Women destined to lead Viksit Bharat mission: Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma

New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma on Saturday said that women are destined to hold prominent positions in the Viksit Bharat mission as India undergoes rapid transformation and society is blessed with many fearless women.

Speaking at a full-day conference on "Celebrating Women Leadership" organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) in partnership with the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), Sharma highlighted the power of women and the significance of motherhood by recollecting anecdotes of his late mother and a debate at the high court on the issue of abortion.

He began his speech by quoting the Taittriya Upanishad, saying, "Treat your mother as God, treat your father as God, treat your teachers as God." Sharma said, "In our culture, it is deeply embedded that where women are worshipped, God dwells there. Mother is the origin of all things. Women are truly in the role of leadership, bringing out excellence." Referring to debates surrounding women's rights, Sharma said the idea of "conferring" equality or rights upon women is misplaced, adding that emotional strength and nurturing qualities play a foundational role in shaping society.

Speaking on leadership, ASG Sharma said true leadership goes beyond individual success and requires taking responsibility for failures while sharing success with the team.

"A leader is someone who guides others towards achieving excellence and attaining perfection," he said.

The inaugural session was shortly followed by a panel discussion on "Nations Rise when Women are Educated", which was attended by guests like former additional solicitor general and Senior Advocate Pinky Anand.

When asked what more needs to be done legally to ensure the emancipation of women, Anand said the law only acts as an enabling tool that provides structures and opportunities for women to progress.

She emphasised that while the law could provide frameworks, it is equally important for communities to mobilise collectively to make meaningful use of the opportunities created.

The former ASG said Indian society had shown progressive tendencies over time, noting that legal developments often arise from societal concerns. Referring to incidents of violence against women in Rajasthan that prompted judicial intervention, ultimately leading to the Vishakha guidelines to address sexual harassment at the workplace, she emphasised that past societal concerns led to collective mobilisation to create legal safeguards.

"The answer lies in the way we mobilise our structures. As women, we must exercise every right entitled to us," Anand said, adding that the demand should not merely be for equality but for access and opportunity to become anything one aspires to be.

The event was attended by other prominent dignitaries, including Supreme Court advocate Nupur Sharma, international para-athlete Suvarna Raj, entrepreneur Blossom Kochhar and several others. PTI MDB MNK MNK