CONTEMPLATION....FROM A LECTURER'S NOTE PAD

Thoughts about gender empowerment turned the wheel of time in my mind to the Vedic period. It was a golden era for women. In the Vedic times women were treated at par with men. They exercised the freedom of thought, word and deed. Then began the endless oppression and suppression of women. Women were treated only as bread makers leave alone breadwinners. So the struggle for self respect and self esteem was long because in the deeply traditional Indian society, accustomed to absorbing influences of all kinds over the centuries, changes come slowly, it was more so in the case of women. Hence the new economy and the new life style has engendered but has hardly wiped away the old values particularly the code of conduct of women. Thus we find many girls sandwiched between the tradition of yesteryears and the present modernity. The journey of transition from homely chicks to independent women is yet to reach its destination. In this process there are many challenges and opportunities including job opportunities, which gives women the much-needed economic freedom.
The job opportunities are so many that it has often led to confusion in the young minds. But are all the jobs suitable for women? Labeled as a weaker sex for many centuries can they take up challenging jobs like a pilot?….. or for that matter a bus driver?……. women in merchant navy far away from the families? Women are often forced to choose between a career and a family. Will they be able to strike a balance?……….out of choice can they remain single? There are umpteen such questions. Gender empowerment can be complete only when all these questions find answers in all fairness. Nevertheless a change is round the corner and inevitable.

The changing scenario in women empowerment is encouraging. Women literacy has been increasing slowly but steadily. A brave Jhansi, a soft spoken Kasturba, a diplomatic Indira, a soothing Mother Teresa come to our minds as they have left footprints on sand. Our own contemporaries like a homemaker Harshini, a councilor Chandana, a revolutionary Medha, a daring Kalpana can be an immense source of inspiration.

Women are today employed in jobs that did not exist a generation ago. They are employed in jobs rarely filled in by women like auto drivers, gas station attendants, magazine editors, software programmers etc; Men are accepting a female boss though grudgingly… Do we see a change??? But, women continue to be great homemakers too!
Women are the greatest assets in the society. They are equal to men in all the spheres. All that they need in today’s world is a bit of empowerment. It is the duty of the society to provide this. If not it should be taken. The process of taking is empowerment too! Being a mother gives a women incredible feeling of empowerment. Education remains the key to both political and economic empowerment. In the WDC’S endeavor for gender empowerment let all of us join setting aside our doubts, filled with aspirations, strive to covert these efforts into a REVOLUTION ……….a HURRICANE.

THE BOND

My husband is a bank employee. He was posted to Hyderabad, as his job is transferable. I joined a local college as a lecturer. A couple of months later I was asked to meet the members of the Management. The management members stated that attaining 100% result was mandatory. Besides, securing a couple of ranks among the top ten ranks of the state was also essential. I was dumb struck. Here I was at the beginning of my career and their expectations were skyrocketing.
I identified three students who fulfilled the requirements of attaining a state rank. Then began the Herculean task of motivating them. These exercises often demotivated me and took me into long hours of deep depression. Among the three students, I found that one had the caliber to attain the set target. Unfortunately her parents legally divorced in the month of December. Since then her grades started slipping down. The management took me to task at the deteriorating performance. It took me another mammoth effort to bring her back to normalcy. After restoring normalcy, I not only started counseling her but also brain washing her to attain the set goal. I emotionally black mailed her stating that if she did not attain the rank I may have to resign from my post.
During the period of counseling we became close to each other. She started opening up to the insecurities, which were looming large after her parents legally divorced. Over a period of time she shared all her fears, emotions and apprehensions in her private life. In this process a strong bond developed between us. Her love for me made her work harder and longer. Her performance started showing an upward trend, though gradually.
The day of the declaration of the results finally arrived. My heart was in my mouth. I could hear my heart thumping vigorously. I was sitting in the staff room in the first floor waiting for the result. Finally I heard her yell from the ground floor “Mam, you need not resign. We have attained it.” Her tone sounded musical .Her vibrant voice was a feast to my ear. She laid the foundation for the success story of the Institution. Attaining a state rank became almost a habit with us thanks to the initial achievement.
I will be ever grateful to her as, early in my career, she made me realize that the bond I develop with my students is the only and the strongest motivating factor to attain the desired and the best results. Love is indeed a driving force, which takes us to the great heights of achievements and makes the impossible seem simple and possible.