Amity University Noida organized a Debate Competition on the topic “Can Reservation for Women in India Truly Achieve Gender Equality?” , to commemorate the Birth Centenary Year of renowned politician, Late Smt Kamla Bahuguna. A total of 30 participants from Amity University participated in the competition, which will be organized at 40 Universities from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Addressing the students, Chief Guest Ms. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Former Member of Lok Sabha, averred, “The topic is extremely relevant since, even in the 21st century, we are talking about women equality. Women equality cannot be achieved by reservation only and many other aspects need to be considered, the societal mindset needs to be changed, and women need to be educated and empowered. In the pre-independence era, when my mother was born and brought up, women were not educated and were not allowed to stand up for themselves. Their voice was silenced, and they were treated badly, however, my mother, Smt. Kamala Bahuguna, was a very brave, confident and fiery lady who has inspired me and shaped me into the person that I am today. She was a symbol of women empowerment, a dedicated wife, a doting and caring mother, a sensitive social worker and a strong and popular politician.”
“Today, the scenario has changed and there are more than 48% women pursuing higher education, however, a lot still needs to be done, and women need to be given equal rights in the society. It is of paramount importance to end gender violence and secure equal access to quality education, health and economic resources. It is also essential to achieve equal opportunities for men and women in employment across all sectors and at positions of leadership and decision-making at all levels.”
Dr. Balvinder Shukla, Vice Chancellor, Amity University Uttar Pradesh stated, “As India is moving towards Viksit Bharat@2047, women will play an important role in achieving this goal. Today, women are making their mark in every field, including science, technology, research, economy, and many others. The Debate Competition will initiate many more discussions and deliberations and trigger policy-making initiatives at district, state, and national level. Community engagement and working at grass-root level is extremely important to achieve equality of women in the society.”
Introducing the Debate Competition, Mr Ganesh Jatav, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Programme Organizer, Late Smt Kamla Bahuguna Janam Shatabdi Varsh, said, “We are extremely delighted to organize the first stage of the Debate Competition at Amity University which is one of the best private institutions of the country. The Debate Competition will be organized at 40 Universities from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and the finals will be held in Lucknow. The winners will face off in a final competition in the first week of November, with the following prizes announced: ?51,000 for the winner, ?31,000 for the first runner up and ?21,000 for the second runner up.”
Also present on the occasion were Dr. V.S. Chauhan, CMD Prakash Hospital, Dr. Sanjeev Bansal, Additional Pro Vice Chancellor Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Dr. H P Singh, Dean Student Welfare Amity University, the faculty, and students of Amity.