done to the hapless victims.
Awareness and Prevention is definitely on the agenda of grown-up women, for many of them have learnt self-protection techniques to avoid harm. But what about the children?? In the past one month that I spent there, I came across reports of several minor girls being attacked and one 8 year old kid was even found murdered. These incidents are those that wrung my heart.
A million "Slum Dog Millionaire"s may reveal the dirty underbelly of India. We will react strongly to each of them, defending our Mother Land. But what happens after the noise dies down? The lives of almost all Indians goes on unchanged and the only probable people to come across positive changes are the ones who got to play themselves on screen.
India is not a discriminative country. It is the mindset of a percentage of the population that is to be changed. With all these "First Woman" someones in the fore, all we can do is to hope that they change the bigger picture while we the commoners, should try to be the change we desire to see and spread courage and determination in the minds of the small circle of the girls and the women we know.
But then, one of the most common questions in GDs and debates comes to my mind- Are Women better Managers/Leaders than Men?
I have loathed this question ever since I heard it first because of the simple reason that neither I, nor can anyone answer it without erring at some point or the other. It is a totally subjective issue and both sides of the debate have points in abundance to discuss and they may have to end up with a no-conclusion.
The mere presence of a large number of women should not be something for us to celebrate. Their proper execution of their duty to the country should be of greater concern.
Speaking of the common women, it must be said that they have started coming out of their self-cum-society-imposed cocoon of the so-called modesty and staying behind the veil and under a man's protection. But "have started" implies that "have achieved liberty" is still a far cry.
Even in the purported Fashion+Finance Capital of India, Mumbai, where I saw women being more outgoing and free-minded, there always lurked a sense of fear at the very bottom of each of their hearts. The reason can be found by skimming the "Times Of India" on any day. There can almost never fail to be a report of some case of kidnapping or harassment or even murder of members of the fairer sex, followed by an account of how the police nabbed the culprit successfully. Nabbing the culprits and bringing them to justice is another case. Preventing the crimes is far more important. A jail term awarded to an offender will not undo the wrong done to the hapless victims.
Awareness and Prevention is definitely on the agenda of grown-up women, for many of them have learnt self-protection techniques to avoid harm. But what about the children?? In the past one month that I spent there, I came across reports of several minor girls being attacked and one 8 year old kid was even found murdered. These incidents are those that wrung my heart.
A million "Slum Dog Millionaire"s may reveal the dirty underbelly of India. We will react strongly to each of them, defending our Mother Land. But what happens after the noise dies down? The lives of almost all Indians goes on unchanged and the only probable people to come across positive changes are the ones who got to play themselves on screen.
India is not a discriminative country. It is the mindset of a percentage of the population that is to be changed. With all these "First Woman" someones in the fore, all we can do is to hope that they change the bigger picture while we the commoners, should try to be the change we desire to see and spread courage and determination in the minds of the small circle of the girls and the women we know.
2 comments:
Typical Shilpa-Erudite and enlightening!
Very well written.Keep it up. Why dont you send this to The Hindu - letters to the Editor ?
Post a Comment