SIMATS and Times of India mark Women’s Day event with awards, Nehwal address

On the occasion of International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 08, an event brought together women achievers recognised for their contributions across fields and their impact on society.The celebrations included the recognition of women achievers across fields, a panel discussion on key issues, an address by chief guest Saina Nehwal, and a series of cultural programmes. In her welcome address, Dr Sheeja. S Varghese, Registrar, said the event was organised to honour the strength, resilience, achievements and contributions of women from all walks of life. International Women's Day was not just a celebration but a reminder of the journey towards equality, inclusion and empowerment. The theme of this year was ‘Accelerate Action for Women's Equality,’ calling upon institutions, leaders and communities to take meaningful steps that ensure women are empowered to reach their fullest potential. At Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), empowering women has always been a part of their vision and mission, and as a result, many women were employed in many key leadership and academic positions across their institution, and they played a pivotal role in academic research, healthcare and the academic ecosystem, contributing significantly to the growth and global recognition of Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences. She thanked Dr. N. M. Veeraiyan, Founder and Chancellor of Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, whose unwavering commitment to education, healthcare and social empowerment continued to transform countless lives, creating an ecosystem where excellence, compassion and inclusivity thrived. She expressed her gratitude to Dr Saveetha Rajesh, Director of Saveetha Pupil Eco School, whose unwavering dedication, tireless hard work, and visionary leadership were instrumental in shaping excellence in education. Through her commitment and passion, she had not only nurtured young minds but also made meaningful contributions to the continued growth and progress of Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences. Her journey, she said, was an inspiration to many and exemplified the qualities of a role model for the next generation of leaders. She also welcomed Dr. Ramya Deepak, Director, SIMATS Engineering, who was known for her remarkable enthusiasm, commitment and tireless leadership and was the driving force behind organising this vibrant event. Her initiative, energy and dedication reflect her passion for empowering and celebrating women, Dr. Sheeja said, while appreciating the effort she had taken for the same. Beginning his address with the poem Mangaiyaai Pirappathirke Nalla Maadhavam Seithida Vendum()by National Poet Subramania Bharathi, Dr. Veeraiyan said it meant that one had to perform great deeds and required great credentials to be even born as a woman. “Therefore, a woman should feel proud of her work and live her life with happiness, confidence and dignity. On this day, International Women's Day, I feel very happy to be here among the women who have achieved a lot of things in their life. And I welcome all guests, award recipients, and students. This Women's Day, we have identified great people and achievers due to the tremendous work they all have done,” Dr. Veeraiyan said, and appealed to the students to be inspired by the guests and achievers, and try to become like them. “A day should come when you should also sit on the stage,” Dr. Veeraiyan added.In her chief guest address, Saina Nehwal stressed the importance of hard work and being consistent in that. She said she had seen many girls and boys playing at the highest level, and losing sometimes, but they would report to the coach first thing early in the morning, as they wanted to be nothing but the best. “And after a few years, you see them standing on the podium as they did all that work. So, you have to put in that extra effort. I know sometimes we feel why we work so hard, why we want to achieve, and why we need to put in so many hours of work. But if you want to really achieve and be the best, you will have to forget your Sundays and holidays. That is what I even did. It is just hard work,” Nehwal said as the audience applauded her strong, inspiring words. “You have to work even on the days you do not feel like or suffer from a fever or cold. Maybe it is tough, but this is the way you produce characters. This is the way you will be someone you really want to be. But yes, there will be difficult days because you might think I need some people around me to celebrate. That can happen once you achieve what you want to. So always keep your secrets and goals to yourself. Do not discuss that with anyone. Just keep it to yourself, work hard for it, and one day your work will speak, your work will show what you are,” Nehwal remarked. Recalling that sports in India is not the way they were a few decades back, when most parents would want their children to pursue professional education, instead of encouraging them to take up sports, Nehwal said a lot of things had changed now. Stating that she was inspired by P.T. Usha and Dhanraj Pillai, who