Elite voice concern over health

KOLKATA: Chiffons and pearls, Issy Miyake and Christine Dior. Streaked hair and grey hair. The symposium on women’s health organised by the Bhagirathi Neotia Women and Child Care Centre to commemorate International Women’s Day on Saturday made no bones about it being an urban women’s concern all the way.
All women who matter in Kolkata’s elite circle were there.As were the city’s celebrity doctors — both men and women. Even test-tube babies pioneer Dr BN Chakravarty was present.
Gynaecologist Pronob Dasgupta anchored the show which had Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai’s consultant psychiatrist Shamsah Sonawalla and assisted reproduction and genetics director Firuza Parikh, along with nutritionist and Health Total managing director Anjali Mukherjee.
Menswear designer Sarbari Dutta rubbed silken shoulders with centre director Madhu Neotia, looking ravishing in black.
Spandan’s Renu Roy, PUBLIC’s Bonani Kakkar, author Nabanita Deb Sen, Taj Bengal communications manager Madhurima Sinha, Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy founder Sudha Kaul and Society for Indian Children’s Welfare director Swaran Chowdhury were among
those present.
Dansuese Mamata Shankar put in a late entry, almost half-an-hour into the second session.
Industrialist Harsh Neotia, Indian Chamber of Commerce secretary general Nazeeb Arif and their ilk, majorly outnumbered, took the spare chairs at the back of the hall. Author Jayabrato Chatterjee and wife Subhra sat together right in the middle of the hall. What was no different from a less wellheeled gathering, however, was the incessant ring of the ubiquitous cellphone.
Most of the participants found the topics of discussion to be close to their hearts. “The symposium was really relevant for the urban woman. Many of my friends have the problems
discussed. I am carrying back a lot of information for them,� said Jyotsna David.