Governor graced 9th state level Ladies Day celebration

DIPR Imphal, Nov 19 : Governor of Manipur Dr. Najma Heptulla today graced the 9th State Level Ladies Day Celebration held at Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound, Imphal East. The Celebration was organised by Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Manipur.
Speaking at the celebration, Governor said “ I am also very happy to see several prominent women of this state joining the celebration and I feel encouraged that the women of the state are actively promoting social causes”. I am a great believer of Shri Sai Baba. The first Ladies’ Day Celebration of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation was held on 19th November, 1995. Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Manipur became a state unit of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, India on 23rd November, 2007 and since then it has also been organising the celebration.
The theme of this celebration today ‘Woman: The pillar of value based society’ is of much significance. The Bhagavad Gita says that a woman has seven qualities, whereas a man has only three and they are most virtuous. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in his teachings, laid much importance on honouring one’s parents and on parents raising children in a proper manner, and the essentiality of respecting and glorifying women in the society. He considered women the cornerstone for a sturdy family, nation and the world at large.
Governor further said history has been unkind to women, Religions and traditions have been manipulated to subvert the society by excluding women. To build a healthy society, we need to remove age-old gender biases in educational, health, social, legal, economic sectors. Women must be recognised and accepted as an independent social actor. My association with the women’s cause has been from my student days and became more intense when I was nominated to the National Committee for Women constituted on the occasion of the First World Women’s Conference in 1975 by Prime Minister Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi. During those days, the focus of the issues was social marginalisation and welfare. However, since then we have travelled a long way. I am the first woman to be elected the President of a Parliamentary Organisation of more than 150 countries and I have campaigned for the upliftment and empowerment of women all over the world. There is nothing that women cannot achieve and only if women come up in society, will the whole world turn sacred, she added.
As part of the celebration, the Chief Guest inaugurated Sai Exhibition. Gifts were presented to Mother Easwaramma Awardees for Excellence, National Awardees and Senior Sai Mahila Devotees. The Celebration was attended by Trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Trust, Manipur & Mother Easwaramma Awardee for Excellence Smt. O. Sumati Devi as President, Sahitya Ratna & Former Chairperson, Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW) Dr. Ch. Jamini Devi as Guest of Honour and State Mahila Education Co-ordinator, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Manipur Dr Umavati Devi as Presidium members respectively.