were immensely popular then, said she took up sports purely for fun and excitement. After moving to Hyderabad from Haryana, she hardly imagined that she would be taking up Badminton and that the first shot she played was a smash. “Before that I had never used a racket. But this is the power of watching. Sometimes you learn so much by watching than by playing,” she said, while also thanking many girls and also boys for helping her throughout her career and for making her World No. 1 by practising along with her. Thanking her parents for being a pillar of support all along her life, Nehwal said today’s generation was smart and intelligent, but also lazy, spending a lot of time watching reels, and did not do much of hard work, including working on their physical fitness. Unlike many other countries, where people worked on their fitness by going to the gym before and after college or office hours, the current generation here was not very serious about it. “I wish we were a strong nation. We are good at doing everything. But I think if we work more on our fitness and take care of our health, along with good food, which is important to stay healthy. I am sure everyone likes to play as it gives a lot of focus. These days, there is a lot of stress and taking up sports will give you focus, especially for young people. It will give you that mental relaxation,” Nehwal added.On the occasion, Nehwal handed over the following awards for women for their excellence in various spheres of life: Nehwal, on the occasion, also handed over lifetime achievement awards to playback singer and National Award and Padma Bhushan recipient Dr. K.S. Chitra,Dr. Nigar Shaji, Space Scientist at ISRO and Project Director of Aditya L1, Dr. Shanthi Duraiswamy, Co-Founder of Sakthi Masala, globally recognised brand of spices and for her social work, especially for the differently-abled, and Dr Shasni N. Vani, for her contribution to immunisation initiatives in India and child health care and currently Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics including Neonatology, Pramukhswami Medical College, Gujarat. On request from the audience, Dr. Chitra sang her popular song ‘malargal ketten, vaname thanthanai’ much to their delight.Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences students presented sensational dance presentations honouring the role of women in the Indian Armed Forces, and also recreated the tale of a young woman of Uttar Pradesh who survived an acid attack with 29 % burn injuries and joined the State’s police force through sheer determination and willpower. The final part of the event was a panel discussion moderated by Sri Ranjani, who was also the master of ceremonies of the celebrations. The panellists included Alisha Abdulla, India’s first woman racing champion, Dr. Charulatha Mani, Carnatic and film singer, and Dr. Krithika Datta, Head, Dept of Cariology and Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics. Stating that Mary Kom was her role model and that she was inspired by her when she returned to the boxing ring for days two days after the delivery of her children, Abdulla said she herself, being a mother of twins, found it not so easy on what advice she could offer them, adding that raising girl children would not be easy either. She recalled that she had to overcome a lot of difficulties, especially as she was competing in a sport that was dominated by men. There would be a lot of discouraging remarks from many quarters, but with her father being the pillar of support, she overcame all of them to emerge victorious, she said. Stressing on the importance of training, she said it was most important in a sport like hers, where the actual competition would last for just 45 minutes. Sharing her current experience in politics, she said it was not easy to manage many things at the same time, as she was also running her own business. Dr. Datta said that women had to cheer themselves up so that they continue to move towards their objective, and like the popular saying, behind every successful man, there is a woman; she said behind every successful, there was a man. In her case, she said it was people like her father and Dr. Veeraiyan who had been encouraging her all along her career. Stating that she had studied in women’s institutions in school and college, she said most of the discrimination women suffered from was self-inflicted and that during troubled times, women had to take a break, detach, and ponder deeply before resuming their work. She added that even today, not many men or young boys are able to handle successful or strong women. Dr. Charulatha Mani said women had nothing to worry about if they were bold and courageous. Recalling that after her formal education and training in Carnatic music, she left for Australia for higher studies. She said she was here today due to the sacrifices of her parents, and appealed to students to respect the hard work of their parents. She reminded them of the importance of acknowledging and respecting their parents for their sacrifices.Disclaimer: The article has been produced on behalf of SAVEETHA MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL TRUST by the Times Internet's Spotlight team.