by NR INDRAN / INT

Mumbai : The Maharashtra Economic Development Council announces its hunt for enterprising women across the state of Maharashtra and would like to take a step forward in recognizing the women of Maharashtra, who have proved themselves able and active champions on the social, economic and governance front.

Stateswoman Mrs. Chandra Iyengar, the Advisor to the Karmayogini event says, “Women’s Day is all about empowerment. An empowered woman is not necessarily outspoken or loud or very visible, her strength motivates her to battle challenges and achieve all that she can in her role personally and professionally.  She would communicate confidently in any language of her choice and does not conform to any stereotype. We would like to recognize and reward such exceptional women.”

The MEDC is putting together an eminent jury of enterprising, successful women who can mentor others at earlier stage lifecycles of achievement.  Women who fulfill the following criterion may apply.

1) Social Impact Karmayogini: Those who have executed a powerful, social impact idea and have been engaged in the same for at least a period of 5years.  These women or group of women, as NGOs or individuals should have had significant impact on the society, addressing issues such as violence against women, gender equality, rights of the girl child, rehabilitation of sex workers etc.

2) Business Impact Karmayogini: Women entrepreneurs who have set up their own businesses and who fulfill criteria such as a minimum tenure of 5years in business

3. Governance Karmayogini: These women have to have served a minimum of5 years in municipal corporations, municipal councils, nagar panchayats, village panchayat or district council. Alternatively, they could be members of the Civil Service or elected representatives of the people of India.

Network RGComm is happy to put together this initiative under the aegis of MEDC and interested people may apply to [email protected] [email protected] on or before 29thFebruary 2012. The event is slated to be held on 6th March 2012.

The first  Women’s Day was observed on 28 February 1909 in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America.

Inspired in part by the American socialists, German Socialist Luise Zietz proposed the establishment of an annual ‘International Woman’s Day’. The core of the idea was a strategy to promote equal rights, including suffrage, for women. The following year, on 18 March, 1911, International Women’s Day was marked for the first time, by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.

Today, the IWD celebrations range from respect, appreciation and love towards women to applause for women’s economic, political and social achievements.

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