iTV Network’s “NewsX Women of Steel Summit and Awards”, held in the national capital on 18 October, was all about celebrating the power of womanhood. The event, hosted at Delhi’s Taj Palace hotel, was aimed at felicitating and honouring women achievers from the fields of sports, civil rights, gender equality, fashion, entertainment, environmental justice and women’s rights.
The list of awardees included celebrities from different walks of life. The “Woman of Steel Award (Entertainment)” was presented to actress Chitrangada Singh; the “Youth Icon (Entertainment)” was presented to actress Fatima Sana Shaikh; the “Powerhouse Performer Of The Year” award was presented to actress Diana Penty; the “Inspirational Woman of the Year” award was presented to the athlete Deepa Malik; the “Woman Of Steel Award (Sports)” was presented to Rani Rampal; and “(Sports) Super Woman of the Year” award was presented to Shweta Chaudary.
Union Minister Smriti Irani was also at the venue. Talking about the initiative, she said, “Women who take a stand against the wrong are women made of gold and not steel.” Irani also said that the problem with women is that they get advice from all quarters every day, but what’s more important is for women to be given equal opportunities.
The awardees were chosen by a panel comprising members of the editorial board of iTV Network. Speaking on the occasion, iTV Network’s founder and promoter, Kartikeya Sharma, said, “At a time when women in our country have made great strides and have found a voice in creating a gender-neutral and women empowered world, we take this as an opportunity to honour, appreciate and recognise through the ‘NewsX Women of Steel Awards’ the zeal and dynamism of those iron ladies who have not only excelled in their fields but have also acted fearlessly to change the world.”
Amid the celebrations, several important issues were also highlighted at the summit. A major one these days, the #MeToo movement, was considered at great length by the panelists. Actress Chitrangada Singh, talking about #MeToo, recalled the time when she used to take public transport to travel to her college and the difficulties she had to face then. She said, “A little #MeToo happened way before, when I was in Delhi University and we used to travel in DTC buses. I was in the college hostel. We used to be so careful about what wore while travelling on those buses. I used to wear kurtas. You had to change the way you carried yourself just to avoid those comments. I am so happy that #MeToo is happening in India at all levels. The psychology of people needs to be healthier…”
Actress Diana Penty also voiced her support for the movement. She said, “I am so happy that #MeToo is finally here. And I am totally supporting this movement. I want to say to every woman out there to have the courage and share her story. I hope this is the start of a brighter and safer future for women.”
Dangal actress Fatima Sana Shaikh said that one should take a stand against what’s wrong and unethical, adding that she was flattered that people think of her as a role model.
The panel on “Beyond #MeToo” included Chitrangada Singh; Rohini Iyer, founder, Raindrop Media; Talish Ray, lawyer and founder of Girls Gotta Know India; Sonam Pall, entrepreneur and co-founder, S&S Trunk Show; and Sejal Kumar, actor and style influencer.
Sonam Pall, during a panel discussion, also threw light on how mocking this movement can weaken the cause.
DCW Chief Swati Maliwal said, “#MeToo has kicked off because the system has completely failed. I welcome the movement. All those women who reported should take these cases up with the police and legal authorities.”
Another panel discussion, on “The Super Sportsman”, was led by Rani Rampal, Indian Women’s Hockey Captain; Deepa Malik, the first Indian paralympic silver medalist; and Shweta Chaudhary, Asian Games Gold Medalist for shooting. “The Women Influencers” panel hosted Bahaar Rohatgi, lawyer and artist; Sherry Shroff, lifestyle influencer; Komal Pandey, fashion influencer; and Sejal Kumar. “Beauty with a purpose” session had Diana Penty on the stage, and “Popular Culture & Sexism” had Chitrangada Singh. “New Age Relationships and Gender Equality” was discussed by Fatima Sana Shaikh, Komal Pandey and Sonam Pall. “Empowerment Through Entertainment” was led by Fatima Sana Shaikh. “Politics and The Bhartiya Nari” had Jaya Jaitly, politician and author; Swati Maliwal, DCW Chief; and Sharmishtha Mukherjee, Congress Spokesperson on the stage.