An open letter to Chandigarh’s daughters: Carry forward its legacy of empowered women

Chandigarh has always been a city of strong female voices. From Sushma Swaraj, whose eloquence shook parliaments, to Kirron Kher, who brought her boldness from the stage to the political arena — our city has never been short of women who stood tall, spoke firmly, and led fearlessly.

And yet, during the course of my duties as a warden, I have witnessed a disheartening change. When young female residents bring up an issue and the answer happens to be “no,” many do not press on themselves. Instead, they send a boy, a man, or a party worker to take the matter forward.

It breaks my heart to see this. Are we raising a generation of women who believe they cannot fight their own battles? Who think their voices are too fragile to carry weight? And if they believe that a male voice can influence or intimidate women in authority, that is perhaps the saddest part — our own tribe turning against us.

But this must not be our destiny. Chandigarh cannot lose the spirit of fearless women who came before. Every rejection is not the end of the road — it is an invitation to grow stronger, to stand taller, to speak louder.

True empowerment doesn’t come from borrowed voices. It comes from your own — steady, unshaken, and unapologetic. My hope is that the daughters of this city rise to that legacy and carry it forward with pride.

Dr Supreet Gill, Chandigarh