Roshni, April to June 2022

Roshni

July To September 2022

Celebrating the syncretic spirit of AIWC

Independence Day 2022

ALL INDIA WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

Birthday of Patron Smt. Bina Jain is celebrated at HO on 14th July

Release of souvenir compiled in memory of Smt. Kalpakkam Yechury.

Children in the Non-Formal Education Programme run by Raiganj Mahila Sammilani partake of their midday meal in Dangi Branch.

Smt. Shikha Mitra, MIC-Resolutions is presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Work by NGO Samaj Bandhu, Kolkata

ROSHNI Contents

Journal of the All India Women's Conference

July-September 2022

EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor : Smt. Chitra Sarkar

Assistant Editor : Smt. Meenakshi Kumar

Advisor : Smt. Supriya Bhalerao

Editorial Assistants : Smt. Ranjana Gupta

: Smt. Sujata Shivya

President : Smt. Sheela Kakde

Secretary General : Smt. Kuljit Kaur

Treasurer : Smt. Rehana Begum

Patrons : Smt. Kunti Paul

: Smt. Bina Jain

: Smt. Veena Kohli

: Smt. Rakesh Dhawan

AIWC has Consultative Status with UN

Observer's Status with UNFCCC

Permanent Representatives : Smt. Sudha Acharya and Smt. Seema Upleker (ECOSOC) (UNICEF)

AIWC has affiliation with International Alliance of Women

Pan Pacific and S.E.A. Women's Association CONGO

Global Water Partnership World Renewable Energy Network

ROSHNI Editorial and Business Office

All India Womens Conference

6, Bhagwan Dass Road, New Delhi-110 001 Phone : 011-43389100, 011-43389101

E-mail : aiwc.roshni@gmail.com

Website : www.aiwc.org.in

The views expressed in the articles published in Roshni are those of the authors only and not of All India Women's Conference.

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From the Editor's Desktop

From: Editor, Roshni

To: Members, AIWC

Dear Sisters,

The wellbeing of women is multi-dimensional, but it is conditional in a patriarchal society. The last few years have thrown up additional challenges in a culture that is already strained by Covid19. A study conducted earlier this year nuanced findings from various sources, notably The Million Death Study and statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau and made an alarming discovery. Suicide is rapidly becoming the leading cause of death among Indian women. In a country where so many unfavourable factors stack themselves against a woman’s health and happiness, it is not maternal mortality, nutritional deficiency or domestic violence that carries off our sisters. They are felled by an overwhelming grief that leads them to suicide.

The study points out that in economically advanced countries, the ratio of suicide between men and women was, on an average, 3:1. For every three men who died by their own hand, one woman did so. In India, the ratio was much worse. For every three men who committed suicide, two Indian women did so. Married women were at the highest risk. Covid played its part. Child marriages were statistically recorded to have shot up during the pandemic. The lack of autonomy in the choice of a husband, early motherhood and economic dependence on the husband’s family all contributed to a woman’s feelings of hopelessness. Domestic violence, which was itself named the “shadow pandemic”, took its toll. The medical fraternity had already warned about the impending mental health crisis that will follow upon the heels of widespread disease and death.

As a women’s organisation, we shone our light on several aspects of the pandemic’s fallout. Before the next wave rears its head, let us gear ourselves to consider suicide helplines and other alleviating measures to bring comfort to our despondent daughters.

Chitra Sarkar

President`s Views for Half Yearly Virtual Meeting

(30.6.22—6.7.22)

Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha ll

Nirvighnam Kurumedeva Sarvakaryeshu Sarvada ll

Sahanavavatu sahanaubhunaktu sahaviryam

karvavahii ll

Tejaswina vadhitam astu mavidvahavahii ll

Om Shanti Shantii Shantiihi

(Meaning: May we all be protected, nourished and energised. May we all work together with great energy, may our intellect be sharpened, Let there be no animosity…

Peace in Me, peace in Nature, peace in Divine Forces.)

Namaskar! Dear Respected Patrons, Binaji, Veenaji and Rakeshji, Secretary General, Kuljitji, Treasurer Rehanaji, Vice Presidents- Ashithaji, Bhavnaji, Neeruji, Santoshji, Sumanji, Jt. Secretary, Supriyaji, Members in Charge, Zonal Organisers, Asst. Secretaries and all Standing Committee members. I wish you all my dear sisters, life full of Happiness, Health, Energy and Peace.

I extend a hearty welcome to all of you, who have joined in today for the Half Yearly Business Meeting being conducted virtually from AIWC Headquarters at 6, Bhagwan Das Road.

With immense pleasure I express my gratitude to the Almighty for being with us always and giving

By Smt. Sheela Kakde, President, AIWC

us the required strength and thoughtfulness to face any situation or crisis without fear and calm mind. Now He has given us the opportunity to cheer up and energise each one of us.

Today we have joined here virtually in the Half Yearly business meeting to know about HO activities, as well as our activities at the branch level and also to understand the financial balance sheet, auditor`s report and detailed Treasurer`s Report to guide us, as to how we should move further in the interest of our Organisation. I request each of you, to be very attentive and give your fullest thought and support so that all of us work in harmony, in the interest of and in goodwill towards AIWC.

I would like to share important things that have happened in the past few months. Let me begin by giving you the good news that two out of five premises which were vacant in our 6, BhagwanDass Road Campus, have been taken on rent. Their renovation work is going on speedily. The official lease will be signed soon. One of them, Connaught Place Plaza, is having their inauguration of their Corporate office with foreign delegates on 5th July 2022. Details will be given in the report.

Secondly, malpractices going on at Tarash Mandir are curtailed.

About two weeks back we at AIWC had faced very harsh consequences of the irresponsible statement made out of ignorance by one of our MIC . It is

a lesson to be learnt by everyone. One should be extremely cautious while speaking about the Organisation. All of us should always remember that our organisation which has given us a platform to repay to the Nature and Society, has given us our Status, is of utmost importance. Any slight slip can cause irreparable loss.

