Women can be rooted in tradition and take on demanding jobs: Meera Siddhartha Dave

Hyderabad: Nation-building is not the govt's responsibility alone, every citizen must become a soldier in spirit, said Captain Meera Siddhartha Dave, retired Indian Army officer, at a women's conference organised by Osmania University on "Give to Gain – Women Power for Sustainability."During her tenure, Dave was associated with Operation Sadbhavana which aims at empowering citizens of terrorism-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir Speaking about the role of women as nation builders, she said how they can " remain rooted in tradition while taking on demanding roles, including in the armed forces". "Courage and leadership are not gender-specific," Dave added citing the examples of Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh (Indian Air Force) — two prominent faces from the defence services during Operation Sindoor.Taking forward the discussion initiated by the chief guest, OU's vice-chancellor, Professor Kumar M, stressed how educating women can strengthen families and build a sustainable society. Hailing the increased participation of women in higher education, he said it is a "silent revolution" that's shifted the narrative around women from limitation to leadership. "What was once seen as weakness is now strength. The world today does not just need intelligence but compassion and sensitivity," he said, underlining the importance of emotional intelligence.The conference brought together faculty, students, and experts to discuss women's role in sustainability and nation-building.Padma Shri awardee, Dr Manjula Anagani, clinical director and head of dept (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), at Care Hospitals, Banjara Hills called for greater awareness around women's nutrition and well-being. "We have been talking about plastics for too long, but plastics have also been affecting women's menstrual health. It's high time we say no to plastic sanitary pads and move to more sustainable and safer options like menstrual cups and period panties," she added.