International Women's Day: 5 women achievers on what the day means to them

International Womens Day is an annual event held on March 8 to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women worldwide The day is celebrated with art performances speeches networking events conferences and marches Womens Day also marks a call to action to end gender inequality at workThe theme for this years International Womenrsquos Day 8 March is Time is Now Rural and urban activists transforming womenrsquos lives According to United Nations women organisation this year International Womens Day comes on the heels of unprecedented global movement for womenrsquos rights equality and justiceOn the occasion of International Womens Day we asked few women achievers on what the day means to them and how they plan to celebrate itRakhee VaswaniTouted to be the Desi Nigella Rakhee Vaswani is a natural with flavours and textures her biggest asset being her strong palate and a deeprooted passion for the culinary arts and food the industry Over two decades of experience in the culinary business and her natural gift for teaching have catapulted Palate Culinary Studio from a small momandpop shop to a state of the art international cooking school where she trains budding chefs amateurs professionals and food enthusiasts alike all within 4 yearsrsquo time The Confederation of Tourism amp Hospitality has proudly made Palate Culinary Studio the first centre to provide a UKCertified Culinary Diploma Course in IndiaWhat does Womens Day mean to youI think it should be a daily phenomenon over a one day thing It started off with granting women with rights as basic as voting and today its a day when we celebrate womanhood while reinstating the kind of equality that we deserveHow do you plan to celebrate Womens DayIts important to recognise and acknowledge people who inspire you women who break through barriers and stereotypes and reach sky high while we personally attempt to do the same I think each and every day is a day of celebrating womanhoodand manhood all alikeWho is your role model Which women do you look up to and whyProfessionally Nigella Lawson is one person I really look up to considering how talented and graceful she is Her recipes are easily replicable and very indulgentAny inspirational story you have come acrossI think day to day stories of women who are taking one small step at a time to break stereotypes are extremely inspiring and empowering Mompreneurs are extremely inspirational as well because not only do they ace at playing the role of a good mother but they also look one step above traditional roles set by the society and follow their passionWhat according to you is the essence of being a womanThe essence of being a woman is to be an allrounder We can achieve all we want and honestly sky is the limitSucheta Pal Zumba trainerGrowing up in Ranchi Sucheta was aware of how the social status of her parents was defined by the education of their children At the age of 25 she quit her cushy IT job rolled up her sleeves and set to work She enrolled herself in a professional dance school in Mumbai and lived on vada pavs that she earned from three odd jobs she did to survive in Indiarsquos city of dreams Things went sideways for her in 2007 when she was diagnosed with IBS and social anxiety disorder With her sheer determination she overcame everything and was given the role of a Zumba Education Specialist tasked with the relaunch of the largest branded workout Zumba in India in 2012What does Womens Day mean to youDay Well I celebrate every fleeting moment of womanhood But to answer your question the way we think of ourselves has everything to do with how the world sees us and how we see ourselves successfully acknowledged by the world It is a glorious occasion to look back on past struggles and accomplishments and more importantly looking ahead at the untapped potential and opportunities that await our future Its also like a toast raised for each and every woman out there who loves her identity is ready to create a difference or is mustering that courage against all odds My only urge is Even after glorification on womenrsquos day when we are brought back to mother earth ndash We should know our true worth And men continue your consistent support however small for however trivial situations in life to all women in your lives and it will truly make a big impact on womens empowermentHow do you plan to celebrate womens dayI feel a single day is not enough to bolster the status of women and exult our achievements but I am glad we have an opportunity globally to create more awareness about womenrsquos issues and provide platforms for discussions and debate To commemorate the Suffrage centenary and coalescing IWD theme for 2018 pressforprogress Im delivering a motivational speech in BangaloreWho is your role model Which women do you look up to and whyMy motherinlaw Reshma Abhichandani At 65 she enjoys life to the fullest is regular at Zumba class inspite of arthritis and I feel she is the most successful woman as she has educated her sons to be feminists Besides her all the women who have found the insurmountable courage to find their voiceAny inspirational story you have come acrossLike I said there are many women like my motherinlaw who have rolled with the punches and have always risen up to fight another day These are the stories that I see or hear about each day The only answer I have to all women who seek inspiration is this Look into the mirror and yoursquoll see the marvellous creation that you are You donrsquot need an external stimuli as you are all that embodies the word MiracleWhat according to you is the essence of being a womanTo me the essence of being a woman in the first place is being a human and recognising the complexity that comes with all of that A womanrsquos essence can be seen by more than just the eye Each woman is intricately wrapped by layers and layers of qualities which make up her very fundamental nature and her Being a woman means being strong because yoursquoll find that your womanhood will need that strength and when you let it sometimes that strength will even find you We dont need biceps some of us do have them too to prove that we can take anybody down if we are rubbed the wrong way