I am very happy to notice that most of our branches across the country have resumed their activities in full swing for the welfare of the needy. Very colourful reports have poured in, of which you will get glimpses in the Secretary General’s extensive report. We had planned for branch visits for Zonal meetings in May -June this year before the Half Yearly. But the climatic conditions were not conducive for travel at that time. So we allowed for Virtual Zonal meetings and promptly few zones took the chance to conduct them virtually. We had North Zone meeting hosted by Ujjawal Women`s Association physically at Delhi with Smt. Sumi Chopra ZO and met a few branches of North Zone. The rest were virtual meetings. North East Zone meeting was organised by Raiganj Mahila Samelini, ZO Smt. Kalpana Roy. Central Zone A meeting was organised by ZO Smt. Nishi Jain. South Zone A meeting was organised by Smt. BKD Varaprasadini. South Zone B was organised by ZO Smt. Usha Nair. We got to see the various branch activities, involvement of Youth members and work of the ZO. In South Zone B presentations, we could notice the detailed statistics of each branch in the first slide of the branch presentation. Extremely wonderful performance by South Zone B ZO Smt. Usha Nair and Vice President Smt. Ashitha in coordinating with the branches, members, youth, organising virtual meetings of a variety of series

and programs, guiding them, training them etc. Ushaji has made the best of the opportunity given by Covid-19 pandemic and achieved excellence in keeping the branches alive in every aspect. Hearty Congratulations to both Ashithaji and Usha Nairji for doing noteworthy work. We, the Management,t would like to see the performances of the rest of the zones, though virtually, between 14th July to 20th July 2022.

Another very important matter is that during the past meeting I had informed you that while cleaning out the old files and documents in the basement (in the Lockdown period) , we had luckily found important original papers of the property. About 162 original papers in a very shattered state have now been fumigated, preserved and kept in the Canara Bank Locker, in our premises.

The rainy season is already in full form in the Southern states and in Northern states it is at our door steps. Let me remind you of the project launched last year of “Planet Abundantly Green”. Take the vow to Save our Planet by planting trees abundantly and nurturing them with the help of the youngsters. You can take guidance on how to approach the various Govt. Depts. from our Jt. Secretary Smt. Supriya Bhalerao. Join hands in avoiding the use of single-use plastic in our daily life to save our planet. AIWC has also started the Consumer Awareness Program in depth along with Govt. Dept. and our branches should grab this opportunity.

I always believe that success is never achieved by a single person. It is always the contribution of the entire team, small or big. Hence I specially request Zonal Organisers and Vice Presidents to encourage

and motivate branches to take up a variety of programs meticulously designed by our program officers Ritu and Pratibha under the able guidance of our Secretary General. These programs will definitely help to serve society.

We the Management always feel blessed to have the whole hearted support and guidance of our Patrons. Thank you so much Binaji, Veenaji and Rakeshji for showering motherly affection on us. From the bottom of my heart I express my thanks to our ever cooperative Secretary General Kuljitji and Treasurer Rehanaji. My thanks are due to the entire AIWC team of VPs, Jt. Sec., Asst. Sec., ZOs, MICs and SC Members.

Special thanks are due to the team of “Ode to the Glorious Past”, comprising Jt. Secretary Smt. Supriya Bhalerao, MIC Library Dr. Yuthika Mishra, Ranjana and Sujata of MCM Library, and our Program Officers for handling technicalities efficiently. The joint effort has proved successful in offering our respects to our thirty eight Past Presidents in order till 2010 on the Webex Platform, and also spreading awareness of the rich legacy that has been created since 1927.

Dhanyawad from the bottom of my heart to each and every staff member of our office, Poonam, our Executive Secretary and her team consisting of Lily, Suman, Sneh, Albina, Azra, Salim, Rani and Saroj; Smt. Biji Sebastian, our Finance Manager and her team of Deepthy, Devi, Anuradha and Sonu; Engineer Shri Binay Bharadwaj and his teams of Essential Services and Repair & Maintenance, with the help of Mehra Constructions, Complete

Solutions, Slip tech, Jain Constructions etc., Mess Manager Gayatri and her team for taking care of our food, Maya and Satya for looking after our quarters and also all other cleaning staff, our drivers, wardens, Aga Khan Hall team, AVI team, Bapnu Ghar team, Textile unit , Fire ball Securities, all of them standing with us in the times of crisis, may it be Covid-19, Vacant Premises or recent upheaval , A Big Thank You To All.

And complete surrender to Almighty for being with us always to handle the entrusted responsibility with ease and comfort.

THANK YOU.

Dukhabhagbhavet

Om Shanti: Shanti: Shanti:”

“Sarve Sukhinh Santu ,Sarve Santu Niramayah, Sarve BhadraniPashyantu, Makashchit

A Walk Down Memory Lane…. Bhule Bisre Yadein!!

By Smt. Bina Jain, Patron, AIWC

AIWChas not just been a part of my life for over 50 years but has actually been my LIFE! Join me as I look in the ‘rear view mirror’ and once again relive all those memorable moments.

The year was 1965. I had time on my hands as my children would be off to school and my husband to work. I wanted to do something constructive with my time. I met Smt. Shyam Mohini Pathak and she introduced me to this esteemed organization ‘All India Women’s Conference’. As I lived in the neighbourhood, I walked over to this old building, with very high ceilings, to attend the programme on hotel management being organized by Smt. Pathak. I also met Smt. M S Jhabvala, President, who was impressed by my enthusiasm and encouraged me to join Smt. Pathak in arranging the next programme for the girls who lived in the Working Women’s Hostel that was being run by AIWC.

We decided that it would be a good idea to teach the girls Judo as a means of self-defence. The challenge was to find a good coach. After much effort we were able to get Shri Rajan the coach at the Japanese Embassy to agree to coach our girls. The next issue was to find and arrange for mattresses, essential for the judo training. Finally after running from pillar to post we got success and arranged this from Sports Club of India. Despite all the challenges I enjoyed my role in putting this programme together.

The environment in AIWC was very welcoming, all senior members exuded warmth. They were fulsome in their appreciation of the efforts of the

new members which in turn encouraged younger members like me to do more. As a result, I kept increasing my involvement in the various activities. As there were no member-in-charge positions at that time, the activities were undertaken in a collaborative spirit and all members worked to make a success of all the programmes and initiatives.

Another memory that is so fresh in my mind is our contribution in helping Jawans during the Indo Pak conflict in 1965 and ’71. Wool manufacturers delivered truckloads of wool in army colours to AIWC to be knit into sweaters, socks and gloves. All of us were good at knitting and our hands would constantly be moving with our knitting needles even when we were sitting in meetings. These items would be distributed to the Jawans together with food packets at the railway station whenever the train passed through Delhi towards the border areas. My enthusiasm made me volunteer to go to the railway station at any time of the day or night. Fortunately, safety of women was never an issue during those days. It was amazing to see the manner in which big companies, small shops and individuals donated whatever they could to AIWC to support our national and grass roots work.

In 1970 Smt. Raghuramiah took over as the President of AIWC. Her tenure had many firsts for AIWC. She organized the first meeting of all the members at her home town Guntur. That meeting is still fresh in my mind together with sharing the joy that Smt. Raghuramiah experienced when her mother gifted her a beautiful sari in appreciation of her selfless work. As President, Smt. Raghuramiah’s

first agenda was to rebuild the main building. Her trust in my abilities resulted in her involving me in the planning and construction of the building that we presently occupy.

