Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 17 (UNI) ‘Kudumbashree’ has become one of the largest women’s self-help networks in the world, President Droupadi Murmu said on Friday.
"It is an occasion to gratefully remember the vision and sensitivity of Bharat-Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had launched Kudumbashree in 1998, when he was the Prime Minister," Murmu said while inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of Kudumbashree on the occasion of a civil reception hosted in her honour here.
"I am glad to be associated with ‘Unnathi’, the program launched here for the development of residents of Kerala belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes," she said.
‘Unnathi’ or ‘Kerala Empowerment Society’ seeks to create opportunities for employment and self-employment, among the youth belonging to SC and ST communities, she added.
"I wish the initiative all success in its efforts for inclusive growth. I am happy to note that welfare of SCs and STs is given high priority in the State with helpful initiatives in the areas of housing, health, education, livelihoods, and infrastructure-development."
Saying that every segment of the social fabric of Kerala has shining ideals of women empowerment in different periods of history, she said Unniyarcha, had set a stirring example of self-help through martial arts. She is immortalized in Kerala’s folklore.
"Nangeli sacrificed her life protesting against unfair practices imposed upon Dalit women, including their personal clothing. She continues to inspire generations of those who fight for social dignity and justice."
"In our Constituent Assembly, there were 15 women members. Out of them, as many as three were from Kerala alone. Ammu Swaminathan, Dakshayani Velayudhan and Annie Mascarene were much ahead of their times. Dakshayani Velayudhan was the only Dalit woman to be elected to the Constituent Assembly," she recalled.
"The first lady to become a High Court judge in India was Justice Anna Chandy. She became a judge in the High Court of Kerala in 1956, much before Dame Elizabeth Lane became the first woman judge of the High Court in Britain in 1965."
"Justice M. Fathima Beevi created legal history by becoming the first lady judge in the Supreme Court of India. Karthyayani Amma has become a national icon by attaining the first rank under the Akshar-Laksham Scheme at the age of 96 in 2018."
"Amma inspires everyone with her message that it is never too late to learn. I had the good fortune of presenting the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer to Nanchiyamma."
As a tribal woman, Nanchiyamma has inspired every single woman in the country, especially those from the under-privileged segments of our society. I was very impressed watching this year’s Republic Day Tableau of Kerala, which displayed ‘Nari-Shakti’.
‘Payyoli Express’ P.T. Usha has been an inspiration for later generations of girls to take up sports as a career and bring glory to India, she added.
She said the sex-ratio in Kerala is by far the best in the country. Kerala also has the highest literacy rate including women’s literacy.
On the parameters of promoting maternal health and preventing infant mortality, Kerala’s performance is the best in the country, she said.
In Kerala, women have been more educated and empowered which reflects in Kerala’s better performance on several Human Development Indices, she said.
Opining that Indian languages can be more helpful mediums for knowledge creation, mentioning the National Education Policy-2020, she appreciated the release of the first batch of technical, engineering and diploma books translated into Malayalam.
"This re-orientation to education through Indian languages is a welcome change. I am sure that in the near future, original books for professional and vocational education will be written in Malayalam."
"Thrissur and Nilambur are two of the three Indian cities in UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning. It is in keeping with Kerala’s proven commitment to inclusive and quality education."
UNI DS SY
Bengaluru, Mar 19 (UNI) Directorate General of Resettlement, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, will be organising an Employment Seminar and Job Fair under aegis Ministry of Defence through HQTC, IAF in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) here on March 21 at Air Force Station Jalahalli.
Bengaluru, Mar 19 (UNI) Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the party high command has not yet cleared his name to contest from Kolar constituency in the upcoming assembly election.
Hyderabad, Mar 18 (UNI) A major fire broke out at a plastic godown in Sashtripuram of Rajendranagar here on Saturday.
Kochi, March 18 (UNI) Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur will attend the valedictory ceremony of Mathrubhumi daily’s centenary celebrations as chief guest here on Saturday.
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 18 (UNI) President Droupadi Murmu, who is on a visit to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep from March 16 to 21, will leave for Lakshadweep from here on Saturday.