From Our Staff Reporter Madras, Jan
1.
Kiran Bedi, first woman IPS officer, Mrs Shanti Kapoor, Madras Collector, and Mrs P.Bhanumathi Ramakrishna
,cine veteran, were today honoured by the Lions Club of K.K. Nagar coinciding with the 1996 ‘Ladies
Nite’ celebrations.
Ms Kiran Bedi was presented the ‘Lion of the Year’ 1995 award by the project
chairman and organizer, Mr G. Ahmed Sharif. Mrs Bhanuthi Ramakrishna was honoured with the title of
‘Mangalyar Ratna’ and a special memento and a shawl were given to Mrs Shanthi Kapoor.
Ms Kiran Bedi made a fervent appeal to voluntary service organizations such as Lions
and the Rotary to empower the girl child through education which would be the ‘best gift’.
Appealing to industrial houses and philanthropists to extend a helping hand for empowerment of women, she
said the need of the hour was to extend special programmes aimed at the upliftment of women, especially in
the rural areas.
Outlining the criminal correction programme, she launched at Tihar jail with
community level participation. Ms Bedi regretted that prisons in India, which were described as
correctional institutions, no longer had a correctional policy.  |
She
said she was now on a long study leave and was writing a book on ‘Tihar jail’ under, the Nehru
Fellowship Programme. The high profile officer also urged members of the Lions movement to put up a stiff
tight against the major social evil of dowry. She accepted a cheque for Rs 20,000, a donation made by the
members of the Lions Club of K.K. Nagar and other philanthropists, towards assisting, her own ‘India
Vision Management’ project, New Delhi.
Mrs Shanthi Kapoor outlined the efforts of Tamil Nadu Government towards empowering women, economically,
through the Chief Minister’s 15 point programme.
Mrs Bhanumathi Ramakrishna traced the positive role played by the cine industry for a
alleviating the sufferings of the downtrodden.
Mr Ahmed Sharif said 55 projects were launched today, coinciding with, the Ladies Nite celebrations. As
part of the projects, tricycles, sewing machines, a bicycle, medicines and other consumer articles were
donated to various organizations and individuals by Ms Bedi.
Mr T.Srikanth, Secretary of the Club gave an account of the club activities. Mr V. Ramakrishna Rao
President, welcomed the gathering. |
