Minister for Sports and Youth Advancement R.K. Roja has advised women to rise in their chosen fields by ignoring criticism and taking obstacles head-on.
She spoke at the ‘Women empowering women’ conclave organised by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) at the Sri Padmavati Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam (SPMVV) campus on Thursday.
Referring to the spate of negative comments she had encountered in the fields of film and politics, she recalled that she had risen by doing enough homework to excel and by turning a deaf ear to the detractors. “I did my schooling in Bhakarapeta village and college education in Tirupati. I never imagined being in films or politics, but once given the opportunity, I worked hard with renewed focus and proved myself. This is how each of you should move on,” she said.
Ms. Roja was particularly unhappy at the tendency to pass lewd comments on women at workplaces, in academics, sports, film, politics and allied fields, to discourage them from rising high. She was also critical of parents and family members for relegating girls to the confines of home in the garb of being ‘protective’. She maintained that gender equality should begin with parents.
APSCHE Chairman K. Hemachandra Reddy said Andhra Pradesh ranked high not only in terms of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), but also in Gender Parity Ratio (GPR), indicative of more women joining colleges and universities. He called the slew of measures like ‘Amma Vodi’, ‘Vidya Deevena’ and ‘Vasathi Deevena’ offered by the State as not just ‘welfare schemes’ but well-meaning steps to encourage women to pursue higher education.
Mayor R. Sireesha Yadav and SPMVV Vice-Chancellor D. Bharathi called education as the first step towards leading an empowered life. APSCHE Vice-Chairperson P. Uma Maheswari Devi and Registrar N. Rajani spoke while leading women entrepreneurs Bhuvana Subramanyan, Jai Bharathi, and Sunitha Tati explained various initiatives.