The Trade Fair was organized at Pragati Maidan for the first time. Smt. Raghuramiah decided to open a canteen at the Trade Fair and gave me the responsibility of running the place. Unlike other eating outlets ours opened at 9.00 a.m. as she believed that early visitors should also have the ability to get themselves a cup of tea and some snacks. We charged Re. 1 for a cup of tea and Re. 1 for a samosa…sounds unbelievable when we think of prices that are charged today!!

She also gave me the responsibility of running the tailoring unit that she started in the garage at her residence. In my mind’s eye I can still savour the taste of the idli and dosa that she would serve as breakfast at her residence in 14 Ashoka Road.

In 1978-79 floods devastated various parts of Uttar Pradesh. We at AIWC focused on helping the flood hit in Bulandshahr, UP and Delhi. Unfortunately, we did not have the funds to donate but had the spirit to come up with a solution. We reached out to individuals and companies to donate to our efforts in cash or kind and met with huge success. A group of us along with Smt. Raghuramaiah, went to Bulandshahr carrying a load of quilts, blankets, medicines and other essentials including stuff for the pregnant ladies. As the roads were washed away, we had to travel in bullock carts and also walk through knee deep water and slush. We observed that many women had only the clothes that they were wearing. The Collector of Bulandshahr helped us in procuring fabric from the Government Shops which these women could use to stitch clothes for themselves.

In Delhi, the second place of our focus was Model Town, where we distributed food to the residents who were marooned in their homes without food or water.

We took on the next challenge of the construction of AIWC building. Demolition of the old building commenced and construction of the new structure started. Besides being involved in organizing various programmes, I was actively involved in the new construction. When the new building was ready I had the pleasure of being involved in the inauguration of the new facility.

After fifteen years of being involved in organization work, I thought the time was right for me to contest elections. In 1981 I contested for the post of Secretary of the Delhi Women’s League, New Delhi and won. Smt. Sondhi who was the Secretary General of AIWC was very keen that I should work with her in Head Office, but I also had the pressure to continue as the Secretary of the Branch. I could not give up one for the other, so I carried on with my work in the activities of both organizations and continued as a Standing Committee Member.

In 1985 Smt. Ashoka Gupta became the President and she made me the member-in-charge of hostel and estate. This was a huge responsibility as the hostel was at full capacity and we had over 105 girls in the waiting list. There was also constant pressure from various VIPs to admit girls that they referred. The role needed a lot of tact and the ability to withstand pressure of various kinds. Being responsible for the Estate meant not just taking care of the new building but all the related activities like engaging security guards, safai karamcharis, etc. I was fortunate to have had a very efficient Engineer Shri Menon assisting me. Managing the

staff was a challenge as they would go off on leave for 2 to 3 months to visit their village and would at times even extend their time off without any prior intimation. The expense on uniforms, etc. was also soaring and also the pressure from the staff to fill vacancies through their recommendations. After studying all the issues I suggested to the President that instead of having the staff on our rolls we need to consider outsourcing this to a contractor. While she welcomed the idea she wanted me to make a presentation to the members with the pros and cons of both the scenarios so that an informed decision could be taken.

It was during Smt. Ashoka Gupta’s time that my suggestion to start a AIWC Mahila mess came to fruition. We had a series of discussions and there were suggestions by the Secretary General to invite different groups of ladies who could cook different cuisines on different days for the hostel girls. While this was a novel idea it was not very practical, as we had over three hundred girls at the hostel. It was also difficult to find a female cook who could cater to such a large group. Finally we decided to employ a male cook and a female manager. It was a challenge once again to find a manager and after much search we found Babita who agreed to work in the mess. The mess was initially started in the room behind Bapnu Ghar and later shifted to the main building. My workload had increased manifold and I would go home only around 9.00 p.m. but I thoroughly enjoyed being so involved.

The Golden Jubilee of AIWC was coming up and I was appointed in charge of the celebration. The conference to celebrate the event was held in Gwalior and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and spend valuable time with the Maharani Smt. Rajwade, along with Smt. Ashoka Gupta.

For the celebration all members wore a sari with golden diyas at the border that was printed at our textile unit and sold for Rs 130.

Rashida Begum and I had the distinction of attending the International Conference in Iraq organized by Saddam’s sister. Smt. Ashoka Gupta had chosen to send us, to encourage and recognize young members at AIWC by giving the free tickets received from the organisers. It was a great experience for us, as we were taken on the personal flight of Saddam Hussain from Baghdad to Basra. We met many of the Ministers at a grand reception hosted to us. They were very caring and considerate to us, by taking us in A/C buses right into the hotel, as the temperature there at that time was around 52 degrees C, which we were unable to bear.

The Executive Secretary and I were sent by Smt. Ashoka Gupta to check out the place recommended by Smt. Sushila Singhi from Calcutta, for an Old Age home at Vrindavan. We got to the place around 9.00 p.m. It was pitch dark as there were only a few small bulbs to light the way. It was quite scary but we managed to reach the huge haveli, which had the family living on the first floor. We were shown the place the next morning by Shri Sharma, but met with resistance from the Mahants of the temple who were against the idea of starting a home for widows. They threatened us and told us to leave the place for our own safety and give up the idea of starting a home for the widows.

I did not bow down to their threats and went about gathering information by meeting the widows. What I learned was heartbreaking. All widows, young or old, sick or in good health were expected to sit and sing bhajans at the temple and in return they would be given a small glass of rice, half glass

of dal and one rupee. This was their only meal for the day. They only had the sari that they wore and their condition was pathetic. It was clear that the Pandas were abusing these helpless women. AIWC decided to take action and opened a home for widows at Vrindavan, the first ever such home.

Smt. Ashoka Gupta was succeeded by Smt. Shobhana Ranade. She made me member-incharge of Hostel and Estate and Mess for another five years. The AIWC mess was being run by a Contractor who was not doing a good job and we wanted to change the system. As expected the Contractor resisted the change. As this was part of my responsibility I sat on a chair the whole night in the Mess with Smt. Ranade to resolve the issue.

I received a lot of support from Smt. Ranade in resolving the problem. When today, I think back to that time of sitting in the mess, I am amazed how I fearlessly sat there. It could have been quite scary.

During Smt. Ranade’s tenure the ‘Education Funds Organisation’ was under the aegis of AIWC and the President of AIWC was also the President of AIWEFA. The Secretary of AIWEFA created many hurdles in the working and feeling harassed, Smt. Ranade gave up the management of AIWEFA.

