Empowered women, empower women.” Taking this thought forward is Aparajita, a platform for recognizing the contributions and efforts of revolutionary women from Bengal. An interactive session was organized by “Aparajita” with Air Marshal (Dr.) Padma Bandhopadhyay, the first woman Air Marshal, Indian Air Force, Ms. Premlata Agrawal, the oldest woman to scale Mt. Everest, Ms. Shonali Bose, Renowned Indian film director, writer& producer, Ms. Anjolie Ela Menon, Well known muralist, and Ms. Sagarika Da’Costa, Eminent Singerat ITC Sonar today. These exemplary women, all special nominees for Aparajita 2019 were in conversation with Ms. Ruchika Gupta, Curator of Aparajita.
The invigorating session explored the inspiring tales of these exemplary women, their journey and their path to success. All these inspiring stories of real life heroes had one thing common that perseverance and dedication can help conquer any milestone.
The session was succeeded by the gala awards ceremony of Aparajita 2019. Having presented a plethora of such inspiring tales through the years, the evening witnessed the presence of women leaders from Bengal who have excelled in their respective fields with their grit, determination and ambition. Awards were given from amongst these women nominees, who have contributed to success in the fields of sports, fashion, gourmet, lifestyle, literary, business and music. The honor was bestowed upon the winners by eminent personalities of the city. Honorary Consul General, U.S, Kolkata, Ms. Patti Hoffman, Honorary Consul General of France, Kolkata, Mrs. Virginie Corteval, Distinguished Actor June Malia, Renowned Fashion Designer Agnimitra Paul, Renowned Fashion Designer Sharbari Dutta, Well Known Author Raksha Bharadia, and Masterchef India Winner Kirti Bhoutikawere amongst the award givers for the 8th edition of Aparajita.
A journey which began in 2010, has always striven to recognize and present stories of real women achievers from all walks of life..
Speaking on the occasion, Ms Ruchika Gupta, Curator, Aparajita said, “These awards are a celebration of women who have the courage to follow their hearts and thus the entire theme of the event has been curated as an ode to the strength of their femininity. It is acelebration of the talent and uniqueness, embodied by the women of today. In this year’s edition we have tried to depict the different facets of women, be it professional or personal and have created various installations to showcase them.”
The afternoon witnessed the presence of these specially curated experietntial zones as on ode to identify the multifaceted features of a woman. These zones were:
#Welder- Intervening in an unexplored field and becoming the best female welder of the world, is a feat which deserves nothing but applause. By portraying the daring of women welders, Aparajita showcased that every woman should follow her dreams, no matter how difficult it is.
#DreamBoats- Every girl has a dream of sailing far beyond and the paper boats symbolize these aspirations. They ensemble the childhood attributes of playfulness, agility and desire for wandering which we believe, is present in every woman, no matter how experienced she grows.
#Musician- Playing the tunes of progress, still holding onto the cultural beauty, women flutists are the bridge between the ancient and modern. With subtle tunes of unity, they spread the message of peace and admiration.
#Painter- A series of paintings were displayed showcasing the emotional facets of women. The main purpose of these paintings were to show that from love to wrath, a woman feels deeply and be it in her feelings or with colours, a woman is always expressive.
#Pattachitrakari- A woman is always the core individual who carries old traditions forward and this is exactly what the role of women in Pattachitra also signifies. They work patiently towards creating colourful imagery and keep an old art form alive. This installation was an effort to identify the different emotions of a woman.
#Stitch- Stitching holds strong significance in a world which is constantly moving towards technology and machines. It signifies the constant effort that a woman puts in to take forward her traditions and remains connected to the ground, no matter how the world wants her to change.
#माँ- When it comes to roti in India, it always takes us back to the fond memories of mother. This installation tries taking everyone back to their childhood when days were simpler and life, a dream of what it is today.
#Chef- Pickles signify the age old custom of pickle making in India and the perseverance women show in it. From burning in the summer heat to finding joy of life in its simplicity, they show the power of woman to always go beyond adversity.
#Baker- The entire attribute of working to feed everyone at home symbolizes the kindness of women. The sweetness of desserts is the key point of this installation which is as sweet as a lady and as colourful as her soul.
#WellnessExpert- Vedas have a mention of women working towards wellness of their families and using herbal treatment.
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