17th KIP (2011) meeting the first female President of India

Meeting the President of India, 2011

An empowering Memory.

Last year (2011) I was selected to represent FIJI under the 17^th Know India Program. Three weeks. Three states. 24 participants from 7 different countries. It was pure awesomeness! We learnt so much.

As we celebrated International Women’s Day this month (March) I thought it was appropriate to share this experience.

We visited the Delhi Metro and met with the executives who shared with us how economical and environment friendly their metros were. I wanted to know how many women actually worked as train operators and I was told some ten women who graduated with engineering degrees worked with – hands on.

In Punjab we visited the rail coach factory and it was so empowering to note that women worked in the factory as electricians, upholstery workers and joiners. There were women driving through the busy streets on their scooters and motorbikes wearing salwar kamiz. I have only seen that in movies before.

Two days before our program ended we visited the Parliament house, New Delhi and were told we will be meeting the President, Her Excellency, Mrs. Pratibha Patil. She is the first female President of India (the largest democracy in the world). If that is not empowering I don’t know what is. I was fortunate enough to be granted the opportunity to address Her Excellency in a speech, stating how my trip to India had been. I wrote a tiny speech on a paper but was not allowed to take it inside with me. So I improvised and jot down points on a tissue paper (make wise use of resources).

As we all set, nervously, waiting to be in the same room as Her Excellency, I was approached by one of the organizers and told I had to greet the President with a lovely bunch of flowers (this certainly added to the pressure I was already under). I did well – I think.

So what did I talk about? 

First and foremost I acknowledged how empowering it was to be in the same room as Her Excellency and I shared with her how impressed I was with the level of empowerment women have received in India (women employed in some male dominated fields), secondly I mentioned the quality of education offered in India and how impressive it was that people from all over the world came to study in India. Finally, I acknowledged the rich art and culture present in India.

She thanked us for our attendance and shared some of her own comments. Such a powerful lady – is all I could think of. But something she said in that room is stuck in my head.

“In places like Rajhestan – women are in law enforcement fields. Women who once needed protection are now protecting others”.

 Such powerful words and something for us to think about as well.

At the Rastapati Bhawan, India. May 2011.

For me (personally) this has got to be the most POWERFUL and the most EMPOWERING woman I have met so far!!! She leads the largest democracy in the World and she does it so Simply!! 

Until next blog...