JOIN USWomen achievers share stories, struggles at college event
As a part of their Women’s Day programme, the department of professional studies at Christ (Deemed To Be University) recently held ‘Sammilan 2020’. The event was a celebration of women who have dedicated their life for the society.
The main speakers were Dr Akkai Padmashali, transgender activist-singer; Divya Sara Thomas, IPS, DCP, City Armed Reserve Headquarters, and Samyukta Hornad, actor.
Addressing the audience, Samyukta recollected how she was a victim of bullying in college, adding that the incident helped her become a stronger person. “As a student, I had a unibrow, never used cosmetics and did not own a mobile phone; all of which made me a target for bullying. The emotional scars take a lot of time to heal but I decided to strive hard to make it big. Revenge is trivial, what matters is loving oneself. Fighting different levels of trauma to convert it into a positive outcome has been life-changing. Being patient, learning and unlearning will take you places,” she said.
Akkai Padmashali, began her talk with a volley of questions such as “How many transgender men/women are there in the room? Why are my people not professors? Why do we see them only as beggars on streets or sex workers?”
Charming the listeners with her confidence, she received the loudest applause throughout the program. “On International Women’s Day, I question the norms of the patriarchal society. I am a woman without a vagina, uterus, breasts, and periods; I challenge and reject men who dictate and dominate the notion of womanhood. I claim with pride and dignity that I am a woman with a beautiful black identity,” she said.
Singing a few lines from the Lakshmi stuti — Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma — for the album ‘Songs of Caravan’, she said, “We have to justify ourselves. The struggles have been manifold, from facing the dire consequences of social exclusion to attempted suicides because of discrimination or stigma.”
Sharing snippets from her own journey, she added she wished human beings were more responsible for their own happiness and empowerment.
Acknowledging the hardships faced by her fellow panelists, Divya Sara Thomas spoke about the importance of having supportive parents and growing up in a household without gender bias. “Leading a department comprising 2000 or more men with 40 to 50 officers is only possible because of the strength I gain from my family,” she said. Talking about pioneering the first all-women motorcycle riding brigade, she said, “Imagine how safe people would feel if there were women sub-inspectors patrolling the streets of the city late at night. This is the main motive behind the idea and I’m proud to be leading this project.”
The open house interactive session was moderated by Prof Jossy Peter, coordinator, insurance courses. “This was the most emotionally touching event out of the 56 programs conducted by the department in the academic year of 2019-2020,” said professor Biju Thomas, director of the department of professional studies.