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...

Make It Happen. Inspirational Women

International Women's Day 2015; #MakeItHappen is aimed at recognizing women who inspire us.
I started to doodle the other day and started off with this image;

The female symbol. 

The final image turned out to be an A3 page full and gave me an idea (which a story for another time). I edited the image above to something like this (below) and decided to use this as my facebook profile picture because there are too many women in my life who inspire me. 

My inspirational journey begins with none than my giver-of-life my mother.I have seen my mother work with dedication and commitment. She has always given us good advice and brought us up with good values. She always used the reward and punishment system to correct our behavior and motivated us to do the best in life. She encouraged us to try to new things and to never be afraid. She taught us "If see something you like. Buy it. It might finish if you wait for later." than she taught us "Spend your money wisely" Oh dear mother!! You shopaholic you!! But we have used that phrase in life. Don't wait for someone else to do things for you. If you want something go and get it. Tomorrow it might be gone. Love you heaps!!  

Number 2 on my list is my one and only sister. She is simply beauty with brains and amazing skills is what she has. She is a graphic designer by profession and one of the best ones I know of too. Over the years I have seen her grow from one 'tomboy' to this young woman who now matches her clothes with ear rings bags and shoes. :-) She has super awesome skills. Driving like a maniac (sometimes) and drawing the most gorgeous of things, capturing the soul of what ever she photographs and she owns the kitchen too, mixing spices of all sorts. She loves her food, games and iGadgets. She inspires me to be creative and stand out in the crowd. She inspires many others too!! #SisterSister :-)

What would we be without aunts! Aunts who spoil us with goodies, who threaten us to do our home works and than take us out for ice creams :-) Aunts! I love my aunt more so because she is more like a mother and a best friend to us and less like an aunt. Always supporting us in our life decisions and guiding us through difficulties. Encouraging us to take that difficult step and lending an ear when we need to vent. My aunt has always been my support network and always looked out for us. She has contributed immensely to my upbringing and contributed towards the drive of becoming an independent young woman!! Watching her go to University with big books and late night studies I was determined to become a graduate too. She motivated us to explore our options on job/career and so we did. No one could ever tell us we couldnt do it because she was the louder voice of reason saying "You can do it and you will."  thanks to this powerful woman we have done it :-) #AuntsAreForSpoilingUs :-) 

There are so many other women who have been my inspiration and motivation. Most of them are close to home. I know these women on a personal level and am able to contact them when I need the support. I think it is equally important that we recognize the women in our (personal) lives who have motivation to us just as much as we recognize women who have made history. 

Another young women I would like to acknowledge here is a dear friend I made in Bali during the UNAOC 6th Global Forum where the youth put together 8 Recommendations 

Meet Ms. Kavindya Thennakoon (first from left in Blue). Young woman from Sri Lanka who is doing so much for her community. She is also one of the recipients of the Queens Young Leaders Award (2015) and we will be crossing paths again in London. Kavi; set up the organization Without Boarders and for someone so young she is representing her youth voices of her country at International Platforms and doing it so well. She is a great friend and has a very strong personality. AND she loves TEA too <3

A very happy International Woman's Day to one and all!!!

And a happy wedding anniversary to my parents who tied the knot on such an important day!! :-) :-) Little did they know what it meant, it meant giving birth to two very strong, opinionated, independent and creative daughters :-) 

My beautiful family :-)

Until Next blog;

:-) :-)