Glimpses of the activities at Azad Maidan, Panjim, where the Morcha organised by Bailancho Saad, to commemorate Women's Day, culminated at 6 p.m. on 8th March - Women's Day.

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By Miss Lynn Pereira
lynns9@goatelecom.com


 

8th March 2002,  International Women's Day Yashadamini Awards to be given today to:

Shashikala Hodarkar Almeida
Sharada Sawaikar
Shalini Lolienkar (Freedom Fighter)
Libia Lobo Sardessai (First Lawyer)
Sanyogeeta Rane (Goa's First MP)
Shashikala Kakodkar (Chief Minister)
Urminda Lima Leitao (First MLA)
Phylip Faria (First Municipal Council Chairperson)
Irene Barros (Fisrt Lady Sarpanch)
Dr. Purnima Usgaonkar (Doctor)
Dr. Adelia Costa (One of the First Lady Doctor)
Asha Sawardekar (Social Worker)
Filomena Fernandes (Government Employee to reach to the level of Director)
Alka Velingkar (Drama)
Mercedez Lobo (Singer, Western Classical)
Lorna Cordeiro (Popular Singer)
Radhabai Kamat (Singer, Devotional Songs)
Madhavi Desai (Writer)
Norma Alvares (Environmentalist)
Dr. Jayashri Kedar Padte (Doctor who was responsible for birth of first
Test Tube Baby in Goa)
Anna Figueira (Sports)
Juliana Coloco (Sports)
Shabnam Shaikh (Leading Lawyer and now Judge)
Hema Naik (Writer)
Usha Kelkar (Social Worker)

(Courtesy: Navhind Times 08/03/02 via. The Goan Forum)

International Women's Day to be celebrated in a grand way Friday March 08, 2002

25 excelling Goan women to be honoured with Yashadamini awards

It's March 8 tomorrow and the International Women's Day will be celebrated throughout the world. Everything possible will be done to keep the eves happy on this day. A month-long women's programmes of State Women's Commission will begin from tomorrow, while Bailancho Saad has plans to take out float parade, highlighting various women's issues tomorrow on the occasion of International Women's Day. The state government has also constituted annual  'Yashadamini awards' and announced the name of 25 Goan women, who have excelled in various fields on the eve of International Women's Day.

Preparations are afoot to organise a grand Mahila Shakti Mellava (Women's camp) on March 10 at Campal parade ground, here and nearly 25,000 strong group of women from all over the state will participate in the day-long camp. This perhaps would be the first ever grand women's congregation in Goa. The camp is being organised by Department of Women and Child Development.

The Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Ms Sumitra Mahajan will be the chief guest, while the Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar will be the guest of honour. The Union Minister of State for Shipping, Mr Shripad Naik will also attend.
The state government has spent nearly Rs 1.5 crore on 80 women's camps held in Goa since October 2 last, with an aim of educating and creating an awareness amongst Goan women, thereby generating the sense of empowerment in them to live boldly, without fear and favour in Goan society. The Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Ravi Naik, who is also the minister of Women and Child Development, while talking to reporters on the eve of International Women's Day said, he personally supports reservation of 33
per cent seats in state legislative assembly for women. Since the issue being is of political nature, Mr Naik said, women's congregation was not an appropriate forum to discuss the issue.

Stating that the women's camps have received tremendous response, Mr Naik said, in all 37956 women participated in 80 camps held so far at various places in the state. The government plans to hold in all 200 such camps as a part of year-long Women's Empowerment Year, but did not specify since how long the camps would continue. The expenses on this camps were fully borned by the state government, Mr Naik said and claimed that the money was used for a right cause for empowering women in the state. Denying the allegation that women were paid to participate in the camps, Mr Naik said, transport charges were given to those women who had to come from remote villages. Replying to a question, Mr Naik said the government will provide transport to women for participating in the Panaji Mellava. Nearly 436 buses have been arranged for allowing the women members to reach the venue of the camp.

Meanwhile, the recipients of first Yashadamini awards are: Shashikala Hodarkar Almeida, Sharada Sawaikar, Shalini Lolienkar (freedom fighter), Libia Lobo Sardessai (First lawyer), Sanyogeeta Rane (Goa's first MP), Shashikala Kakodkar (chief minister), Urminda Lima Leitao (first MLA), Phylip Faria (first municipal council chairperson), Irene Barros (first lady sarpanch), Dr Purnima Usgaonkar (doctor), Dr Adelia Costa (one of the first lady doctor), Asha Sawardekar (social worker), Filomena Fernandes (Government employee to reach to the level of director), Alka Velingkar  (drama), Mercedez Lobo (singer, western classical), Lorna (popular singer), Radhabai Kamat (singer, devotional songs), Madhavi Desai (writer), Norma Alvares (environmentalist), Dr Jayashri Kedar Padte (doctor who was responsible for birth of first test tube baby in Goa), Anna Figueira, Juliana Coloco (sports), Shabnam Shaikh (leading lawyer and now judge), Hema Naik (writer) and Usha Kelkar (social work). A memento of silver plate will be presented to the recipient of the awards.

The Chairperson of Goa State Women's Commission, Dr Pramod Salgaocar, the director of department of women and child development, Mr Wasnik, member Secretary, Kala Academy, Mr Shantaram Rane, Director of Art and Culture, Mr M V Naik and Joint Director of Information Department, Mr Menino Peris were present during the press briefing.

Navhind Times on the Web
 

Libia Sardessai returns award PANAJI: In an unexpected turn of events at the mahila shakti melava, one of  the recipients of the 'Yashdamini' award, Libia Lobo Sardessai returned the award in protest.... ....Sardessai earlier accepted the award, later rose to express her gratitude but ended up criticising the state government and the selection committee for flaws in the procedure of selections. An angry Sardessai said that she was speaking the truth as Deputy Chief Minister Ravi Naik had called upon all women to be bold in expressing their views. According to her, she was the first woman director in Goa government and objected to the award being presented to another woman who was termed to be the first woman director.

(courtesy: Gomantak Times/12 March 2002)