Leading television journalist Barkha Dutt presents the 'Vanitha Woman of the Year' award to Nari Gunjan founder Sister Sudha Varghese in Kochi. Malayala Manorama Assistant Editor and Director Harsha Mathew is also seen.Kochi: A lot has changed in women’s lives in India, but a lot more needs to change, said leading television journalist Barkha Dutt while presenting the ' Vanitha Woman of the Year' award to NGO Nari Gunjan's founder Sister Sudha Varghese.
"Our external affairs minister and defense minister are women. The Congress was led by a woman for quite a long time. In corporates too, women are on the top. Due to family pressure and household commitments, more than two crore women had to leave their jobs since 2004 in our country. Women are not paid at par with men for the same work. When there is equality at home there will be equality at work," she said.
There is inequality in right to use mobile phones too, she pointed out. Sister Sudha spoke about how she dedicated her life for the uplift of the marginalized Musahar community of Bihar through her organization Nari Gunjan.
The award, instituted by the Malayala Manorama Group, carries a purse of Rs 1 lakh. It recognizes her tireless efforts to empower Musahar, a community in Bihar which lies at the bottom of India’s hundreds of Dalit sub-castes.
A native of Kanjirathanam in Kottayam district, Sister Sudha, who is attached to the Notre Dame Sisters Society in Patna, gave up her cloistered life as a teacher to serve the poorest of the poor. In 1987, she launched Nari Gunjan, a non-profit organization to help Dalit women become aware of and access their rights. Nari Gunjan runs several educational institutions and self-employment schemes to ensure that these women lead a productive and dignified life.
Speaking at the occasion Monday, metro rail former managing director Elias George said people like Sister Sudha are making the country proud. Malayala Manorama assistant editor and director Harsha Mathew and Vanita editor in-charge M Madhuchandran also spoke.
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