India’s progress in women empowerment: an unfinished journey

Women are in a better place than where they were a few years ago, but there is still a long way towards gender parity in the country, leading women in sports said at a seminar in Hyderabad.

“Women’s safety remains a critical limiting factor, resulting in parents being apprehensive of sending their daughters to go out and play,” said Neha Agarwal Sharma, former Olympian and a table tennis champion.

Ms. Neha recalled her journey from feeling conscious about wearing shorts for a match in her school to becoming the only female table tennis player to represent India at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Reflecting on her personal journey in a panel discussion organised by Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (YFLO) at T-Hub on Wednesday, she credited her success to her father’s unconventional and progressive views of her future as a sportswoman and the right support from her coach.

Equally inspiring was the story of Maral Yazarloo-Pattrick, an Iranian motorcyclist and fashion designer, who defied societal norms by embarking on a solo world motorbiking tour across 64 countries, even while she was pregnant. Despite hailing from a country where women were denied driving licences, Ms. Maral challenged conventions and pursued her passion.

However, she admitted to having the fear of venturing out into the unknown, knowing that her safety is not promised. Citing the gangrape of a Spanish woman biker in Jharkhand earlier this year, she expressed concerns about the callous attitude towards women’s safety in the country.

“While people across the world sympathised and offered virtual support to the survivor in this case, there are many other cases in rural parts of the country that go unnoticed every day. The need is to address each of such case seriously and create a supportive and conducive ecosystem for women to excel,” she said.

Michelle Kakade, a seasoned desert marathoner who became the only Indian to win a membership in the Elite 4 Deserts Club, emphasised the role of mothers in fostering gender equality from a young age. Ms. Kakade did the Golden Quadrilateral—the 6,000-km run—at the age of 45 and believes that age is no barrier.

The panellists collectively called for a shift in societal perspectives, urging for a broader recognition of women’s roles beyond traditional spheres of home and family. They emphasised the need for systemic changes to achieve true gender parity in India.