Forget diamonds, a cellphone with the right app and number is a girl's best friend.

On International Women's Day, Jamshedpur-based social outfit Republican's Challenge, comprising college students and professionals, distributed pamphlets on how the Shakti app and police helpline 9771432013 could help them.

Nine members of the outfit started distributing the pamphlets at Graduate School College for Women in Sakchi.

"We started the drive to mark women's day. Girls must learn how helpful Shakti app and police helpline are," Biswajeet Prasad (25), founder-co-ordinator of Republican's Challenge, said, adding they would visit Jamshedpur Women's College in Bistupur and other educational institutions with a sizeable number of girls. "We will give pamphlets to girl students and working women."

The first-of-its-kind safety tool provided by the police for Jharkhand's women, Shakti app was developed by Jharkhand Space Application Centre and Police Data Centre and can be downloaded from Google Play Store to Android phones. A user alert helps police track the location of the woman within seconds.

As of now the app is offering its services at Bistupur, Sonari, Sakchi, Kadma, Sidhgora, Sitaramdera and Golmuri police stations, city SP Chandan Jha said.

Helpline 9771432013, connected to police control room, has been given by inspector Priyanka Anand of Mahila Thana inside Sakchi thana campus. "When a woman in distress calls, her location is noted down by the phone attendant. The attendant tells the nearest GPS-fitted police patrol vehicle to rush to help," explained inspector Anand.

Jamshedpur Women's College and The Graduate School College for Women celebrated women's day with seminars discussing equal opportunity at work, dowry, child marriage and domestic violence, among others. Shukla Mahanty, pro vice-chancellor, Kolhan University; pugilist sisters Aruna Mishra and Taruna Mishra and Dhalbhum SDO Suraj Kumar came to Jamshedpur Women's College, which also held a signature campaign to respect every woman. DSP Jacinta Kerketta, principal Usha Shukla and faculty members hosted a talk on 'Being Woman' at The Graduate School College for Women. LIC Jamshedpur, Inner Wheel Club (Jamshedpur West) and Jan Jagran Abhiyan also hosted events to mark the day.