(Clockwise from top left) Sonal Mansingh and Pooja Bedi at an event at KIIT campus. Illeana Citaristi and Shovana Narayan perform at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar to mark International Women’s Day. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee and Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, March 8: Eminent women from different walks of life interacted with girl students here at ‘Ksha’, a celebration of International Women’s Day.

Odissi dancers Sonal Mansingh and Aruna Mohanty, theatre personality and communication expert Dolly Thakore, television personality Pooja Bedi, Odia actress Anu Choudhury, vocalist Sangita Gosain, social activist Shruti Mohapatra and many other personalities answered questions of the young women and at the event hosted at KIIT Convention hall.

The students posed questions such as security of women to their role in today’s society. Many also wished to know the views of the women about the duties of a girl and how they can achieve success.

Sonal Mansingh gave strong opinions and suggestions while spicing them up with subtle humour. “How can others have the tenacity to give a woman her rights and declare her free? We are born free and what is ours is our birthright. We must all assert it no matter what opinion people form of us in the process,” she said. The dancer also advised that women of all ages should try to be physically fit and pursue their dreams at any time of their life.

Dolly Thakore voiced concern of women when it comes to violence against them all over the world. “One in three women across the world is subjugated to violence. This cannot be overcome until all of us start participating in small efforts to spread awareness among women around us and make them realise their strength,” she said.

Pooja Bedi said the plight of women across the country was same because of the weak judicial system and laws. She supported death and castration for rapists when the women are murdered or left in a vegetable state.

The listeners were inspired with the deliberations of the women personalities.

“Each of them inspired us with their moving thoughts. It was also an eye-opener. Women are often judgmental about other women’s conduct, whereas we must first start respecting each other’s decisions. If we criticise a woman because of her attire or behaviour, we are only supporting the arguments of men that these elements make her less virtuous. With the strong deliberations today, I will never dare to judge a woman being one myself,” said Prakruti, a management student.

There were plenty of other events across the city. Women art workshops were held at Odisha Modern Art Gallery. Documentary films were screened at the Adivasi Exhibition Ground on the lives of great Odia women such as Kuntala Kumari Sabat, Rama Devi, Sarala Devi, Annapurna Moharana, Binapani Mohanty, Dhobendri Mahapatra among others.