02/11/2023
The Department of Chemistry organized an event which is part of the Mission Shakti initiative of the Government of Uttar Pradesh on November 2, 2023. The speaker for the event was Dr. Shiwani Mishra, who is a Freelance Writer, Women Related Issues Specialist, Spiritual Counsellor and Past Life Regression Therapist. Dr. Amrita Srivastava, Department Coordinator of Mission Shakti introduced the theme of this event. Prof. Anil Mishra, Head of the Department welcomed the guests and mentioned the importance of such activities and lauded the initiative taken by the Government. Prof. Vijai Kumar Rai presented a memento to Dr. Shiwani Mishra and Dr. Joy Sarkar presented the memento to Prof. Madhurima Lal.
In the beginning, short speeches on theme of the event were delivered by Anjali Karki, a student of M.Sc. Chemistry Semester I and by two research scholars Faraz Ghous and Pulkit Sharma and on the theme of this event. Thereafter Dr. Amrita Srivastava, introduced the speaker to the audience.
Speaking on the topic Mahila: Ateet se Prerna (Women: Inspiration from the past) under Mission Shakti, Dr. Mishra said that problems related to women were very serious in the medieval period like - child marriage, purdah system, female feticide, pitiful condition of widows, social insecurity, dowry, illiteracy, Sati practice etc. These did not exist in the early Vedic period of Indian civilization however some of them are still prevalent in some parts even today.
Yajnopavita was performed for girls and thereafter they were provided education. They were also given military training along with other skills such as weaving clothes, performing various religious rituals, driving chariots, composing mantras etc. The mantras composed by women in all four Vedas prove their knowledge. In Rigveda alone, we find mantras written by twenty six women, some of them are Apala, Ghosha, Aditi, Vishvavara, Romasha etc. At that time, young men and women used to understand each other before getting married. The status of woman in the family was that of an empress.
Learning from the Vedic period, we have to educate the male section of the society towards women. Although nowadays the situation is improving a lot due to various efforts made by the government like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao etc., still more efforts have to be made in the field of education.
Only a self-reliant and confident daughter can again give us a golden age like the Vedic period.
Prof. Madhurima Lal, Convenor of the Mission Shakti Activities in the University of Lucknow concluded the program highlighting the main idea behind this mission. She lauded the efforts of the faculty and students of the department in conducting this program. Dr. Neeraj Kumar Mishra proposed the vote of thanks.
The event was attended by the faculty members and research scholars of the Chemistry Department along with Dr. Sanat Kumar Dwivedi an alumnus of the department. Prof. Naveen Khare former Head of the department was also present.