It was during Smt. Ranade’s tenure that the Constitution of AIWC was revised and the revised version was printed. I have very fond memories of working with Smt. Ranade who was a very simple person and impressed me with her simple living and high thinking. She used to cook her own simple food and used to share it with us during our lunch time.

Smt. Kunti Pal was elected President after Smt. Ranade. I was made member -in- charge, Grants during this time. There were a lot of Government Grants available for different programmes to

be conducted all over the country through our branches. I feel a sense pride in having managed to get grants for 250 awareness programmes, from the Central Social Welfare Board for all the branches and the grant for the fifteen Computer Centres from the Ministry of HRD. The AIWC Computer Centre that is being run today is the same centre but under a different scheme. Under skill development, a grant for Beauty Culture was also sanctioned and the centre functioned in a room behind the KD & LM Hostel.

The next President was Smt. Kalawati Tripathi. It was during her tenure that I decided to contest elections for the post of Treasurer and my opponent was Smt. Rakesh Dhawan. There was a lot of politics between the North and South and I was told that my chances were bleak. While going to Tirupati for the election meeting, some senior members reached out to me, requesting me to withdraw my candidature. I was told that if I lost not only would I not get any post I will also be barred from entering AIWC. Smt. Shobhana Ranade was a huge moral support at that time and I refused to back down and stayed calm. To everyone’s surprise or should I say shock, I won the election by a sizeable margin. Some senior members wanted a recount/re-election, but Smt. Dhawan was graceful in accepting defeat and refused re-election.

When I took over the post of Treasurer, I observed that the Accounts Section staff was uncomfortable with me. I also sensed that some of them were hiding something from me. I started investigating and found that around. `70,000 from the hostel fees had not been recorded in the AIWC Accounts.

I discussed the issue with two patrons, Smt. Varadappan and Smt. Ranade, the President and the Legal Adviser. They asked me to take strict

action. Despite a lot of pressure and the threat of legal action I implemented the plan and sacked two employees.

I also found that the Accounts Officer was not keeping accounts properly and was favouring some branches. I discovered that he had given a loan of `80,000 to the previous Treasurer without the approval or knowledge of the Standing Committee. To prevent me from finding more issues he hid files from me. There was also an Assistant, Shri Kapur, who used to secretly tape all the discussions taking place in the office, and he even tried to blackmail me and threatened to harm me, Such threats and blackmails would not scare me from my decision to change the Accounts Officer and the corrupt assistant for the welfare of the Organisation. I was determined to bring about change and started the procedure. Finally I managed to remove him and the vacancy was filled by appointing Smt. Biji Sebastian.

My tenure as Treasurer was a very difficult one but God gave me the strength to soldier on. I managed to get the whole accounts section changed. I brought in Devi from Bapnu Ghar to work in the Accounts section and am happy to state that due to actions taken then, to date this section is working very efficiently.

Another achievement that I must touch upon is the introduction of group insurance for all employees. After a couple of incidents, I realized that many of the employees had no recourse if they were faced with a sudden casualty to themselves or a family member. I spearheaded the introduction of Insurance with gratuity for all employees. Another change was the appointment of the Cleaning and Security Teams on contract basis. This was done for the first time.

The International Micro Credit Summit was being organized. As Secretary Smt. Lalita Balakrishnan was not keeping good health, the responsibility of handling the entire accounting amounting to a crore of rupees fell on my shoulders. This was handled efficiently and to the satisfaction of the Government Auditors.

The Women’s Craft Mela was also introduced for the first time and over sixty artisans joined and were able to sell their wares making the event a huge success.

When Smt. Vimla Vohra was the member-in-charge of Bapnu Ghar, we took the initiative of getting a girl in Bapnu Ghar married. I had the privilege of conducting the Kanya Daan and also bearing the expenditure towards this wedding.

In 2001 a world conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related intolerance was to be held in Durban, South Africa. Due to the perceived security risk in Johannesburg no member was willing to travel. I agreed to represent AIWC and Smt. Ranade organized a workshop entitled ‘Discrimination lessons from the past’. As there was a suggestion to have an exhibition on Gandhiji, AIWC printed a small booklet on Gandhiji’s quotes on racism. (If you are interested you can find it in our library as a few copies are available there.)

Smt. Kalavathi Tripathi and Dr. Aparna Basu also accompanied me for this conference. Dr. Basu and I were responsible for the display and exhibition and interaction with anyone who visited our stall. We had an enjoyable trip. The Indian Ambassador took full responsibility for our safety during our stay in South Africa by ensuring that we were accompanied by black guard security when we had to go anywhere. A high tea was also organized in

our honour by the Indian Ambassador.

Dr. Aparna Basu took over as President after Smt. Tripathi. During her tenure I was the Vice President. At that time Vice President was only a decorative post and didn’t have much work and role to play. Dr. Basu gave me the responsibility to organise the crafts mela and I managed to get a grant of Rs.10,00,000 from the Ministry, of Govt of India.

Dr. Basu was very liberal in dealing with members and she trusted them to carry out their responsibilities. It was a very pleasant experience to work with her. She had great regard for members and her way of working was memorable one.

After Dr, Basu, Dr. Manorama Bawa came as President. I was not holding any position of responsibility, but attended all the meetings and programs and I used to be involved in all the discussions and decisions.

Smt. Gomithi Nair became President after Dr. Bawa. She nominated me as MIC- Communal Harmony and National Integration programme. In the beginning, I was not clear on the subject. Though it was in our Constitution, not much work was done on this subject. I took it as a challenge and with great difficulty I found a way to start the programme. I took up ten programs and conducted them all over India through branches. Shri Rai of National Foundation for Harmony (funding Agency) attended the programmes and was very happy to see the proper implementation and publicity. Since then AIWC has made a name in this field. This foundation is under the Home Ministry.

I cannot believe that it has been 46 (2011) years since I started my association with AIWC. There

has never been a dull day and it has been an incredible journey that has enriched my life. By now I was totally breathing and living AIWC and all my friends/well wishers were encouraging me and provoking me by saying that I was ready to take on the mantle of President. This gave me motivation and I started thinking about it.

My election and my experience as a President (from 2011-2013) is another chapter in my life, which I will share with you all in another issue of Roshni.

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Head Office, Delhi

The theme of the programme was “Unsung Heroines of the Independence Movement” depicting the role of our Past Presidents between 1927 – 1947. The participants were our staff. Other items were presented by our Bapnu Ghar and AVI students.

