Today: 6 superwomen, 1 debate

CHANDIGARH: On the eve of National Girl Child Day, six women who have shattered countless stereotypes surrounding the fairer sex will come together for a TOI Roundtable at the

UT Guest House

here on Monday.

The women, all breadwinners, will have the company of Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher, a woman icon herself. All from varied backgrounds, the women will share their stories of struggle and grit in a society where a woman, many times, is murdered in the womb itself.


The participants will include boutique owner Rubina Joshi, who lost her husband two years ago, but still manages her family’s finances. Though a trained criminal lawyer, Rubina followed her passion of designing dresses for a living. She now owns a successful boutique.


Jaswinder Kaur’s brother Satinder Pal Singh sacrificed his life in an Army operation in Assam in 2015. Since then, she has been taking care of her ailing parents, both of whom have cardiac ailments. Due to financial constraints and family responsibilities, she could not carry on with higher education and is single-handedly paying for everything in her house.

Pooja Thakur has been fighting for the rights of HIVpositive people. She herself is HIV-infected and has been public about her health condition, so that women like her can come forward and get treated, instead of remaining aloof. She works with projects funded by Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society. Getting motivated after the death of her husband, Sangeeta Mehta, a cop, thought of pitching a stall of used clothes for the poor and the needy on her marriage anniversary, September 14. She is the sole breadwinner of her family.

Sector 7 resident Sunita Chauhan, 40, works in the UT health department. Though she married one Deepak Chauhan, he left her in 2004 because she gave birth to four daughters. Since then, she has raised her daughters with her own efforts.

Manimajra resident Suman, 40, is mother of three children and works in the UT police as a home guard volunteer. She is posted at Sector 11 police station. Her husband died due to a heart attack. She was recruited on compassionate grounds.