Women of tomorrow
Respected Principal madam, respected Chief Guest, respected staff of Fatima college and my dear students. It is an honour to be standing in front of you today on International Women’s Day and addressing the group who has the mantle of making this world a better place.
This decade is for women. Women have shone in various fields – be it the armed forces, civil services, entrepreneurship or as head of an organization. We are now present in non-traditional sectors such as AI, manufacturing and space technology. Today, women entrepreneurs are no longer facing hurdles in terms of accessing resources, be it funding, mentoring or platforms to showcase their talents. Government, at various levels, is encouraging women to set up their own enterprises and become independent.
Women make better employers than men as we score higher in emotional quotient. We are able to handle our work and our family at the same time. Our lives have evolved. We have gadgets and can access help to make our lives easier. But there is a danger of getting overwhelmed while trying to juggle the various parts of our lives. Where we hesitate, is to ask for help. Ask…Demand what is rightfully available to you. …And most important thing above all – co-operate, help each other. When we help each other to come up, the level of the society as a whole, rises. Lives become richer because women are the highest influencers at the family level. The impact of our behaviour and actions is exponential.
Needless to say, do not stop learning ever. Here, you will graduate out of this college with a degree or a masters. Please do not stop your learning here. Be curious and learn throughout your life. You are the future of India…of the world.
Yesterday, I had a chance to meet a lady at Virudhunagar. She did not complete her schooling. But today, she is heading a community of self-help group of women. She is co-ordinating and helping these women with their enterprises. How did she do it? She was curious and she wanted to help others. She gathered information and shared her knowledge with others. So suddenly, this one woman was able to influence and better the lives of some 200 women. Even if each one of us here is able to make an impact in even ten other lives, just imagine the magnitude of the effect.
We have always been creators, enablers and connectors at the family level. As a mother, we become a creator, as an enabler, we nurture our children, as a connector, we keep the family together. Now, just visualize that you are applying the same qualities as the society level. Just stay with that. You will realise the power that you have.
The world is open to you and sky is the limit. Do not stop at anything. So, let me stop here by wishing you all a very engaging and fulfilling lives.