Ladies remember you are always more than enough The Universe created a perfect you with all your gifts and imperfections In your core essence you have a knowing that connects you to your true selfAahana Kumra actress and modelAahana Kumra is an Indian theatre Bollywood and television actress Kumra who stunned the masses with her role in Lipstick under my Burkha has taken the world by storm with a smashing video for United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of WomenWhat does Womens Day mean to youWomens Day is a celebration of womnahood where for so long women have not been able to celebrate themselves and I thinkthis is an opportunity where all women come together and there is a panel of discussions where things that happen across the globe where women stand united for themselves their identity and thats what womens day is all aboutHow do you plan to celebrate womens DayWell womens day also happens to be my mothers birthday so I am going to take my mother and my sister out for dinnerWho is your role model Which women do you look up to and whyMy role model is my mother She is the deputy superitendent of police She has served in the police for 40 years and nowshe is studying law after retirement and also my sister who has just delivered a baby and has worked hard to get back her prebaby physique She has lost about 1516 kilos in two months These two women are very strong headed and they achieve what they set out for themselves So they are my biggest and closest inspiration in lifeWhat according to you is the essence of being a womanWomen must be soft from inside but tough from outside I always maintain that women are superwomen because they facilitate for their husbands to go to work They facilitate for their kids to be able to study get good education and shape their career the way they want A house runs very efficiently because of a woman and without the contribution of the women in the house I dont think families would be running smoothly as they are doing all across the globeAnupriya Goenka actress and modelAnupriya Goenka is an actress and model She first shot to fame in 2013 as the face of UPA governments Bharat Nirman ad campaign and for playing a lesbian in Indias first ever lesbian ad for the brand MyntraWhat does Womens Day mean to youI believe everyday is womenrsquos day there can never be one day for celebrating women and their spritHow do you plan to celebrate womens DayI am going to pamper myself and all the women in my family with a small get together dinner I plan to go on a dinner date with my motherAny inspirational story you have come acrossRecently the story of Muniba Mazari inspired me She is a Pakistani artist model activist singer and television host She uses a wheel chair due to injuries sustained in an accident at the age of 21 She is also the national ambassador of UN Women Pakistan The way she converted heart breaking adversities into opportunities through her sheer grit is very inspiringWho is your role model Which women do you look up to and whyI get inspired by all the women that I come across from different walks of life from past and present Who have shown grit and spirit in face of adversity and charted their journeys I consider Meryl Streep my role model for not only is she an legendary actor par excellence she is someone who is deeply cherished by all and despite the high level of stardom she has struck a balance in her personal life too The woman I love the most is my Mother We are little miracles I feel We have so much to offer our capacity to love to endure to comprehend and execute is unique We are smart intelligent sensuous delicate and yet strong Being a woman is a blessing its powerful n beautiful We are little miracles I feel We have so much to offer our capacity to love to endure to comprehend and execute is unique We are smart intelligent sensuous delicate and yet strong Being a woman is a blessing its powerful n beautifulSonia Huria Head Communications amp CSR at Viacom18 Media Pvt LtdSonia Huria drives the media conglomeratersquos communication and social impact agendas Sonia spearheads Viacom18rsquos social impact agenda channeling the companyrsquos commitment towards three primary focus areas ndash health and sanitation promoting education and preservation of art and cultureWhat is the significance of Womens Day for youFor me Womens Day is about encouraging an ecosystem that strives for gender equality and equity every day We are at the cusp of changing paradigms in gender representation where both men and women are changing norms and making their own rules We are seeing men and women becoming equal partners in changing the narrative of gender conversations and according to me that is what a day like Womenrsquos Day stands forHow do you plan to celebrate Womens DayTaking on the thought of breaking gender stereotypes and accepting individual choices this year Viacom18 is conducting a social media campaign with our employees called ThisIsMe that aims to spread the message of celebrating individuals both men and women being themselves without the tints of gender typecastsWho is your role model Which women do you look up to and whyWhile there are many women and men who have inspired me someone whose thoughts and beliefs I find to be most relatable is Dr Maya Angelou Her works as an author are exceptional in character building and enlightening about equality without being preachy about itAny inspirational story you have come acrossWe come across inspirational stories of men and women everyday who travel on the journey to equality and equity as OneTogether As I see my colleagues backslapping one another corporate leaders negotiating deals Prime Ministers seated at the same table deliberating on matters of global import regardless of the gender divide I feel that each one of these are stories worth celebratingWhat according to you is the essence of being a womanAfter centuries of progressive thinking and sacrifices gender equality today is a mainstream conversation Women are increasingly leading from the front be it in boardrooms or the government machinery And at the heart of it is the ability of women to be compassionate leaders who promote cohesivenessAlso ReadWomens Day Sign Up In Advance From Activities Around Town And Have A Ball