Human Touch Foundation, Greater Noida

Dehradun Branch

AIWC main city Dehradun Branch celebrated “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav “ on completion of 75 years of India’s Independence with great fervour. It was marked by flag hoisting, patriotic poems, songs etc. On this occasion National Assistant Secretary S/Smt. Shevata Rai Talwar,

By Smt. Aruna Chawla, SCM

Standing Committee Member Smt. Aruna Chawla, President Smt. Kavita Batra, Secretary Smt. Neera Mittal and S/Smt. Poonam Verma, Renu Bhatnagar, Pushpa Bhalla, Pinkish etc were present.

Jagriti Women’s Conference, Haridwar

By Dr. Karuna Sharma, Secretary

Jagriti Women’s Conference, Haridwar society celebrated Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on14th August at 4 pm. First, we distributed flags to all, and a rally was organised. Then our Vice President Smt. Uma Pandey delivered a talk on “Importance Of Independence Day”. She told us that our culture and heritage are very rich. We

should impart sanskars and values to our future generations. Our president Smt. Neeru Jain said that we should work together for betterment of society. It would be a real tribute to our martyrs. Secretary Dr. Karuna Sharma said that we should be proud of our country. Two little girls recited patriotic poems and danced on a patriotic song.

Tarash Mandir, Vrindavan

North Suburban Constituent Branch, Kolkata

By Smt. Bhaswati Paul, Secretary

This Branch, established in 1967, is working for more than fifty years for the “Betterment and Upliftment of Women and Children" and serving society as a whole with its limited resources, following the guidelines of AIWC.

On the auspicious occasion of 75th Anniversary

of Indian Independence Day, the National flag was hoisted in the office premises of the Branch by the septuagenarian Craft Teacher and member, Dipika Guin and our Office-Bearer, Shyamal Das in presence of members of the Branch.

Happy Independence Day!

Ujjawal Women’s Association, Delhi

Komaragiri Branch

The Branch commemorated Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on 15th August 2022 in Komaragiri Village of Kothapalli Mandal East Godavari District. A function was organised at Z.P. High School, which was adopted by A.I.W.C. for betterment of the socio-economic condition of the women. This programme was mainly done under the guidance of Smt. M. Bhanuseshu, President, Komaragiri Branch. At 10 a.m. all the villagers and guests gathered at the function and Smt. Satya Sri, Sarpanch of the village, honoured the photo of the great (Late) Smt. Yechuri Kalpakam garu by garlanding and offered flowers there. In the meeting, active social worker Smt. Vijayalakshmi spoke about the great works taken up by Smt. Yechuri Kalpakam garu

In the programme, a souvenir compiled on the activities taken up at the village for upliftment of lives of mainly poor women was released by the chief guest Shri G. Tulsikumar, Chairman, Zilla Parishad. While proposing the Vote of Thanks, Smt. B. Krishna Kumari higlighted the efforts of Smt. V.V. Lakshmi garu for bringing out a souvenir. Further she gave thanks for

By Smt. M. Bhanuseshu, President

the excellent cooperation extended by the Headmaster, Z.P. High School and all their staff members. She also thanked the villagers and guests for the successful completion the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav programme at the village. She particularly thanked the press for their presence and coverage of the programme.Smt.

N. Bhanumathi, Secretary of Kakinada Main Branch sponsored and distributed the prizes for essay writing and patriotic songs by children. Smt. Padmalatha, President, AIWC Samalkota, Smt. Kameswari and Smt. J. Subbalakshmi were also there to grace the occasion.

The programme ended on a good note.

A Tribute to Women Freedom Fighters of Bengal. Main Branch-AIWC, North Kolkata Branch

"A Tribute To Women Freedom Fighters of Bengal " And An Awareness Programme on Communal Harmony and Integrity

By Smt. Shikha Mitra, MIC-Resolution

On the auspicious occasion of 75th anniversary of Indian Independence on 15th August 2022, North Suburban Constituent Branch of Kolkata-700037, under North Kolkata Branch, in collaboration with MIC, Art and Culture, AIWC, Central Office, New-Delhi, organised a programme to make a section of people, most of whom are women and students belonging to the middle class and lowermiddle-class families, aware of the necessity of maintaining “Communal Harmony” among our middle-class. For that, the self-sacrifice, dedication and determination of our freedom fighters, which paved the way for the Freedom of our Motherland foiling the British Raj’s policy of "Divide and Rule", are cited as examples. The emphasis was given to the struggle of Women Freedom Fighters to make the audience realize what obstacles they had to overcome for being accepted even by their male colleagues.

In her inaugural speech, Smt. Dipali De, President AIWC, North Suburban Constituent Branch said that Indians who were born after

15th August 1947 are Born-Independent. But they should also know that in ancient India people were independent, irrespective of gender, class or creed. Our Freedom-Fighters dedicated themselves to liberating India from the oppression of British rule in all aspects and placing India on the strong foundation of secularism and democracy again. She paid homage to Bhikaji Cama who on 22 August 1907, attended the second Socialist Congress at Stuttgart, Germany and as an appeal for human rights, equality and autonomy from Great Britain, she unfurled what she called the "Flag of Indian Independence" and Hansa Mehta, an independence activist, social reformer, educator and one of the founders of AIWC who led the team of ladies that handed over the National Flag to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru which was hoisted on 15th August 1947.

Smt. Shikha Mitra, MIC Resolutions and member of the Executive Committee of AIWC, Central Office, pointed out India is a great example of Unity in Diversity and it is a multicultural, multi-lingual, and multi-ethnic symbol

of solidarity. People belonging to different cultures and religions share a common platform to understand each other’s religious beliefs, fostering a sense of solidarity, trust, and harmony. To spread awareness for maintaining Communal Harmony and Solidarity. AIWC, Head Office in collaboration with the National Foundation for Communal Harmony, an autonomous organization with the Ministry of Home Affairs organized four Physical Seminars on Communal Harmony and National Integration in the AIWC branches.

The report of all four Seminars and three Webinars was submitted to NFCH by March 2022. All Four Seminars are exclusive, youthoriented, variety of cultural programmes added to bring up the essence of diversity, Indian culture and tradition. These programmes are incomplete without the support and participation of our branches who have conducted the programmes focusing on the theme of Peace, Diversity, Communal Harmony and National Integration. She paid homage to the women freedom fighters and mentioned that almost all the Founders and senior members of AIWC took part in the freedom struggle and worked hard throughout their lives to keep the integrity and sovereignty of our motherland, intact. Their successors are also working relentlessly for the betterment of society and the country as a whole in all aspects.

