Women's day is all about celebrating the spirit of women and the solidarity that women share. In one such attempt, Bookoholics, a book club started by Jigna Malwankar in Pune, bought women authors together to celebrate women's day.
The event witnessed a gathering to motivate and interact with women authors associated with the club. The idea was to share success stories and encourage other women to pursue their passion. Founder Jigna Malwankar said, "I started the club because of my enthusiasm for reading. The idea was also to bring readers and non-readers together to share ideas. And this event is an attempt at bringing women authors to the forefront to share their stories."
Staying in lines with the theme this year #ChoosetoChallenge the guests spoke about their journey, their struggles and their way forward. A total of four authors graced the event and shared their thoughts. Dr Purnima Kulkarni, an English Professor and an author, spoke widely about the importance of understanding 'feminism' correctly. With a PhD in LGBTQ studies, Purnima highlighted the matters about the community and its unaddressed issues.
"Feminism as a term is totally misunderstood. Women need to understand the meaning of the word without being aggressive. It's not about being marginalised or victimised, it's about both genders going hand in glove. the challenge is to accept and adapt."
She also stressed on the importance of moving beyond what stereotypical meaning of celebrating women's day. She spoke about how we need to lay our focus on maintaining equality. "I feel women now need to respect men as well. it's not about oppression, repression or suppression. it's about hand in glove. we don't need 'femi-nazis'. Most of the times, a woman is a woman's enemy. One is not born, but one becomes a woman. We can be assertive but there is nop need to be aggressive," said Kulkarni.
The other guests also spoke widely about their forays and how dedication helped them. Sports nutritionist and dietician Nirupama S talked about the importance of health and wellness. She stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Meera Bhansali, an author, spoke about her journey as a writer. Manju Kaira, who is an internationally acclaimed author, motivational speaker and lifestyle coach, spoke about the changing needs of the hour.
Finally, Gayatri Kalra Sehgal, an accomplished artist and a passionate educationist, also shared her journey and held discussions with the audience.
Sending a message to women around the world, Jignya Malwankar, the founder of the club, said, " In lines with the theme of this year, I would suggest women to challenge themselves. Once you change yourself, you will be able to change the world. Pursue your passion and do what you like."
