Eminent women honoured in Kumaon region

BD Kasniyal

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Pithoragarh, March 8

Eminent women, who had excelled in various sectors, were honoured at several events organised in the Kumaon region on the occasion of International Women’s Day today.

Renowned Hindi writer Shivani (Gaura Pant) and other women writers were remembered for their various works. Shivani, who received Padma Shri in 1982, wrote several fictional stories and novels on Kumaon women.

“Several women personalities, including journalist-cum-author Mrinal Pande, social worker Mukti Dutta, cricketer Ekta Bisht, politicians, freedom fighters and former MLA Saraswati Tiwari of the Almora district were remembered,” said Lata Pandey, who organised a scooter rally from Thana Bazaar to Mall Road. She later held an event to honour famous women at the Nanda Devi ground in Almora.

In Champawat, people honoured Laxmi Devi of Khirdwari village for her relentless efforts to make men shun liquor in her village. Social worker Rita Gahtori was honoured for her efforts to make women empowered by inculcating a spirit of self confidence among them to fight discrimination.

Lola Bangyal and Shobha Behn were honored in Dharchula and Berinag subdivisions, respectively, of the Pithoragarh district for their campaigns to empower women by making them involved in woollen craft business. “We also remembered women, who had organised campaigns from time to time against liquor addiction in their respective villages but failed due to non-cooperation from men folk,” said Renu Thakur, organiser of an event in Jakhni, who is also area director of an NGO, Arpan.

At Haldwani town in the Nainital district, social worker Hilda Bhatt of Kumaon School for Deaf and Dumb was honoured by some social organisations for her works towards the uplift of differently abled children since 1977. “We have taught various skills to over 1,200 differently abled children since the inception of the school in 1977,” said 47-year-old Hilda Bhatt.