‘Women are universally respected as they are symbols of sacrifice and patience’

March 13, 2024 06:25 pm | Updated 06:25 pm IST - Belagavi

International Women’s Day was celebrated at the Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI) in Dharwad on Tuesday.

Writer Gurudevi Huleppanavaramath, who inaugurated the event, said that women are universally respected as they are symbols of sacrifice and patience.

“It is interesting to see that water and women complement each other. A woman is a symbol of tolerance, patience and compassion. The values of a rural woman are ideal for all of us today and we need to respect her sacrifice, compassion and courage. A woman is referred to as Mahile in Sanskrit and Kannada. The terms Mahi and Ila both mean Earth or land. That is why, I keep saying that a woman has twice the endurance and patience compared to the Earth,” Dr Huleppanavaramath said.

Referring to folklore, hymns and songs, she said that just like water, a woman is dynamic and adaptive to changes. She is selfless and affectionate like water, she said.

She said that the contribution of Basavanna and other saints to the composite culture of Karnataka is immense. “It is due to their ideas that we are treating women and other disadvantaged sections of society equally,” she said. She thanked the Karnataka government for designating Basavanna as the cultural ambassador of the State.

Progressive woman farmer Prema Shankara Ganiger, who was felicitated on the occasion, explained how she achieved success in her eight-acre farm.

She urged farmers to follow the integrated farming approach, including dairy farming, animal husbandry and organic farming.

Director B.Y. Bandivaddar said that WALMI will implement several projects based on this year’s theme, “Investing in Women to Accelerate Progress”.

Program coordinator Suvarna Doddamani explained the background of Women’s Day by speaking of the struggle for women’s rights in New York.

Co-coordinator Sunanda Seetole, consultants Nagaratna Hosmani, Vithal Benagi and Anuradha Malagi, Assistant Director Prabhakar Hadimani and others were present.