Bhubaneswar, March 8: Women employees of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA)
Deemed to be University celebrated the International Women’s Day, a day earlier
than the designated date, on Friday with the SOA Vice-President Ms. Saswati Das
expressing satisfaction that the fair sex walked alongside men in almost every
sphere of life today.
‘Today, women have scaled new heights and flying war planes. Women
have become successful entrepreneurs in various fields while excelling in the
realm of art, culture and research,’ Ms. Das said while speaking at a program
organised to mark the occasion.
Ms. Das said the society would progress only with the empowerment of
women while adding that SOA was continuing its efforts in this direction. She
praised the women employees of the university working in the healthcare and
education fields saying they had become examples for the entire state.
The program was attended by SOA Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Neeta
Mohanty, Controller of Examination Prof. Manjula Das, and Head of SOA Centre
for Preservation, Propagation and Restoration of Ancient Culture and Heritage of
India (PPRACHIN) Dr. Gayatribala Panda. It was also attended by Prof. (Dr.) Ruchi
Bhuyan, Dean of Institute of Dental Sciences, Prof. Pravati Tripathy, Director of
SUM Nursing College and SNC-1 Dean Prof. Sasmita Das besides women faculty
members and staff of different institutions. Women employees of the Odia
newspaper The Prameya and news channel News7 also attended the program.
Incidentally, 54 per cent of SOA’s students are girls while 42 per cent of the
faculty members and other employees are women. Besides, 46 women were
placed in key positions in the university. The program was conducted by Prof.
Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs) of the Institute of Technical
Education and Research.