Resource person, Dr Bhaswati Chatterjee, Associate Professor, Vidyasagar College, Kolkata enlightened the audience by discussing the lives and works of four eminent women

Freedom Fighters of Bengal, namely Matangini Hajra, Pritilata Waddedar, Bina Das and Nellie Sengupta who had completely different family backgrounds. Two of them were Martyrs, one at the age of 21 (Pritilata) while attacking European Club in Chittagong, now in Bangladesh in 1932 another at age of 76 (Matangini) during Quit India Movement in 1942 in Tamluk, West Bengal. Bina Das, in 1932 at the age of 21 made a failed attempt to shoot Stanley Jackson during the convocation of Calcutta University and was imprisoned for long nine years, joined Gandhiji's Quit India Movement and after independence joined active politics for some time and then became a recluse in Rishikesh. Nellie Sengupta, an English lady joined Gandhiji's Non-cooperation Movement along with her husband Jatindramohan Sengupta and was imprisoned. After independence, she chose to live in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

Dr Chatterjee mentioned that in the Freedom Fighting Movement of women, AIWC played a very vital role. She also mentioned that these noble souls fought for the liberation of undivided India and partition hurt their feelings. Hence later their sincere efforts were always to keep the integrity and solidarity of our country intact. This legacy should be carried on by future generations. She encouraged the organising branch by saying that their effort will yield good results by creating an impact on the audience.

Smt. Indrani Sengupta, MIC Art and Culture, AIWC, Central Office, said that the older generation must make the younger citizens aware of the fact that Independency which was

earned by lots of sacrifices should be protected earnestly and they have to do as much as they can to reach the goals yet to be achieved like education, health, home for all, economic and social equality. She paid homage to Phularenu Guha, a social reformer, freedom fighter, and politician. She not only actively took part in the freedom struggle, but after independence joined politics and became a Member of Parliament. At the same time, she was a Standing Committee Member of AIWC since 1943 and along with Kamala Devi Chattopadhaya, worked for the rehabilitation of the destitute after Partition. Even in her old age in 1990-1991 she along with a number of sensible and sincere people from West Bengal, formed the "People Action Network for Communal Harmony and National Integrity " to stand against the plot for creating division and conflict among two sects based on religion.

After the seminar, a musical recital dedicated to the Martyrs and Freedom Fighters was presented by the Cultural Wing of the Branch.

The targeted audience, not being from a very high social and economic background, had almost no idea of the struggle made by our ancestors to liberate our country and place it on a strong foundation of secularism and democracy. Moreover, the non-availability of resources needed by them to lead a luxurious life makes them vulnerable to the temptations put before them by those who want to fulfil their interests by creating disharmony among different sects. We hope that today's discussion will make them feel proud of their glorious past and that the life and struggle of their ancestors will inspire them and make them aware of the necessity of living in harmony and the message will be spread out to bigger circles like ripples.

Branch Activities

J&K Women Society Jammu (J&K) Branch

By Smt. Nirmal Padha, President

J&K Women Society provided financial help to an old lady for her medicines.

We provided financial help to a woman for the purpose of education of her son.

J&K Women Society has started Udaan cutting and stitching centre at Constituent Branch Vaishnavi Women Society, Village Kamala, district Samba, where twenty five women are enrolled.

Jagriti Women’s Conference, Haridwar

By Dr. Karuna Sharma, Secretary

1-Awareness Program on Gender Sensitization (06-08-2022)

In the formative years of children, values and virtues can be easily nurtured. In order to avail of this wonderful opportunity, a one-day awareness session on ‘Gender Sensitization’ was organised by Jagriti Women’s Conference, Haridwar at Delhi Public School Ranipur, Haridwar on August 06, 2022. The main objective of the session was to make students aware about prevailing gender discrimination practices and how they can bring change in society. Smt. Manjula Bhagat, Smt. Monika Garg and Smt. Veena Kaul attended the event as representatives of Jagriti Women’s Conference, Haridwar. Dr. Anupam Jagga, Principal, DPS Ranipur, Smt. Uma Pandey, Headmistress of Middle Wing, Shri Girish Chandra, Headmaster of Junior Wing and Smt. Sachi Chaturvedi, Headmistress of Primary Wing graced the session with their presence. Dr. Shikha Tomer and Dr. Richa Arya, Counsellors, DPS Ranipur were the resource persons of the session. The session commenced with the welcome speech of Dr. Anupam Jagga, Principal, DPS Ranipur and Smt. Manjula Bhagat, Patron, Jagriti Women’s Conference, Haridwar and continued by the resource persons throwing light on the concepts of gender sensitization, the difference between gender and sex, myths about gender roles and gender equality. To enhance the knowledge of students, a situation based quiz was taken so that the students could comprehend the difference between gender and sex. To instil the retention of

the concepts discussed, a video was also played about myths related to gender roles.

To add to their knowledge, gender stereotypes related to family, society, education and workplace were discussed with the help of various examples. Gender equality is a human fight and not a female fight. The following points were discussed so that they can eliminate gender discrimination at the social as well as personal level.

l Create more awareness in society and in nation

l Give equal respect to both the genders

l Provide equal opportunities to women and men in social, economic and political arenas

l Men and women should have equal decision making power at all levels

l There should be no word like feminism and machoism in this world, only equalism

l Be a role model to remove gender inequality from home and then from society

Medical Dispensary

Changes are desirable in the societal norms and the mind-set of the people about gender roles. All must understand that both men and women can play equal roles for the development of the nation.

Six hundred students of classes VI, VII and VIII attended the session. All the students participated actively in the discussion and promised to bring a positive change in society.

4- Tree Plantation (Herbal Plants) (22-08-2022)

2- Celebration Of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav(14-08-2022-15-08-2022)

On 15-08-2022 we celebrated Independence Day at the medical dispensary (our bhawan) by hoisting the flag. The villagers were told the importance of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

We planted herbal plants on 22-08-2022 in two institutions. In the morning at 10 am we planted fifteen medicinal plants of Sahajan, Giloy, Patthar Chatta, Aaonla, Kapas, Ekmukhi Rudraksh etc. in The Advent School, Jagjeetpur, Haridwar and in the evening we planted the same plants in Care Nursing College, Kishanpur, Rohalki. President Smt. Neeru Jain thanked the Principal Shri K.C.Pandey and told the students the importance of the medicinal plants.

5- Started Day Care Centre For Women Senior Citizens (28-08-2022)

3- Celebration Of Janmashtami (14-08-2022)

We celebrated Janmashtami with full enthusiasm on 14-08-2022. The members sang the RadhaKrishna bhajans and danced to them. Our President Smt. Neeru Jain congratulated all and told them about the importance of this festival.

