• Date & Time of the Event: Thursday, 7th March, 2024

• Place/Venue: Kundanmal Firodia Auditorium, Fergusson Campus, Pune

• Name of the Guest and their Designation :

Following experts in the field of Law, Academics, Political Science etc. were invited as Panel Members for this Panel Discussion;

1. Dr. Bindu Ronald, Professor, Symbiosis Law School, Pune.

2. Prof. Ulhas Bapat, Veteran Constitutional Expert, Pune

3. Dr. Deepa Paturkar, Principal In-charge, ILS Law College, Pune.

4. Adv. Vijayalakxmi Khopde, Practicing Advocate, Bombay High Court.

Note: The event enabled an opportunity to the students to understand magnitudes and practicalities involved in the area of political empowerment of Women in India. Dr. Neelam Gorhe, the Deputy Chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council, India while elucidating her experiences on field, applauded immense participation of women leaders in Indian Politics. Her speech encouraged the students to pose certain genuine and practical concerns regarding fake representation of women in Indian politics at rural level. Dr. Neelam Gorhe also deliberated upon future of women leaders in Indian politics etc. to which she graciously replied in an optimistic manner. Dr. Neelam Gorhe championed the requirement of reservation for women in Charitable organizations. Her speech was followed by video of Smt. Sudha Murty, an Indian educator and famous Author as a message for students at large as she has mailed her best wishes for the program.

During the panel discussion, an eminent speaker Prof. Ulhas Bapat expressed his concern about gender neutral language and shared some reading material with the students for reference. Dr. Deepa Paturkar shared her views on contribution of education institutes in shaping students’ personality for career in politics. She also attempted to draw the attention of the audience towards the gap between the theoretical and practical empowerment of women in Indian politics. This discussion was further continued by Dr. Bindu Ronald wherein she emphasized that, economic empowerment of woman in every sector would bring to her social as well as political empowerment. Adv. Vijayalakshmi Khopde shared her experience of working for women empowerment in rural as well as urban area. She further added that women empowerment is possible only when women remain active in whichever field they are working in.

• Number of attendees: 155 Students and 15 Faculty members

• Outcome of the event: Through this session, a need of strategic contrivance for bringing about political empowerment of women in Indian society was highlighted and thereby helped to channelize the students to take necessary steps in the area for creating better future for participative democracy for all irrespective of gender in our society.

‘Panel Discussion on Political Empowerment of Women – Perspectives and a Way Forward’