Basic HTML Version

|  | Table of Contents |  | View Full Version

Page 22 - The Indian EYE 032726
P. 22

    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                MARCH 27, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 22

              GOPIO facilitates direct descendants of Mahatma

                         Gandhi and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

                 GOPIO’s Women’s Council Hosts Webinar on Indian Diaspora Women: Leading and
                           Transforming the Social, Educational, Political, and Corporate Spheres.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            journey  with  the  Miss  India  U.S.A.
                                                                                                                  pageant and her increasing involve-
            New York, NY
                                                                                                                  ment  with  International  Women’s
                  he Women’s Council Wing of                                                                      Day over the years. She recited a
                  the Global Organization of                                                                      poem highlighting the need for wom-
            TPeople  of  Indian  Origin  (GO-                                                                     en’s  rights  and  justice,  referencing
            PIO) hosted a webinar on March 14th                                                                   the  UN’s  theme  for  2026.  She  em-
            titled “INDIAN DIASPORA WOM-                                                                          phasized the importance of pageants
            EN: LEADING AND TRANS-                                                                                in  developing  skills  and  confidence
            FORMING  THE  SOCIAL,  EDU-                                                                           for young women, encouraging net-
            CATIONAL,  POLITICAL,  AND                                                                            working and idea sharing.
            CORPORATE  SPHERES.”  Held                                                                               Writer and author of many books
            virtually, the webinar brought togeth-                                                                and  autobiographies,  Dr.  Bhuvan
            er speakers and participants from                                                                     Lall commented that this was the first
            South Africa, Germany, India, Mau-                                                                    time in his memory that the direct de-
            ritius,  United  Kingdom,  Caribbean,                                                                 scendants of Mahatma Gandhi and
            USA,  Canada,  Australia  and  New                                                                    Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose – Ela
            Zealand. The panel was put together                                                                   Gandhi  and  Anita  Bose-Pfaff  were
            by  GOPIO  Women’s  Council  Chair                                                                    on one platform.  GOPIO celebrates
            Charu  Shivakumar  from  Southern                                                                     this statement.
            California.                                                                                              The meeting further focused on
                GOPIO  Chairman  Dr.  Thom-                                                                       women’s  leadership  and  empower-
            as Abraham, welcomed participants   GOPIO Officials and Speakers at the Webinar: Top Row: L-R: Dr. Thomas Abraham, Siddharth   ment, with speakers sharing their
            and  highlighted  the  organization’s   Jain (Sid), Prakash Shah; Second Row: L-R: Ela Gandhi, Charu Shivakumar, Dr. Neerja Arun   experiences and perspectives. Ela
            global reach and advocacy for the In-  Gupta; Third Row: L-R: Shefali Mehta; Prof. Anita Bose-Pfaff, Vasu Pawar; Bottom Row: L-R:   Gandhi discussed dealing with re-
            dian diaspora and its achievements in                                                                 sistance  by  understanding  others’
            promoting dual nationality.  GOPIO         Dr. Aarti Shah, Ruchika Arora, CT-Senator-Prof. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox.  viewpoints,  while  Anita  Bose-Pfaff
            President Prakash Shah announced                                                                      emphasized not caring about being
            upcoming GOPIO events, including  and emphasized the need for shared   touched on the diverse experiences   seen as a leader but making her voice
            monthly webinars and a biennial con- responsibility and societal change to   of women leaders, including cultur- heard when necessary. The group
            vention in Mumbai during December  achieve gender equality.         al challenges and the need for con- discussed creating a global network
            18-20, 2026.                          Prof.  Sujata  Gadkar-Wilcox,   tinued advocacy to prevent setbacks   for mentoring younger women lead-
                GOPIO Women’s Council Chair  Senator  from  State  of  Connecticut,   during crises. Prof. Bose-Pfaff shared   ers, with a request for established
            Shivakumar introduced the GO-     shared  her  experience  as  the  first   her father Netaji’s views on women’s   leaders to participate. The conversa-
            PIO  Women’s  Council’s  mission  to  Indian-American  and  first  Asian   rights and their role in society citing  tion concluded with a discussion on
            empower diaspora women through  American  Woman  Senator  in  Con-  an example that the INA’s first women   spirituality and its role in facing chal-
            networking, education, and leader- necticut,  highlighting  the  difficul-  leader was Captain Lakshmi Sahgal.  lenges, with speakers emphasizing
            ship development. Dr. Neeraja Arun   ties women, especially those from   Dr.  Aarti  Shah,  a  Board  mem- the importance of universal values
            Gupta, the moderator, emphasized   diverse backgrounds, encounter in   ber of NVIDIA, Northwestern Mu- across different religions.
            the  theme  “Give  to  Gain”  and  in-  politics due to patriarchy and cultur-  tal and Sandoz as well a couple of   Siddharth Jain (SID), GOPIO
            troduced the distinguished speakers,  al norms. She stressed the need for   non-profits,  emphasized  the  impor- International  General  Secretary
            including Smt.  Ela Gandhi, grand- grassroots movements to promote   tance of heritage, values, and educa-  gave the Vote of Thanks to the Chief
            daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, and   equity and change structural barri-  tion in achieving success, while also  Guest Ela Gandhi, Speakers: Prof.
            Professor Anita Bose-Pfaff, daughter  ers, such as pay disparities, to enable   highlighting lessons from her career  Sujata  Gadkar-Wilcox,  Prof.  Anita
            of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.    more women to enter and succeed in   and the concept of servant leadership.  Bose-Pfaff,  Dr,  Neerja  Gupta,  Dr.
                Chief Guest Ela Gandhi, grand-  political roles.                She further emphasized the message  Aarti  Shah,  Ruchika  Arora,  Charu
            daughter of Mahatma Gandhi shared       Prof.  Anita  Bose-Pfaff,  daugh-  of spirituality by listing the Four E’s:  Shivakumar, GOPIO Leadership
            her experiences as a politician  in   ter of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose,   Energy Energetic Edge Execute.  and members across various chap-
            South Africa, highlighting the his-  shared her experiences as a half-In-  Dr.  Neerja  Gupta,  the  Vice   ters and councils in attendance. Sid
            torical struggle for women’s political  dian scholar and professor in Europe,   Chancellor of Gujarat University in   highlighted the four E’s shared by Dr.
            representation and her role in advo- discussing the challenges of cultural   Ahmedabad, and moderator for the  Aarti Shah, poem by Ruchika Arora
            cating  for  women’s  participation  in   identity and gender equality across   session brought out the challenges   and Dr. Neerja Gupta and comment-
            negotiations that led to democratic   different countries, while highlight-  women still face in leadership roles   ed that 50% of all population is wom-
            reforms. She discussed the challenges   ing the progress made in education   and the need for continued efforts to   en and the balance exists because of
            women still face, including the triple   but noting ongoing barriers in pro-  ensure gender equality.  them. We  recognize  the important
            burden of work, home, and childcare,  fessional spheres. The conversation   Ms. Ruchika Arora shared her  contributions by all Women.

                                                                   www.TheIndianEYE.com

| 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 |