We inaugurated the above centre at Kangri Gram on 28-08-2022. All senior citizens were invited for lunch at our Kangri Bhawan and formally, the centre was inaugurated. All senior citizen women ate the food –poori, aloo, kaddu, paneer ki sabji, raita and gulab jamun with great relish. They all were very happy. Daycare Centre is sponsored by AIWC Old Age Trust, New Delhi and since 1st Sept 2022 it has been running successfully.

Inauguration of day care centre

Gender sensitisation programme

6- Health & Nutritious Diet Awareness Program (11 & 16-09-2022)

The Organisation held two awareness programs on Health & Nutritious Diet in two different schools: Adarsh Bal Vidya Mandir, Junior High School, Kangri and Rajkiya Prathamik Vidyalaya No. 22, Gandhi Ashram, Vishnu Garden, Haridwar on 11-09-2022 and 16-09-2022. Our keynote speaker Dr. Kusum Upadhyay explained everything in a very simple way. She explained the importance of a nutritious diet and said that food is not eaten only for taste. A nutritious diet keeps our body healthy and maintains the balance of calcium, protein, iron, vitamins, carbohydrates etc. and all these are very important to remain healthy. She said we should drink sufficient water to keep our body hydrated. “Rang Bharo” competition was also organized for the students in which they filled the colors in fruits and vegetables. They were asked to write the names of five fruits and vegetables which they liked most. Bananas were distributed.

Social Media for classes 9,10,11and12th students of Shivalik Public School, Roorkee. The keynote speaker Smt. Nishu Namdev told the students what cybercrime was, and what precautions should be taken to avoid it. Social media is a big trap for the students and they should keep their distance from it.

8- Started Computer Training Centre(02-10-2022)

7- Awareness Program On Cyber Crime and Social Media (16-09-2022)

Roorkee constituent branch organized an awareness program on a very important topic-Cyber Crime &

The organization took a further step to empower the girls and women of Kangri and other nearby villages and inaugurated a Computer Training Centre at our Kangri Bhawan on Gandhi Jayanti (02-10-2022). About fifty people were present on this occasion. Newly elected Pradhan of Kangri village Smt. Sheetla was also present. The Director of MSPVS Institute, Haridwar, Shri Sanjeev Sharma inaugurated the centre by cutting the ribbon. A computer literacy awareness program was also organized. Our computer Member-in-Charge Smt. Nidhi Arora Sharma interacted with the students. The villagers and students were very happy with the opening of this centre. Our President Smt. Neeru Jain said that our organization would try our best for the upliftment of the villagers, especially of the girls, women

Inauguration of daycare centre

Inauguration of computer training centre

and children. Our Patron Smt. Manjula Bhagat addressed the students and said that we would provide a library facility also. She said that we wanted to provide value education and we would provide books of different competitions also very soon. Shri Naveen said that they appreciated the work and efforts of Jagriti Women’s Conference, Haridwar. The organization had been doing a lot for the villagers since 2014.

Kalimpong Branch

Nutrition program in Tari Gram Panchayat Village

On 7th September 2022, Kalimpong Branch organised a nutrition programme, coving topics like nutritious food and vegetables. We discussed local available nutritious food and the right way to consume food and fruits. We stressed on healthy eating and healthy living.

This was followed by an interactive session:

9- Medical Dispensary (Every Sunday)

The organization has been providing a medical facility to the villagers of Kangri Gram and other nearby villages regularly every Sunday. Even during the Corona pandemic, after lockdown, our medical dispensary started again on 11th October 2020 and since then it has been continuously providing the medical facility to the villagers.

By Smt. Catherine Lobo Pradhan, Secretary

Grandmother shared her memories about how they used to eat kodo, makai and phapar. They used to make mustard oil at home. How tasty it used to be!

There were thirty beneficiaries- children, young mothers and a grandmother.

We served Busty rice and oatmeal - Jaggary ( gur) kheer , made by us along with different types of fruits. It was a successful program and was greatly appreciated.

Nutrition Programme

Programme

Adolescent training programme on life skills development sponsored by H.O.and held on 26-29 August in Teesta High School in Teesta Gram Panchayat

held during International Breastfeeding Week in August 2022

AIWC Kalimpong formed the First Youth Wing Volunteers with Teesta High School senior students on 1st September 2022

AIWC Kalimpong team with LD Judge Vishal Mangrati, Secretary DLSA, to forward a case on behalf of a victim

Raiganj Case Studies

By Smt. Kalpana Roy, Zonal Organiser, Eastern Zone A.

CASE 1

Inthe middle of September, some women employees from the mid-day meal union came to me with the complaint that they were not being given proper wages and proper amount of food for distribution among the children. One example was eggs, which were not given to them in sufficient number. As a result, if each child deserved two eggs, each of them is given only one.

They asked me whether I can talk about the matter with them. I replied that it was a matter for the concerned administration and authorities. So I needed to talk with the concerned bodies. Therefore I went to the concerned authorities along with these women and talked with them and brought out the fact that these women had to be given their proper wages and the children should be given the right amount of food, like in the matter of eggs which are given only one instead of two. On the other side I opened the issue related to the

supply of expired medicines. Through discussion I created awareness and suggested that it needed to be stopped immediately. The concerned authorities agreed in the matter.

Thus, I helped those distressed women, and I am very happy and proud to share about these activities.

CASE 2

A case related to kidnapping of a young girl has been recently solved by Raiganj Mahila Sammilani members guided by me.

Children getting insufficient food (One egg instead of two)

The case came to me in the first week of August, that a girl of minor age had been picked up by a minor boy with his two- three friends and they went to a hotel in Tarapith.

Midday meal women employees getting less payment even after working hard.

Whether the girl knew the boy or not, was not a matter for discussion at that time. The main problem was that the minor girl had been picked up and her life was in danger. So to recover her was the main issue.

The in-charge of police and the superintendent of police were contacted. The girl did not have a phone with her but the boy had. So they were traced and later captured. As it was the case with minors, they were taken to court. I contacted the child line too and some active members from the child line came forward to tackle the issue. After following proper procedures, the girl was returned to her parents. The girl confessed that she was fine

and healthy and no harm had been done with her. So the parents were very happy and grateful to me. I am also very happy to save a life.

CASE 3

One case related to domestic violence towards a woman has been recently solved by Raiganj Mahila Sammilani members guided by me.

The case came in the last week of September of 2022. A woman came to me with her father stating that she has been abused by her own family members. She has been regarded as a witch and driven away from her house.

So I along with some members of Mahila Sammilani went to her house and solved the matter by holding a meeting and through a scientific discussion. We showed them the acts and rules and regulations of our country. Witch-hunting is totally unethical, and it has no value in the modern scientific age. Then everyone was convinced and accepted the woman back in their home. So, here I share my joy in saving a life from superstitious sentiments.

