Indian Consulate in New York honours six trailblazing women

THE Consulate General of India in New York has honoured Six trailblazing women on International Women's Day for their leadership and pioneering contribution to various fields. 

The Consulate General and the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) in various states honoured the women leaders at a special event on Tuesday (8).

Entrepreneur Sejal Lakhani Bhatt, first female South Asian Municipal Court Judge in New Jersey, Dipti Vaid Dedhia, community activist Seema Kumar, entrepreneur and philanthropist Chaya Pamula, executive director of Girls on the Run NYC Allison Hauser, and executive director and group strategist Bankkai Group Priyanka Brahmbhatt were felicitated during the event.

Consul General Randhir Jaiswal said that the government of India is focused, determined and in action mode to bring women empowerment, women's development and progress to the centre of the country's growth and prosperity.

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Jaiswal also expressed hope that the world would achieve the sustainable development goal of gender equality and women empowerment by 2030.

FIA President Kenny Desai said: "Nari shakti has impacted our culture for centuries and played a major role in building and enhancing society. The commemoration calls for celebrating the "social, cultural, economic and political achievements of all women in society and in our lives. 

"This year's awardees have made their mark at the highest levels and contributed significantly to the community. They are challenging gender stereotypes and their diverse representation accelerates the process of creating a gender-balanced world."

FIA Chairman Ankur Vaidya congratulated the honourees and highlighted the significant role played by women in shaping a person's life.

Abha Jaiswal, a dentist and a leading public health specialist said the International Women's Day is a call to action and a day to reflect on what has been done and what still needs to be done.

''For women empowerment to be real and permanent, it is imperative to collectively engage every section of our society. Let's work towards it. It's a continuum," she said.