Cases of Domestic Violence solved by AIWC Zonal Organizer Smt. Kalpana Roy.

Woman grieving at the news about her daughter’s kidnapping.

Roshni

Sanjeevni Mahila Sanstha, Meerut

By Smt. Beena Agarwal, SCM

On16 July 2022, Sanjeevni Mahila Sanstha Meerut installed a permanent swing in the female prisoner campus of District Jail Meerut, inaugurated by Jail Superintendent Shri Rakesh Kumar. Jailer Shri Manish Kumar and Sanstha Members were present on the occasion.

Allahabad City Branch

Adiscussionon digital world was organized by Dainik Jagran on 8th July at 1:00 pm. The problems and solutions of the digital world were discussed, which was very interesting. It was a real eye opener for parents also.

Rashtriya Netradaan Pakhwara was organized on 3rd August in a college for the awareness that everyone shall donate their eyes as this is a noble cause. All the members gave the information to the students that we can always spread some love by giving others the benefit of sight when we are gone.

By Smt. Ranjana Gulati

On 14th September, members spent the day with senior citizens at an old age home. Food was distributed, and after that we enjoyed Bhajan and Kirtan in their company. On 21st September, we had gone to interview the students in Sanskar College. The best students were selected for the Udaan Scholarship. On 29th September, a centre was inaugurated to help under-privileged patients to get their heath check-up and medicine in a very low cost.

Shahdara Creche -- 30th Anniversary Celebration

By Smt. Mythily Jagannathan, Co-ordinator, Shahdara crèche

The30th anniversary of AIWC’s Shahdara crèche was celebrated on 18th August 2022, with festivity, colour, and 3-5 year- olds dancing to popular folk and film songs. The crèche was decorated, and walls draped with curtains. The iron grill enclosing the verandah was decked with multi-coloured balloons. Children dressed in their best made a colourful, happy group.

After the inaugural lamp was lit, the event, which coincided with the Amrit Mahotsav fortnight, started with children marching in, holding aloft colourful Amrit Mahotsav posters, singing a patriotic song, to matching background music. This was followed by group dances. 4-5 year old

girls danced with sprightly grace to a Haryanvi song “Baawan gaj ko Saman”. AIWC’s gifts to the children were then distributed by Shri Giridhari ji, Sarpanch, Tahirpur Panchayat and myself. In conclusion, lunch packets were distributed and the children went for their midday meal, first stopping to collect balloons.

The celebration brought back memories of the 1990’s, when the crèche had been donated to AIWC by the International Leprosy Foundation. For over thirty years, AIWC has been serving the community, caring and nurturing generations of little children.

Children- ready to party!

Distribution of AIWC Gifts to the children by Panchayat President, Shri. Girdhariji and Creche Coordinator, Smt. Mythily Jagannathan

Holding aloft posters of Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav

Receiving gifts with a smile! Amrit Mahotsav pose!

Priyadarshini Kandi Pathankot

By Smt. Raj Dogra, President

Free medical camps were set up in Dhaki village in Priyadarshini Kandi area, where Dr. Saurabh prescribed medicines to beneficiaries.

Teej was celebrated in Golden Kindergarten School in Mirpur Colony.

Udaan Programme

Roshni

July-September 2022

Bathinda Branch

By Smt. Swati Garg, SCM

Ongoing programme for street children (July 2022-June 2023)

One day awareness programme on welfare schemes for women, held on 17th September

Vikas Mahila Sangam, Mayur Vihar Phase-2 Awareness Programme On Financial Liberation For Women

By Smt. Sapna Acharya, President

Anawareness programme was organized on Financial Liberation For Women on behalf of Vikas Mahila Sangam at Conference Hall of Prachin Shivalay , Mayur Vihar Phase-2 on1st September 2022 . The programme was sponsored by the SBI Branch, M. V. Phase-2.

The main intention of organizing this programme was to give detailed information about different bank policies, by which we could benefit through the proper management of our own finances. The programme started with the welcome speech by the President of VMS Smt. Sapna Acharya. Revered guests were honored with handwoven shawls. Chief Guest Smt. Kuljit Kaur, Secretary General, AIWC, spoke about the importance of financial independence for everyone so that one could lead a secure life. Guest of Honour Smt. Rehana Begum, Treasurer, AIWC, explained the rights of women in financial matters. It was very important for women to live the life of their dreams on their own terms. In this context, the vision of life has to be linked to a larger goal.

Chief Spokesperson of the programme Smt. Chanda Jha, Chief Manager, SBI , Mayur Vihar Branch explained the policies of the bank. One should know in detail regarding the investment of money in different policies and their benefit for the short term and long term. She advised careful handling of transactions and the need to beware of cyber crimes. With a lot of examples, she explained how people are cheated by their family members. For a secure future, everyone should be concerned about their financial investments and their secure policy management. She said the average person needs to save a substantial corpus in order to achieve financial freedom.

The members interacted with Smt. Chanda Jha and asked many questions about savings accounts, fixed deposit policies, gold bonds and mutual fund policies and their risk factors. Overall the programme was very helpful and gave knowledge of many aspects of financial matters.

Roshni  July-September 2022

Garia Mahamayatala Jadavpur Branch, Kolkata

By Smt. Basudha Ganguly, President

GMJ members celebrated 'Aranya Saptaho' on 19th July 2022 at Jadavpur

MIC Resolution Delhi: Smt. Shikha Mitra speaks about establishment of All India Women's Conference from 1927 till today on 10th September 2022 to our AIWC GMJ members

ANANDA MELA at Kaushik Hall Jodhpur Park in August 2022

Blood Donation Camp on 14th September 2022 at Kaliangan, Bullygunge: 25 donors donated their blood

On 28th September 2022, AIWC GMJ members distributed 50 new sarees for Durga Puja to free bed and general bed patients for Soroj Gupta Cancer Hospital Thakurpukur, West Bengal. 15 new sarees were distributed to residents of Apanghar Old Age Home at Thakurpukur

Amritsar

By Smt. Poonam Mahajan, Secretary

Teachers Day celebration at Mallepally School, Hyderabad. Branch President Smt. Farida Husain, Vice President Smt. Pushpa Umapathy and other branch members applauded the children who dressed like teachers, conducted classes and sang songs. Books and gifts were distributed to teachers and students.

Kakinada Main Branch honoured Branch President, senior most teacher of Ideal College, Smt. P. Chiranjeevinikumari on Teachers Day in the Seminar Hall of Ideal College

Teachers Day celebration in Udaan Project of East Rajasthan Branch, Jaipur

Saluting the Nation on Independence Day (Priyadarshini Kandi Pathankot)